Kids Project: Dug-Out Indian Canoe

[Lightningbolt]

Here are a few of the pictures from my latest woodshop class where the kids have been working on a small dug-out canoe as part of the boy scout woodcarving merit badge. If on time for class they each had about 2 hours to complete the project although I always allow more time in the future if they want to do more.

I had all of the canoe blanks cut out with the bandsaw before class which were about 7" long by 2" wide. I tapered the bow & stern upwards then sketched on some general guidelines to follow for scooping out the inside and rounding up the outside shape. Almost none of these approximately 50 kids have ever been exposed to woodcarving in their entire lives but they're getting a healthy dose of it now!

They always amaze me with their newfound skill and imagination and to be honest... I learn a LOT from them! As you'll see from the pictures I expect all of my students to "extend" their projects from the assigned project in a way that will make it uniquely theirs. This means that they'll have to use their imagination and creativity with other materials and tools such as woodburning, chip carving, making paddles, adding thwarts, seats, sails, Indian designs, and the list goes on forever.

Next we'll be starting on a simple relief carving and they're really looking forward to that as much as I am. Hopefully this will give you another idea for a great in-the-round woodcarving project for the kids in your life. I mostly have 14-16 year olds but I think it's a suitable project for 11 or 12 year olds too so let's get kids to carvin' !

These first 5 pictures show the carving table where the kids are busy sculpting their wood. Sorry that I had to distort their faces due to beurocratic Federal hippa laws but I can assure you that everyone is very happy!

[Lightningbolt]

These next five pictures show some nice carvings from more kids who've never picked up a carving blade in their lives! Some nice Indian woodburnings, carved paddles, and the last picture shows a student working hard at figuring out how to turn his canoe into a sailboat. There is a close-up of it in the next set.

[Lightningbolt]

Here's the canoe with a sail as it was left after the last class. He plans to fit in some fabric during the next class. I really liked how one student put the three crosses in his canoe which he plans to give to his grandmother for display in the house. There's one canoe with wings and another fellow turned his canoe into a souvenir trophy since his group just returned from a two week canoe trip.

[achaundy]

This is great!!! Nothing like teaching the young ones something they can take with them their whole life. Good Job!!
Skip

[gene-messer]

Dave . I love to read your post .. your always so upbeat and so willing to help others .. especially kids ..

What a great project for kids and the final results are wonderful ..

Iam sure each one of those kids will remember your projects long after their finished ..

Thank you so much for taking the time to educate our youth .. you are truly a gracious man at heart ..

Gene

[Lightningbolt]

Thanks for the really nice comments!

Gene: As for the kids remembering their woodcarving experiences, just this last spring one of my past students from 1991 came by for a visit and he actually had one of his favorite carvings that I'd helped him with so long ago... a beautiful green painted frog with a gloss finish carved as a relief into a piece of eastern red cedar. This "kid" was now about 32 years old and driving a corvette and he sure was appreciative of someone taking the time to show him the basics of carving many years ago. I really do have a very rewarding job.

I thought that I'd post a few more canoes that have been finished during the last week. One is the sailboat canoe that was started in previous pictures and the other had some really nice woodburning that the picture just doesn't give proper justice.

I also included a picture of the canoe blanks that I developed for this project which is cut from an 8" long by 1 1/2" tall by 1 5/8" wide piece of soft pine. I believe that I might have given an incorrect measurement in the initial post. This is a really great project for kids and adults alike!

[Lightningbolt]

Although we've moved on to other projects one of our counselors who is from the Philipines finished her "outrigger" canoe today. She says that they're qutie popular in that part of the world and I really loved it.