# Let's see your first! :D



## hands made for wood (Nov 2, 2007)

I always thought it would be cool to see from all of you what your first project was, no matter how small it is! If you have a pic that's great!  My first was a little veggietales key chain I had made the day my dad told me I was old enough to use the scroll saw. I was quite the excited boy!  soo I guess I made this when I was... oh 10 maybe? 

Now for the rest of ya! Let's see what you have!  okay.... sooo maybe I can't go calling this a "project" haha it's lacking. about everything there is to lack. but nonetheless this piece means a lot to me


----------



## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

dude, thats over 35 yrs ago. i cant even remember my "first" project, much less still have it. lol


----------



## hands made for wood (Nov 2, 2007)

hahaha yeah I figured that would be the case! Maybe some will still have their first project


----------



## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

10 was 40 yrs ago for me but i do have some early things i did ill try to get pics of and post


----------



## Firewalker (Jan 3, 2011)

Levi, 

Believe it or not I came across my first project the other day. It was in my Dads house and I told my wife about it. She said she wanted it so we got it. I will snap a shot of it. Very basic hand tool only creation. It's pretty wild how long ago that was. Stay tuned for a pic to help keep ya thread alive.


----------



## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

I still have some of my early projects. I'll take some pictures this afternoon and post. Great idea for a thread. By the way, gotta love the veggie key chain. Its got some serious character..
:thumbsup:


----------



## joesdad (Nov 1, 2007)

My first wood project was probably a slingshot whitteled out of a crabapple tree branch from our back yard. I do remember it was done with my first pocket knife which was an old Barlow that my father had given me.
I'm guessing both were confiscated shortly after by my mother. I think this was around 1978.


----------



## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

My first was pounding nails into the basement stairway, with my mother's encouragement. I think she was relieved to be able to close the basement door on me for awhile.....

I don't have any of the junk I cobbled together during my "figure it out for myself" years, but I do have my first jr high class project from some 30+ years ago. Those were the school colors.


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

One of my first projects that I still have is a set of wood teeth I carved as a gift for my dad, who was a dentist. I was about 10 years old. 




















 









.


----------



## dblodgett (Jan 10, 2009)

cabinetman said:


> One of my first projects that I still have is a set of wood teeth I carved as a gift for my dad, who was a dentist. I was about 10 years old.
> 
> View attachment 19966
> 
> ...


 
Wow cabinetman -- you were clearly born with the woodworking gene. I don't think I could carve those teeth now!


----------



## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

OK, you you young techies, how do I convert my first project pictures from tintypes to electronic media?:laughing:


----------



## joesdad (Nov 1, 2007)

Gene Howe said:


> OK, you you young techies, how do I convert my first project pictures from tintypes to electronic media?:laughing:


From a print?

A: Scan and save it.
B: Take a picture of it with a digi camera or phone


----------



## Quijibo (Nov 13, 2010)

Not the best picture, but it was a joint project with my father, for my first child (and used by second as well).
good times in the garage.


----------



## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

jack warner said:


> dude, thats over 35 yrs ago. i cant even remember my "first" project, much less still have it. lol


That would be my sentiments also.

I can remember my first project after I got married 46 years ago. We purchased a nice little (1,250 sq ft) house in Jan Jose California. I wanted a bookcase in the living room so I bought some brick that matched the fireplace, a sheet of 3/4" mahogany plywood and a sheet of 1/4" plywood.

I extended the fireplace hearth over to the sidewall. I then made two vertical brick "pilings." The 1/4" plywood was used as the back and the 3/4" as the shelves. In those days I only owned a circular saw and hand tools. Took a little patience to get all cuts straight.

I never got around to applying the finish to those shelves. This was the Vietnam era and the Air Force unexpectedly moved us before I was finished I had the project finished.

If I took any pictures I have no idea of where they are.

That was my first attempt at brick laying and my brand new wife could not believe that I was going to do it in her living room.

George


----------



## burkhome (Sep 5, 2010)

Sorry man...my first project was BC (before cameras) and Michialangelo wasn't available to paint it. It was however a birdhouse built with my dad at about age 8 or 9.


----------



## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

Well, I finally took the pictures. My first lathe project was a kitchen clock. I did it in shop class around 1979. It still hangs in my parents' kitchen to this day.











I'm not sure when I did this one, but the best I can figure is around 1975. It was made on a school trip to a place called Pioneer Villiage. It was made with a LOT of help from the guide there. It is a replica of an old sled and is all cedar and it hangs out in my shop.











This last picture is almost laughable. I don't know the date on it and I am not going to even guess at it. But this is my first scrolling project. It was supposed to be a snowman Christmas ornament. :blink: My daughter, years later, decorated the other side. It still hangs out in the shop to remind me that we all start somewhere. :laughing:


----------



## UKfan (Nov 16, 2010)

I like the snowman


----------



## anoldlady (Aug 19, 2010)

UKfan said:


> I like the snowman


Me too. It makes me want to go out to the shed and make one. :thumbsup:


----------



## Itchy Brother (Aug 22, 2008)

I think my first project was a dog house for our 130 pound shepard.I never did take a picture cause it didnt last too long,he ate most of it.


----------



## jstange2 (Dec 5, 2010)

My first would be very hard for me to even remember. It would either be one of many tree houses or little tables and chairs from farm scraps. My first project that was put together with intent to actually make a finished product was a 7' long computer desk with a solid oak top and oak plywood frame. Very heavy. It is in my mom's cafe in Freeman, SD now holding her register and phone. Here is the first project I have a picture of.


----------



## b00kemdano (Feb 10, 2009)

I love how many first projects are still in mom's kitchen! My mom has a lot of the stuff that I made in Jr High. Napkin holder, nick-nack shelf, giant clothes pin. One of my favorites is a set of reindeer, a sleigh, and some presents that she still puts by the fireplace every Christmas. 

I still have my gumball machine, tho. :thumbsup:









Oh, by the way, Jr High for me was about 1986.


----------



## hands made for wood (Nov 2, 2007)

I love the snowman ken! I have to say I think everyone's has done mine out thus far hahha


----------



## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

I'm suprised about how many of you like the snowman. He's almost embarrasing to post, but like I said, we all have to start somewhere.
:yes:


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Kenbo said:


> I'm suprised about how many of you like the snowman. He's almost embarrasing to post, but like I said, we all have to start somewhere.
> :yes:


That's the first woodgrain snowman I've seen. I thought they are white.:laughing:












 









.


----------



## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

cabinetman said:


> That's the first woodgrain snowman I've seen. I thought they are white.:laughing:


 

Maybe where you come from...............silly American. :laughing:


----------



## sanchez (Feb 18, 2010)

My first project was a workbench for my basement. I bought a router so I could cut the grooves for the drawer bottoms. Only other power tool was a circular saw. My wife said the OSB drawer fronts are ugly!

My first two nice projects were both for my youngest daughter. Jewelry box was first. Cut the curves with my coping saw. Stool was second, learned how to joint boards with a router.


----------



## me109a (Nov 8, 2010)

First project other than shop tables and workbenches


----------



## sanchez (Feb 18, 2010)

That's nice! Nothing like jumping in big!


----------



## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

Wow, a lot of really nice firsts. Great work guys.


----------



## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

yes i made a foot stool first like most. i still use it. it's very tippy. but my first real attempt at craftsmanship was this. it is now almost 19yrs old. my mom got a new puppy so she gave it back to me to refinish while her puppy outgrows the teething. he chewed it a bit.


----------



## Back to the Wood (Dec 19, 2009)

*WOW What memories*

Its great to see all of the firsts. As I went through them I couldn't remember mine until I saw Sanchez's workbench. My first project was also a workbench. My father bought a plain workbench, 4x4 legs with 2x6's on top and a 1x10 apron. He told me to make drawers in it. Nothing fancy here, I only had a hand saw, hammer and nails. He was still using it nearly 50 years later when he passed away. I had forgotton all about it. I guess I done good.

My son and I now have a remodeling business. We all start somewhere. Thanks.


----------



## JohnWP (Jan 18, 2011)

jack warner said:


> dude, thats over 35 yrs ago. i cant even remember my "first" project, much less still have it. lol


I have my first, well, technically my parents still have it. It's from HS in 1984, I'll snap some pics on my next visit.

John


----------



## Renate (Jan 27, 2011)

My first project was a series of links of chain whittled from one piece of wood, with the help of my Grandpa. I was about eight years old. I made it to about the fifth link before I broke it. I intended to try the 'floating ball in a cage' at the end like my grandpa always made, but that didn't happen. I finished up the other links anyway. I have no idea where it is now.


----------



## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

My first project was a step stool I made in 7th grade shop class in 1977. I still have it and it still supports me so I can reach to wash the top of my truck. No pic available though. Here is a pic of the project that got me into this wonderful/crazy hobby, 21 years after the stool.


----------



## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

I made this bowl when i was like 15 or so and i made one just like for my brother but couldnt get a pic of it


----------



## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

I had dabbled with some 2x6 head boards before this, but this cherry coffee table was my first real furniture project. It's got some errors, but I think it came out better than I had any right to think it would....it took me forever to finish, and I had a lot of beginner's luck, but I'll take it! :thumbsup: I was fortunate to think that I needed a TS, planer, jointer, and router before I tackled any real furniture projects, which I didn't "need" per se, but having straight square dimensioned stock really helped.


----------



## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

This is NOT the first thing I ever made in life. As I recall that was a bird house that I made while my Granda supervised and instructed. As I remember, Studebaker was still making pickup trucks at the time.

However, this is the second thing I've attempted to make since suffering a stroke back in June of 2010. The first thing was the work table its sitting on. However the box was started several months ago while the table was done in 3 days last week










It was designed to be a test of my abilities to use the machines and hand tools again. The splines were cut at the TS and the inlay on top was done by hand with chisels. The shiny corners are made from brass and driven into the spaces with a hammer. I used my TS to rip pieces, my RAS to size them, my SCMS to make the mitered corners, my router for the edging and my band saw to make the inlay strips and the handle.

Its made from old pallet wood and a piece of some kind of blackish wood that I have no idea what is except that it was extremely hard wood and came from a box of cut-offs at the lumber yard that had a sign, exotic woods $1.40 per pound. I got one stick of the stuff about 3 inches x 8 inches x 5/16th thick and it cost me a dollar. Yeah it was pretty heavy stuff.

Its stained Golden Oak and finished with shellac.

Maybe I should mention that it took me almost 4 months to make this as I felt more and more able to actually do something. Personally I think its not up to my usual standards, but the wife likes it. I gave it to my 21 year old son and he said its really cool, but has no idea what to put in it.... neither did I. Like I said, its sole purpose was to show me if I could still do it even though I have to use a cane and have hand controls now to drive.


----------



## Webster (Mar 6, 2009)

Here's a bowl I made in grade 7 woodshop.....30 something years ago.
I remember the teacher being quite impressed with it....enough so to display it in the show case in the school lobby. 

It certainly wouldn't have been my first, but it probably was the first anyone wanted to keep :huh: 

Rick


----------

