Tiny Tools for Tiny People

[raynerd]

A while back, I saw a post on here where someone had made some tools for their kids. I`m wanting to do the same for my children for Christmas, but the way things are going right now in terms of having zero time in the workshop, I`m going to have to start early. I`d quite like to make it all, so I`m thinking flat head screwdriver as I can grind some silver steel and put on a handle. I was thinking about a brass hammer as I can once again make that or even a wooden mallet. It`ll have to have a saw in it but not too sure how to make a blade?? Perhaps one more tricky to make item...a handmade drill - possible?  And then I`d make a nice little box for them all.

Any thoughts or pictures would be welcome.. I`ll keep my progress in here as I`m currently enthused and might make the screwdrivers tomorrow!


Hope to get some nice ideas. I am sure something similar has been done before but can`t find it.

Chris

[rleete]

Go to the toy store.  there are lots of play tools.  Copy the designs.

[DMIOM]

..... I was thinking about a brass hammer as I can once again make that or even a wooden mallet...

Chris - sounds a great idea, but when choosing what to make it may be worth considering what may happen if they're used when there's just the tiny people around.

a screwdriver might end up in an eye 
or a hammer might hit someone/something (could be totally un-intentional, it could just slip out of someone's grip whilst being swung towards a legitimate target) and it break some glass or even hit someone 

So, as advised above, it may be worth looking at what's commercially available for inspiration.

[sbwhart]

My grandson is into fixing things with tools (must be in the geines) got a set of plastic tools that granpa loves to set him task with:- getting a toy car out of a carboard tube :- hammer and pliers job that. But I have to watch him like a hawk he loves nothing better than getting hold of granpas real tools, alan keys are the safest, tap a length of bar and screw some cap screws grubs screws into it pass over the alan keys and watch them preform.

I once had a job mending his push chair, had to knock in a new roll pin, put the hammer down turned my back and before I knew it head got the hammer knocking seven bells out of the chair. 

 

Stew

 

[raynerd]

Thanks for the thoughts. The tools will simply stay in my workshop and they don`t get in there. If they do, the little tool set would be the least of my worries!!!!

I know what you are saying about looking at the kiddy toys, but I was thinking it as more of a keep-sake. Although a tiny tool set, I did want them to be functional tools that could be used as they grow up.

Humm, maybe I should give it a miss on Health and Safety grounds      
 

 

[mattinker]

Hi,

a long time ago, my father made me a tool box. It contained a hand drill, some drill bits, a wooden handled screw driver a tenon saw and a hammer. I was about eight years old, end of the fifties, not much plastic about. My prised possessions allowed me, with discrete paternal assistance to build a desk. The beginning of tool mania, which I'm all set to pass on to my grandsons! I couldn't do it for my son, we lived in different countries, but he is doing more and more, the telephone lines under the channel are responsible for a lot of things getting done "Dad how do I"...... Generations of metalworkers!

Give them real tools as young as is safe and they can do things with them. Teach them to look after them and they will love it and you for having opened the door!

Regards, Matthew.

[Miner]

Personally I think it's a great idea, and especially so that they would only be used with you supervising. If it were me? I'd consider what you'd build before Christmas as just a starter set of tools, and then have them help build further additions as they get older. Since you will be supervising, then building to a very high quality standard so they will be kept, maintained, and probably cherished for their whole lives would be a good idea too. The South Bend projects book has a really nice design for a light weight ball peen hammer. Between metal working and wood working hand tools, there's more than enough to build something each year for decades. Once their old enough? Well a Gerstner style tool chest is the obvious next project.

Pete

[mhh]

Great idea!
Got a toy kit when I was about 5. Hammer, screwdriver, saw, square, pliers. Still have the screwdriver and the pliers somewhere. Already considering making a kit for my future kids!
My father is great with wood (Not that he really uses that much time on it, but still great) so I already knew how to use the tools by watching him.

About the safety, I cant see any problem there as long as they are supervised! so get started! 

[PekkaNF]

I never had much "toy" tools. I think I got one drill brace, but it was too flimsy for five year old (or so) farm boy. Lucily my family had a lot of tools, which pretty much all them them inflicted some sort of would, bruise or abbrasion on me.

My daughter liked those pink/floral hammer/screwdirver/diy set that target picture hangers. Bought her one when she was five, she liked the looks, but hated using them. Lesson learned and now she uses only real tools.

She saw once one kid have toy cordless screw driver with red palstic lot head srews and such. After that she said that she wans real cordless screw driver for chrismass present. I bought her small palm size real cordless screw driver, like this:

And she has been willing to assist me on house projects ever since.

We talkked about safety and come to conclusion that toys are not tools and tools are not toys. Have seen some kids pointing a toy battery screw driver and press trigger to curl hair. hate to think what would happen with real tool.

How about nice slef made tool-box that would fit on her room somewhere and buy some tools or stuff to do artwork or crafts (I'm assuming your kids are pre school)? You could theach them to keep tools on toolbox and that tools are used to make something not avatars on play.

Pekka

[desbromilow]

My parents gave me a small toolbox when I was 5yo containing some cheap real tools (hammer, screwdrivers, etc) - being a typical kid I lost a few of them, and did my share of damge with them.
Fast forward to my own kids... at 10yo I gave my son a 3 layer toolbox (the cantilever type) and a couple of decent tools. The premise was that each year he would receive one (1) decent quality tool to add to his kit. Over the time he got a few "hand me downs" from my kits, and quickly learned the value of quality over price.
I'd love to report it all ended well, but between the ex-wife (specifically her boyfriend) and the addiction to computer games I've no idea if he even has the toolbox, let alone the tools.
Any children who venture in my shed will get a similar treatment -real tools, supervision, and a safe area to work, with some "projects"... and hopefully the exposure to learn the value of quality tools in a job.

Des