making wheels

As you can see in the photo, my new drill press is working well in the making of wheels. Shifting more of the making process to the kids, making my life easier, and their lives smarter and more fun. Older students are allowed to simply make them on their own (following instruction). Younger ones, in first, second and third grades I ask to work in teams, with one locking the wheel blank in place while the other turns on the drill and and turns the handle to lower the bit to form the hole.

One thing that makes this drilling process relatively safe is that if the wheel were to lift up from the clamp and spin, it would simply be a round object spinning with the drill and not something that could hit small knuckles.

As Elizabeth said, "This is fun, can I do more?" In the past, I would have to make hundreds of wheels at a time so that I could leave the big drill press free to drill axle holes in the bodies of the toy cars and trucks they make. This small drill press made in China costs less delivered than a cordless drill.

The small chuck used in the drill table to hold the wheel blanks is shown in the image below, and is available here and from other sources. The three jaws reverse to hold wheels centered under the drill.

Today in the wood shop, my middle schools students will be fitting top panels on their shaker boxes.

Make, fix, create and offer others the encouragement to learn likewise.