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Any ideas, suggestions or websites [especially with pictures or plans ] for my son [aged 11 and very keen ! ] for things to make. We have a good supply of pallets and various other bits as we renovate the house and garden. He made a chicken feed trough today from old gutter and some pallet wood for our new chickens and is very proud [as I am] and is keen for other ideas.

Thanks

Sarah

Just read this out to my OH who was a joiner and a lecturer in joinery. He suggests deep bed planters, that way he's involved with the constuction and then the gardening side! Double whammy! What about bat boxes? I think there are patterns on the interweb on the bat conservation site. Have you looked on the nature detectives site - there are often craft ideas on there too. He sounds like a lovely chap - make the most of his skills!

After I made my chook pen I found out similar ones were selling for $400! As a little side job so I can buy a DeWalt mitre saw, I've been using my bandsaw to make the pens and selling them for $300. I get all the wood recycled so it only costs me about $30 and 6 hours to make (it gets quicker each time).

What I'm getting at... is have him built chicken pens for some pocket money! Or maybe some nesting boxes. Or a toybox for himself? (can double as a blanket box when he gets older). How about a small bench for outside to have tea on?

cold frames, compost bins, those pyramid shaped thingies for climbing plants, potting bench.

Here's a link for the cold frames http://www.allotment.org.uk/greenhouse- ... dframe.php

and i'm sure if you goooogle the interweb for how to make...... you'll find more plans.

oh, oh and a Dovecote! always wanted one and they sell for squidoons!!
Never been able to find any free plans for dovecotes though and I have searched for hours.)

I was thinking of making this chair once I manage to scrounge enough suitable timber The stuff I have at the moment is to thin but used some for making a fence to keep the badgers out of the veg bed.

http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/factsheets/nestbox.php

theres instructions and plans here for a variety of bird boxes.


or you might find something in here

http://www.allcrafts.net/woodworking.htm

i did notice a few toy ideas there as well as some more complex projects.