No, really. When asked what he wanted for Christmas, my four-year-old grandson replied very earnestly “I want sticks and paper to start camp fires, and a box to put it in”. He really does enjoy camp fires and likes to be involved in starting and tending them. The floor of his room is littered with paper that he has collected, and he has several garbage bags full of paper (drives his Mom crazy). When it’s time for a camp fire, this kid is ready.
When I stopped laughing after his request, I set about making said box and filling it with sticks. Cedar, pine, fir – all the good stuff for kindling. I picked some scrap cedar for the box sides and pine for the floor and handles. Rabbet joints and glue to put it all together, dowels through the handles, an oil and wax finish on the outside, and it’s ready for delivery Christmas morning.
I only wish I had a few lumps of coal to give him, he would love it!
A few pics of the process here. Making the rabbets.
The glue-up.
Carving out the underside of the handles. The handles don’t look terribly elegant, but I want something that four-year-old hands can grab easily.
The handles are glued and also held in place with dowels.
Bottom details. The floor is loose to allow expansion, held in with pine strips glued above and below the pine floor.
Loaded up with pine and cedar kindling and shavings.
Wild Rose Woodcraft 