Mechanical Sciences
4-H Woodworking Project
The Colorado 4-H Woodworking Project teaches youth practical skills in designing, building, and finishing wooden projects while emphasizing safety and craftsmanship.
Unit 1, Measuring Up, introduces beginners to identifying tools, practicing safety, measuring and marking boards, making basic joints, and using hand tools. Unit 2, Making the Cut, focuses on selecting wood, understanding grain, using squares and saws for miter and curved cuts, sanding, and planning projects. Unit 3, Nailing It Together, teaches use of advanced tools like circular and radial arm saws, understanding hinges and clamps, staying current with woodworking technology, and applying finishes. Unit 4, Finishing Up, emphasizes shop design, using routers, jointers, and planers, creating dovetail joints, applying adhesives and bleaches, and completing projects such as wood vehicles, step stools, chairs, or hockey boards, fostering technical skills, creativity, and problem-solving.
Check the exhibit requirements for restrictions on which tools can be used in which units.
Project Overview
UNIT 1
Measuring Up
Designed for members 8-18 years old.
Inspiring youth to:
- Learn how to organize your shop
- Learn how to identify woodworking tools
- Practice woodworking safety
- Learn how to measure and mark boards, use a square, a hand drill and a hand saw
- Identify different types of nails and screws
- Make a sandpaper block
- Construct a butt joint and use a hammer safely
UNIT 2
Making the Cut
Designed for members 8-18 years old.
Inspiring youth to:
- Learn how to select wood based on grain
- Recognize the difference between plywood and fiberboard
- Learn how to develop a plan
- Learn how to use a combination square and make a miter cut
- Learn how to make a curved cut
- Learn how to use a sander
- Learn how to identify types of woodworking tools and much more!
UNIT 3
Nailing it Together
Designed for members 8-18 years old.
Inspiring youth to:
- Learn how to stay current with technology
- Learn how to use a T-bevel, powered circular saw, and radial arm saw
- Learn about hinges, hasps, and flush plates
- Learn the difference between clamps
- Learn how to use various types of wood stains and much more!
UNIT 4
Finishing Up
Designed for members 8-18 years old.
Inspiring youth to:
- Design a woodworking shop
- Use a router, jointer, portable planer and scraper
- Learn about dovetail joints
- Learn how to use bleaches, strippers, and adhesives
- Learn how to build a wood vehicle, hockey board, step stool or chair and much more!
Official Project Materials
Materials & Curriculum
Member Resources
Find Your County
Counties play a crucial role in 4-H by providing a platform for young people to learn and grow.
Counties facilitate the delivery of 4-H programs that are of particular interest in their area and qualified, compassionate adult leaders run local clubs to support our youth 4-H members.
To find out if this project is supported locally, contact your local extension office.
Upcoming Events
Currently there are no events scheduled at this time associated to this page. Please check back for the latest events as they are scheduled.
Project Tips
- Complete the woodworking e-record and secure in a sturdy binder/notebook.
- Unit 1 has very specific restrictions on the tools used in building an article to display. This is done for reasons of safety and to provide a fair comparison among projects.
- An exhibit which shows evidence of not following these restrictions will not be ranked.
- The internet has many options to find dimensional plans.
Judging Criteria
- Straightness, accuracy and smoothness of saw cuts
- Level of difficulty and precision of joints
- Skill employed in the use of nails, screws, gluing and other hardware
- Item free of tool or sandpaper marks
- Appropriate finish evenly applied
- Article attractiveness and quality of exhibit
- Correct proportions and proper wood for the intended use
- Accuracy in measurements, ability to follow instructions, quality of workmanship
Careers
Regulation & Inspection
Work with manufacturers, government, retail, research, and more to ensure safe products and structures
Fabrication & Repair
Create and design products as well as repair and rebuild
Research
Test out products, designs, and methods; Work with consumer safety and support
Timber Growth & Harvest
Grow and harvest of different wood products for consumer and industrial use
Arborist
Provide support and work with different businesses for tree growth and conservation
Supervision &
Management
Provide oversight of projects, builds, and staff to complete work
Retail
Provide sales of products at different retail levels to support the woodworking industry
Advocacy/Political
Appointments
Opportunity to influence policy, safety protocols and standards for the industry