Woodshop

My son is taking woodshop...Woodshop 1. Tonight he asked me what his project should be. A nightstand, some kind of shelf...I wasn't paying attention...a grandfather clock? The last one caught my attention. I would love to have a grandfather clock. I'm a grandfather and I deserve a clock. Don't mind that every room has at least 2. So I started paying attention. It will only cost $700. $200 for the wood $500 for the guts.

When I was in woodshop it was in 7th grade we got to make a shoeshine box. I worked on that really hard but trying to smooth out one of the grooves for the tongue and groove...I managed to go all the way through to the otherside. I was highly embarrased. I got a B on the thing but I was the son of a home builder. How could I ruin such a thing, plus the band saw stuff never came out smooth. I was proud though when I brought it home. The wood putty that filled the offending hold stuck out (still does) like a sore thumb...but I've had that box for a million years...unless the kids have ruined it...which is likely. I have to admit I haven't seen it around lately.

$700 for a Grandfather clock...sheeesh...and he didn't think anything about it. He's never had wood shop before...though he is maticulous. Still I just can't imagine a first timer woodshop student and a grandfather clock...$700 no less. I know you can't buy one for that. But $700 for a first year student grandfather clock. Hickory and Dickory would have a blast running through the gouged holes. I've also never known a clock you put together to keep time anyway. $700. My younger son said...well why don't you pay $500 and he can pay $200. It still is $700 for an amatuer grandfather clock. Synchopation isn't the half of it. I'd die before the clock was finished and it would never run.

He's already hit me for $300 to go to Seattle for a Band trip. He hasn't left yet though. Maybe those guys who throw the fish up there can slap him with a salmon and knock some sense into him...the fish is probably $700 though.

For $700 he could make a bunch of night stands and sell them. Or those shelves he could make, would be a great addition to his room. Get some of the junk on them. Which reminds me the shelves I built a couple of weeks ago for my wife still need painting. He helped me with those. I saw how he used a saw and swung a hammer...$700...

Of course there is also the football camp he went to and the cell phone I end up paying for every month for him, and gasoline he uses in the cars, he did pay for his basketball league, He can do all that for less that $700. And he quit the football team. They wouldn't let him play...it was his first year ever playing football, so they went on to win the state championship without him...He's too short really to play high school basketball, but he is not too bad. He's no John Stockton, but he's not bad. Until he comes up with $700 for a grandfather clock.

If he really wants to build me something that will last in his woodshop 1 class, how about a nice casket. He's going to kill me about the same time he bankrupts me. $700!!!???!!!