Building a children’s life size “log” construction set from old fence boards

Frank Pellow

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Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
Isla, my 7 year old granddaughter, is very interested in the construction of buildings and, while she and I were sitting in our refurbished garden this week, it struck both of us that she could use the old cedar boards from the fence that I recently tore down to make “forts”, “playhouses” and other such structures. We put together a quick prototype in the shop and it worked.
Here is a photo of a portion of the fence taken earlier this spring before I tore it down:

Log building kit from old fence 01 -The fence -small.JPG

The fence is 33 years old and the boards are cedar. They are in reasonably good shape.
I decided to make a “construction kit” of parts that could be put up and torn down at will. The basic idea for the parts comes from my Pan Abode cedar cabin that I assembled on Pellow’s Island thirty one years ago.
Thirty three years has resulted in some wear and tear and there are some cracks, missing knots, and nail holes, so I decided to glue and screw two boards together to make the parts. The boards were planed on one side then glued with waterproof glue and clamped:

Log building kit from old fence 02 -Two fence boards -small.JPG Log building kit from old fence 03 -2 boards planed on one side and being glued -small.JPG Log building kit from old fence 04 -2 boards clamped -small.JPG

Next the boards were planed on the exterior to a uniform depth (32 mm), to a uniform width (130 mm), and to one of several “standard” lengths. Next, two or four notches (depending on the part) were cut into each part using a jig saw. Depending on the parts, one to three stainless steel screws were inserted. The notches are 38mm wide which gives some play allowing children to easily put them together and take them apart.

Log building kit from old fence 05 -a part being notched -small.JPG

The next step was to fill various holes in the part with Bondo auto body filler then to sand it. I will also round all the edges with round-over bit then paint each board with a couple of coats of spar varnish –but have not yet done so. Here is a photo of a typical part:

Log building kit from old fence 06 -A part filled with auto body filler, and sanded -small.JPG

Here are the parts that have been produced so far:

Log building kit from old fence 07 -A few parts -small.JPG

And here they are assembled into a couple of typical configurations:

Log building kit from old fence 08 -A configuration with a few parts -small.JPG Log building kit from old fence 09 -Aother configuration with a few parts -small.JPG

I need to make a LOT more of the parts that have already been designed and Isla and I have to design something for windows, doors, and roofs. Stay tuned!
 
Thanks Randy and Patrick.

If you don't have an old fence Patrick, these things could be made from new wood, but that would make them rather expensive.

And, welcome to Family Woodworking Patrick!
 
What a wonderful GrandDad you are Frank. That child will always remember the great fun had with that building set.

DT
 
That's too cool, Frank. I would have loved to have something like that as a kid. (Hardcore Lincoln Log and Erector Set player speaking here.) A bit bulky to store perhaps, but well worth it if you have the space, in my opinion. :thumb:
 
A roof

Based partly on a suggestion and Scetchup drawing from Art Mulder, we now have the parts need for a roof.

Best of all this only requires one new type of piece, that is the top boards to be placed at the gable ends. The roof rafters use “regular” half height long boards. Here are a couple of pictures showing how this will work:

Log building kit from old fence 14 -testing gables and rafters -1 -small.JPG Log building kit from old fence 15 -testing gables and rafters -2 -small.JPG

The gable end pieces are made from overlapping fence pieces in order to obtain the additional width needed.

Also, my next door neighbours gave me some acrylic panels which I will (somehow?) frame to close in the roof when the kids want to do that.

Log building kit from old fence 16 -acrylic for roof -small.JPG
 
Also, my next door neighbours gave me some acrylic panels which I will (somehow?) frame to close in the roof when the kids want to do that.

How about this:
Epoxy some rare earth magnets into the top of the gables, and then epoxy (or bolt?) matching washers to the acrylic panel.

Or to be simpler, put a few dowels into the gable tops that stand 1/2" proud, and poke a hole in the acrylic panel. Still easy for kids to get on/off, but might blow away.

looks great, have fun up at Pellow's Camp! Got any projects planned up there, or just a lot of fishing, reading, and lazing around?
 
How about this:
Epoxy some rare earth magnets into the top of the gables, and then epoxy (or bolt?) matching washers to the acrylic panel.

Or to be simpler, put a few dowels into the gable tops that stand 1/2" proud, and poke a hole in the acrylic panel. Still easy for kids to get on/off, but might blow away.

looks great, have fun up at Pellow's Camp! Got any projects planned up there, or just a lot of fishing, reading, and lazing around?
I had thought about the dowels but not the magnets. I will, let you know what I (we) decide upon.

I know that I will have fun Art. Fun, for me, always includes some work (probably averaging about 5 hours a day) but the work will be mixed with reading, swimming, fishing, canoing, playing with children (and adults) and socializing.
 
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How very cool, Frank!! That's such a perfect thing for a youngster. To be able to build that Lincoln Log fort then be able to hide in it??? Wow!!!

Be careful if she start to build a "garage" and wants a bunch of power tool outlets in it!!! ;)
 
that is a wonderful idea frank, as others have said you are a wonderful grandfather. i have also enjoyed seeing how you let your grandkids paint on the shop walls and such. to me letting them be kids and enjoying themselves is so much more important than anything material.

i hope this brings you many fond memories with your grandchildren

:thumb:
chris
 
Great job Frank.!!

The kids are going to love it, BTW how long is your old fence?? because as you say you'll need quite a bunch of those boards:D
 
Thanks Tod, Sandy, Chris, and Toni. I, too, think that these things are cool and I know that I will have fun playing with them. I am a very good test bed for the toys that I make because a can remember very well being a child and I find it easy to imagine being a child again. I find that if I like a toy/game/story, it is almost certain that the children that receive that toy/game/story will like it too.

Toni, the part of fence that I took down so far was 9 metres long. That’s not enough, but I am able to augment that with a bit of cedar that I salvaged when replacing my daughter Kathleen’s deck last year. The combination should yield enough pieces to build a small house with the parts. There is another 13 metres of fence that will be removed this autumn and/or next spring and that will give me enough material to make sufficient parts to be able to make some really interesting structures.
 
I've been told, (By a female of course ;) ) that males never reach above 18 from the neck up? :huh:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

DT
 
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