Last updated: October 19, 2026
This page has three parts:
- The short notice. It goes at the top of every build plan and every printout.
- The full notice. It's linked from every plan, and a parent reads it before plans open.
- The sign-off. It's the sentence a parent ticks once per account before any plan opens.
1. The short notice (top of every plan and printout)
Safety first. Build with a parent or teacher right beside you, and wear safety glasses. Use only the tools this plan names, and stop if anything feels wrong. A parent or teacher decides what each child may do. Every family builds at its own risk. Read the full safety notice at spinozziswoodshop.com/safety.
2. The full notice
A word from Mr. Spinozzi
I was a carpenter for 12 years, and I've taught high school woodshop for 8. Every good shop runs on a few simple rules. These are ours. They keep builders safe, and they make the work better too.
Who this covers
This notice covers every lesson, build plan, printout and activity from Spinozzi's Woodshop. It's for the kids who build and for the parents and teachers who build with them.
A parent or teacher is right beside you
- A parent or teacher is right beside the builder for every build. Right beside you means at the bench, not in the next room.
- A child uses a cordless drill only after passing the site's drill safety check. A parent or teacher stays right beside them. Every plan that uses a drill has its own safety check before the first step.
- If you're a teacher or a co-op leader, keep your group small enough to watch every pair of hands.
Protective gear, every time
- Everyone at the bench wears safety glasses. That means the helpers too.
- Tie back long hair. Roll up loose sleeves. Take off anything that dangles, like a necklace or a hoodie string.
- Wear closed-toe shoes.
- Wear a dust mask when you sand a lot.
Tools by age
The ages are a guide. You know your child best.
- Ages 7 to 10 use hand tools (a hammer, a screwdriver, a sanding block and measuring tools), glue, a pull saw and a cordless drill. The drill comes only after the drill safety check, with a parent or teacher right beside them.
- Ages 11 to 13 use everything above, plus pocket screws and dowels.
- No child uses a stationary power tool. That means no table saw, band saw, miter saw or drill press, at any age, in any of our builds.
- Use every tool the way its maker's instructions say. Read the manual before you use a tool for the first time.
Good shop habits
- Clamp the wood before you saw or drill it.
- Use one tool at a time, and put it down before you reach for the next.
- Carry tools with the sharp end pointing down.
- Keep the bench clear and the floor swept.
- Check used wood for nails, staples and splinters before you start.
- Use glue and finishes in a room with fresh air, and follow the label.
- Keep screws, nails and small parts away from little brothers and sisters. They are a choking hazard.
A parent or teacher decides
You decide whether a child is ready for a step, a tool or a plan. You can change any step, skip it, or do it yourself. You can stop a build at any time. The lessons teach and the plans guide, but you make the call at your bench.
Plans are checked, but check them again
We check our measurements and steps with care, but mistakes can happen. Measure twice before you cut, and check that a step makes sense for your wood and your tools. If something in a plan looks wrong, stop and write to us.
If someone gets hurt
Stop the work. Take care of the person first. In an emergency, call 911. Then tell us what happened, so we can make our lessons and plans safer.
At your own risk
Woodworking uses sharp tools and has real risks, even when everyone is careful. Our lessons and plans are teaching material, shared in good faith. We aren't at your bench, and we can't check your tools, your space, your materials or how a build is done.
By using our lessons and plans, you agree that you and your family take on the risks of building. To the extent the law allows, Spinozzi's Woodshop and Mr. Spinozzi aren't responsible for any injury, loss or damage that comes from using them. Our lessons and plans come as they are. We can't promise they're free of mistakes, or right for every child, tool or space.
3. The sign-off (ticked once per account before plans open)
A parent ticks this box once, from the parent's own account, before any build plan opens:
☐ I'm this family's parent or guardian. I'll supervise every build, and I've read the safety notice.
The site saves that the box was ticked, which account ticked it, and the date. A parent can read the safety notice again at any time from every plan.