Height Tracker For Kids
Like a lot of families, we tracked our children's height on a door jamb for years. When we moved, those marks had to stay behind, and I only managed to transfer them to a piece of plywood.
This project was my answer to that problem: a removable height tracker that can move with a family and keep those marks together over time.
Watch The Build
Why It Is Removable
The idea came back around when my son, who was serving in the military, started his own family. I knew he would likely move several times, and I wanted him to have a way to keep a record of his children's growth without leaving it behind in each house.
Sliding Headrest
The measuring head includes a folding headrest to make the marks more accurate. In the past I used a speed square against the door jamb; this design builds that reference into the tool.
To let the head slide up and down the board, the first design used a dovetail-style slide. It worked, but I could see ways to make the build easier.
Final Design
The final version focuses on simpler parts. I made the material 1/2 inch thick and kept the glued-up pieces 1.5 inches wide so multiple parts could be cut from one prepared strip. I also narrowed the sliding dovetail brackets to make more room for the springs.
The clamping force comes from springs out of click pens. Crossing the springs provided enough pressure and helped keep the sliding clamps aligned.
Free Plans
This is a practical keepsake project, and the free plan page includes the downloadable PDF.
