lester- Sorry to rain on your dreams but... making a frame for a friend even if just for material cost is still doing a manufacturing job. That you don't get paid enough to afford insurance is no defense in the eyes of the courts. We hope if you go forward with this plan that your friends are good people who never have a problem with the frames you made that would cause them or their heirs any loss.

I had thought that the first few frames would be for yourself.

But unless you build under the wing of an established and fully "legal" builder you are not baring the real cost and responsibility of what it takes to be a builder for others. Sure many newbies don't either. But you are only responsible for your own decisions and actions. When you build for others you are responsible for their actions if the courts say so. So if something happened and it was determined that you were responsible can you make good? The reason to have insurance is not to isolate your assists but to reimburse for the loss that your client suffered.

So my suggestion for your class is to make a frame for yourself. Then find a way to continue building in an ethical manor. Andy.