8th gen.carpenter

the other day i got a call from the school that my kids go to.they askd me if i would like to fill in for their shop teacher.so i askd how they knew that i did wood woork the lady said your son said you are the greatest teacher ever.he's13 and he loves the wood shop.so i helpd out for a cpl days it was great and id do it agine in a second.

Kenbo

Good for you. I would love an opportunity like that. I get so much enjoyment out of working with wood and I love sharing it with others. It always boggles my mind when someone doesn't like wood working. Hopefully, you will get the opportunity to do it again. By the way, I have a 15 year old and for you to get a compliment like that from a 13 year old........mark that day on your calendar

8th gen.carpenter

we have 5 kids and they all love the woodshop my youngest is a wood fanatic he will go out there and spend hrs on the wood laith thats his favorat tool.me i like old wood plains i must have 40 of them and when i see one at a yard sail i buy it.

8th gen.carpenter

my youngest he's 7 and loves to build things.the day we brought him home i took him out to the wood shop and i dont think he has left.

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Daveb

Great photo! My daughters will no longer join me in the shop.

Would that be a Sears lathe? I just got one last year that is very similar - so I may ask you questions about it.

For example, when doing short spindle work (less than about 8 inches), I can't figure out a way to swing the tool rest so that it is close to the wood. The head and tail get in the way. You can pm me so I don't hijack your thread. I'd also like to know where and what accessories can still be bought that fits this lathe (like a chuck).

Dave
p.s. may I borrow your son as a shop buddy for a couple days?

8th gen.carpenter

yup it an old sears been a real good tool for the past 14yrs.
i just sent you a pm. as far as the boy you dont want him he will use up all your wood and take over your shop.

Handyman

That is way cool. I have 3 daughters and all 3 use to work with me in the wood shop making Christmas ornaments and trail sets. I miss those years. Although my 2 year old grand daughter nails a lot of nails in the floor of my wood shed. She did good to.

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Expert = Drip under pressure

Daveb

My daughters are now in high school and currently have no time or interest in the shop. I miss the grade school years when we would work together on school projects.

But every year a friend brings his son to cut out the shape of his pinewood derby car. That's fun. This year it was a skateboard shape. He is too young to use the power tools yet. He sands and paints. Maybe this year he can do some cutting.

It's sad to see some Dads so worked up over the pinewood derby competition that they won't let their child even touch the car for fear of making it slow. They may win, but it misses the whole point. The best cars are the ridiculous shapes that the kids make themselves.

John in Tennessee

Trust me you'll be back. I still remember my 8th grade shop and 9th grade shop and homeroom teacher Mr Buchanan aka Mr Buck.

8th gen.carpenter

It is cool that they like the shop so much.thats how i punish them when they screw up.they cant go in the shop and they hate it.my 16 yr old just built his grandmother a nice book case i will take some pic's and post them it come out nice.

jeffreythree

All of the schools in my area have been dropping their shop classes. It seems one or another school district is auctioning off all of their equipment. One of the closest said it was a budget problem. A lot of the equipment no longer met OSHA requirements so they dumbed it down into a basic carpentry single semester, here is how a wall is framed and make a cutting board for your final. They auctioned off Powermatic table saws, 15" and 20" planers, a drum sander, a whopper old time 18" jointer with a 96" bed, and a lot of welding equipment. This was all in a school district that only has one high school, but the demographics have changed from 100% farmers and ranchers to 95% suburbs in 5 years. Another school district nearby even had a CNC pin router at their auction.

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8th gen.carpenter

Thats sad to hear.Every kid should take shop or atleast have the chance.every thing is doenated for the shop in our school system.the teacher is a 71 year old retierd contractor and other carpenters pitch in to doenate their time.but i hear that alot of schools are doing away with their shop classes becouse of budget problems.and its a sad thing.

mmwood_1

My 2 kids grew up around my shop, and doing their own small projects. They and 2 of their friends even spent 5 summers making wooden swords and shields to sell at a local renaissance fair every Fall. I showed them how to do it using lap joints, gave them a japanese saw and an auger and they went to it. All before they were 12. Now my son has started college and guess what? He called to tell me that he's been hired to manage the university's woodshop. Am I a proud father?!

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mark

http://markmeyerwoodworking.com

Jdurg

Great picture! That box he built looks amazing. I bet he's proud. Hopefully he wears safety goggles when the lathe is on, however. Should be the first thing that's learned.

8th gen.carpenter

he built that for mom for her bday.he is verry proud of it and to his mom its the most important thing she owns.his safty glasses fell off as i was snaping this pic.now he has a safty strap on them.out of the 5 kids he's the wood wizerd they all like it in the shop but he would live there if i would let him.many times we have been out working on some thing and he curls up on the bench and falls asleep.i left him there one night went in the house and my wife ask where is your shadow i had to go back out and get him.i felt like an as@.

John in Tennessee

You also have to look at your students and see if they have the talent. All kids don't have it. It's natural talent. You can't teach it.