I'm a baaaaaaad Dad...

[drpelton]

People like me should be arrested! There I was, down in the shop, minding my own business, creating sawdust. My 12 year old daughter walks in and says "Daddy, can you teach me to do that?" I know that this stuff is violently addictive. However, I was high on CA fumes and sawdust, so I said OK. This is her first pen! She practices on some scraps to get familiar with the tools, then went to work on this one. It's a comfort pen made from wood of the heck-if-I-know-what-it-is tree. All comments welcomed. But go easy, it's her first time!! By the way, she's hooked. May have to buy myself a new lathe and give her my old one.... [}]

Thanks again for looking

Don

 

[broitblat]

The pen looks beautiful, but very different then the last one I made from that tree []

You do realize, of course, that you'll have to feed her addiction, now.

-Barry

 

[LEAP]

VEERRYY nice job! Congrats on a great first pen. My two daughters (12 & 14)love to turn pens with me when I can get them to slow down from all their other activities. Watch out Don they tend to like the expensive kits and blanks.

 

[richstick1]

My 7 yo daughter is already watching me at the lathe - I have a feeling I will have a woodturner in the family as well Can't WAIT! Good excuse to go buy a Robust and give her the Jet Mini

 

[Paul in OKC]

Geez, this isn't helping any! I just got calmed down from my 9yo daughter asking me to teach her, and you show this!! How are we ever going to keep our children safe[]

 

[AFTim]

Count yourselves lucky...I couldn't get any of my 3 interested. My son-in-law is waiting for me to kick the bucket...not for the lathe...he just wants the bandsaw (TRAITOR!!!)[]

 

[GoodTurns]

Great 1st pen! My house has it backwards, it was my then 12 year old son who got me started after a summer camp on turning...we now have two lathes so we can work in the shop together![] Besides, it might be useful for a young lady to know how to use sharp tools!!!!
[]

 

[rhahnfl]

Hope my first comfort pen comes out that nice!!! [^]

 

[ahoiberg]

that's a very nice first effort... miles ahead of mine!
kudos to starting early! []

 

[Ron in Drums PA]

You did a wonderful job on that pen.

Now tell your dad that you want the "NEW" lathe and he can keep his cruddy old one.

 

[toolcrazy]

Nice Pen, she did a wonderful job.

Your lucky, my daughters are moved out and on their own. But, I still have my grandson to try and get intrested. Just wish they didn't live a hour and a half away.

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

Don,

She did a awesome job.What a sneaky[}] way to talk to SWMBO into letting you buy a new lathe!Just wish it could work for me but my youngest is 40 just guess I'll put in a phone call to my 4 year old grandaughter.

 

[johncrane]

thats great Don

 

[papaturner]

From the looks of that great pen she deserves the new lathe,keep turning young lady............Perry

 

[TBone]

Great start and congrats on having your daughter interested. I only wish I had started turning early enough to get mine interested at that age. He just calls home from college for money now []

 

[Abrock75]

Being a relativly new dad my daughter has a chair in my shop with her own dust mask. I cant wait til I can teach her. But she is only 2 1/2 But she loves being in there with me. I can't say no she is a daddys girl[]

 

[Snazzypens]

beautiful. YOu tell her she did a top job
TOni

 

[Glenn McCullough]

YOur in trouuuuuble, now my friend.
She did a fine job, nice to see young people getting into this craft.
Glenn

 

[alamocdc]

That's just great, Don! But you realize that you'll have to buy her a lathe of her own now, right? [}][]

"But, honey, we can't both use mine at the same time..."

Oh, and the extra mandrels, chucks, chisels... the list is endless! What were you thinking?[}][]

 

[heineda]

That's how I got pulled into this bottomless pit. My son saw a pen turning demonstration at the local Rockler, got to turn a Freedom pen himself, and the rest is history. He talked me into buying him an inexpensive lathe so he could turn pens at home. IT didn't take long for me to get hooked after that. We're on our second lathe now. I sold the first, and upgrdaed to a full size Palmgren. REally nice, but I should have kept the first one too. Now I'm going to have to add a second lathe to our shop. The competition for lathe time is getting a little too intense!!!!
My son is 16 now, and I have to say it's really nice to share a common passion. We go together to demonstrations our local club puts on, and he's even talking about doing the craft show circuit to make some money. We'll see what happens.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[carverken]

My daughter is 15 and when she slows down she likes to turn acylics. She said she wants to turn wood "But dad it takes SOOOOOOOO LOOOOONG to do that enduro stuff" So I'm just happy when she shows up. And I think hand rubbed lacquer is probably out of the question[]

 

[Czarcastic]

Don:
My 14 year old daughter started turning pens when she was 11. Several have been posted here over the last few years.
There is nothing more satisfying as a parent than spending time with your kids, doing something that you love. The moments with her in front of the lathe are memories that will last both of your lifetimes.

She did a great job on that pen. Please make sure she sees the posts here, and encourage her to come out to your "shop" any time she wants to turn another pen with you.

I can tell you from first-hand experience that once she brings her hand-made pen to school, she will not want to write with anything else. My Rachel has made dozens, which she uses every day. She has given her hand-made pens as gifts to her friends for their birthdays and for the holidays (and valentines day). Last Christmas, she made a pen for each of her teachers.

Your daughter has been blessed with a talent that should not be wasted, and you, with the obvious ability to teach your artistic skills. Take advantage of the opportunities given to you. You and your daughter will be bonded closer than ever before.

Enjoy.

 

[JimGo]

Originally posted by carverken
<br />My daughter is 15 and when she slows down she likes to turn acylics. She said she wants to turn wood "But dad it takes SOOOOOOOO LOOOOONG to do that enduro stuff" So I'm just happy when she shows up. And I think hand rubbed lacquer is probably out of the question[]

Ken, that's what CA is for!

Don, congratulations to your daughter and you! May this be the beginning of some wonderful memories and bonding time for the two of you.