Demo or hands on?

[Fred Kogler]

I will participate in a youth crafts fair soon (7th graders) and wonder if I could get some opinions about what to offer; 1. a demo, and if so, what sort of item?, 2. Hands on making of a simple pen? If anyone has experience in this regard weigh in...

 

[Fireengines]

DEMO!


After all, what can wrong with sharp tools, spinning wood, power tools, long hair, and raging hormones in 12-13 year old kids?

 

[KBs Pensnmore]

Hi Fred,
It would all depend on the amount of time available.
1) Demos, are you talking about doing pens, probably slimlines. They can be done pretty quickly.
2) Hands on would require insurance, this could be very costly. Depending on the numbers of 7 graders involved, would you have enough time to run them through? As a beginner, probably have to allow minimum of 15 minutes per youth, to get a decent finish with sanding. I know my first pen took me about 1/2 hour, that was without instructions/tuition.
Unless you can get some volunteer penmakers to help, it could be a major problem. I've assisted my Club at several shows, where we just make spinning tops, handing them off to the kids, we are flat out all day, and we have 2 lathes running.
Kryn

 

[mecompco]

I've been trying to get our wood shop teacher at school to get a lathe (Jr. High). I think "certain" kids could do this as an advanced project. Dealing with 7th and 8th graders all day in my IT capacity, there are many I would not trust anywhere near a lathe.

So, I vote for Demo, for safety, liability, etc.

As an example, my 22y/o daughter wanted to make a pen--looks easy, eh? After a safety briefing and some instruction, she started in with the gouge. Went well until she somehow managed to put a tiny nick in her finger with it (I guess I failed to sufficiently stress that chisels are SHARP). Dad finished the pen.

 

[Wood Butcher]

I have done both, demos and classes, and they each have their place in pursuit of the craft. I have done demos at the local Rockler store for about 12 years and have taught 115 people how to make a pen start to finish. These fine folks range in age from a 7 year old boy to an 84 year old grandmother and her granddaughter. Rockler recently came up with a program to introduce people to pen making without it costing an arm and leg, it's called Make and Take. With the M & T I prep the blanks for Slimline pens (drilled, tubed and squared) prior to the "event" and the "students" turn and finish the pen; the finish is Shelawax or Turners Finish, quick and simple. The M & T is a one and a half to two hours long and they leave with a hand made pen for a $5 fee. A full blown class covers design, wood grain, tool selection and sharpening, CA finish if they select a wood blank and they get to select from 4 different styles of kits in gold or chrome. The class costs more than the $5 mentioned above and can run 4 hours to completion. When I teach a class I use the tell, show and do approach. I tell them how each step is completed as we go through the process, I complete one part of the blank step by step (a separate blank is used if they select a single piece kit), then they replicate what they saw me do. This has worked for me but there are probably some others who have more experience at the teaching process than I and I hope they speak to this subject.
WB

 

[goldbarron]

I know that this is my first post but I am a middle school woodshop teacher. I usually have 22 to 24 seventh and eight graders in each class. We have 3 large Powermatic 90 lathes in the classroom. I have had students make pens and other kit type projects on the lathes. It takes the average student much longer than an experienced adult to turn a pen or any other project. If I were in your position I would have pen blanks already rounded and ready to go. Then demonstrate each step on one 1/2 of the blank and let the child try on the other 1/2. This will cut the time down and keep things moving. Demonstrations are tricky and need to be of high interest to kids that age. The average 7th grader has a very short attention span and you need to keep things moving along or you will loose them. I hope this is somewhat useful.