Too young to turn?

[burgerman]

Hello,

I was babysitting my good friend's son this weekend. He wanted to watch me
make a pen, so I did. I let him pick the blank and kit and then he got the pen.
He is 9 years old. He was really excited during the whole process and asked if he could try it. It was time for his mom to come pick him up, so we didn't have time to let him try. I know there are some young turners on IAP, but not sure if 9 is too young to start. Does anyone know of a pen turner that young? He is a pretty bright kid and I think he can do it. Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks.

 

[VampMN]

"Too young" is a hard thing to answer. I have a cousin that is 9, and I don't think she'd have any problem turning. On the other hand, I know a guy in his 30's-40's that I would never want near a power tool (maybe even a hand tool), much less a lathe.

I think the biggest thing is to make sure the parents understand the risks, and are okay with him trying it.

 

[hasha2000]

As long as he's mother says it OK, and all (most) safety precautions are taken so he doesn't get hurt. I say YES let him give it a go.

 

[Rfturner]

I started working with wood around 7-8 years old. Ask his parents first and go over shop safety first, like always wear safety glasses

 

[Russianwolf]

I think it's great that he wants to, but.........

Go back and look at some of the accident reports people on this site have made over the years. These are generally people who have experience and basic common sense in turning.

Now, how would you feel if it happened to him under your watch?

I learned to do woodwork in my father's shop. But he taught me in steps that took years before I was operating power tools. They are dangerous and have to be treated as such.

 

[ctubbs]

If his parents are OK with it and preferably in attendance, I think I would give it a try. However, both he and his parents must understand all the safety and obey all the rules. There can be no slip ups or the project must come to an end then and there. When I was 9, I was using an ax to split wood and a cross cut saw to buck it off the log. But, that was in the early 50's too, not today where there are lawers sitting behind each and every bush and tree. I think you are great for even considering to help a youngster with his intrest in woodworking. Great job.
Charels

 

[TBCbushings]

My son is 9 and he made a fountain pen. He loves to turn and we turn any chance we get together. I taught the basics to him and he loves it. I am at his side at very cut so I can control his every cut.
Brian

 

[Pens By Scott]

I have had my son at the lathe, he was almost 8 at the time. I turned the speed down to the lowest setting, and stood behind him, holding the tool with him (killer on the back) and together we turned a pen. I don't think that there is a "too young" age, but in the beginning, it's more about doing these things with your kids (or rental kids) and teaching them about what they can do.

Also, it's about safety education too. Getting them set up with dust mask, apron, face sheild, etc... I'll have to searching for little people safety gear shortly.

 

[jedgerton]

Frank,

I've helped lots of kids that age and perhaps younger turn pens when I volunteered at Craft Supply's booth in Houston. I think the best policy is use all safety precautions and provide constant supervision.

Good to hear from you, I hope all is well with you.

John

 

[burgerman]

Thanks everyone for all the great advice and information. I will definitely get the okay from his parents first, and get him outfitted with all safety gear. As he was watching me turn, I took every opportunity to point out potential safety issues/concerns. Scott, I was already thinking about doing what you mentioned, by standing behind him and holding the tool with him. I think that's a good approach. Hello John! Good to hear from you. All is well here. Hope you are well. Nice change of weather we are having in central Texas.

 

[YouthMinisterDan]

I volunteered a couple of weeks ago in Mesquite Texas at the Wood Shop Tour thing with Craft Supplies USA as a pen mentor. I had at least 3-5 people at the lathe throughout the day who were that age. I know that on of the girls that I taught was 9 years old.

Dan

 

[cnccutter]

Frank, have you thought about getting his parent involved too. might get two turners with one stone

Erik

 

[Smitty37]

Parent present

As long as he's mother says it OK, and all (most) safety precautions are taken so he doesn't get hurt. I say YES let him give it a go.

I would add to that...make sure the parent is present. It is a rotating machine and the tools are sharp and there is flying debris....

 

[Robert Taylor]

two of my grandchildren have turned pens at 8 years old. one will be 9 tomorrow. none younger have wanted to try it, well actually the one with a birthday tomorrow is my youngest grandchild. guess i won't need to cross that bridge. lol on another note i volunteer all summer (wed. nights) at a ymca camp where the kids turn a dry flower pot (we do not call it a weed pot) and then turn a pen from cherry. the look on the kids faces make it all worthwhile. the camp allows the 11/12 year old kids to participate. oddly enough of the eleven we can accomidate each week most weeks about nine girls attend compared to two boys.

 

[Scollins]

I think the only thing that would worry me is what happens when they get a catch - which we all do - and things start to fly. I have sometimes been able to minimize the effect with some extra muscle and body weight and simply hanging on the best I could. I'm not sure a smaller youngster would have that ability. I think they can all be taught the safety concerns like where to stand, loose clothes, fingers, etc. but this would worry me.
How could that be minimized? Giving a kid something constructive like this to focus on is a great thing.
Thoughts?

 

[penfancy]

I helped my 6 1/2 year old make a slime line. She loved doing it. We used a sharp 3/4" gouge. There's not too much that can happen with that. Besides ruining the blank. Of course I had my hands on the tool as well to make sure the gouge was always on the tool rest.
I'm sure as long as the parents are involved everything should be safe. They might even gat a cool handmade gift this year!

 

[burgerman]

Thanks for all the great comments and information about young turners. I am definitely going to let him make his own pen, but will take heed of all the tips and warnings everyone has offered. I definitely will hold the tool with him.
Scollins, You raised a good question about what if there is a catch. Shouldn't be an issue while I'm holding the tool with him, but when he is turning "solo" that would be a concern.
His face really lit up as he watched the blank shine up on the lathe when he was watching me turn a pen the other day. He chose a Bianco Nero TruStone blank that I already had drilled and tubed for a Sierra. I can only imagine his excitement when completing his first pen that he will turn. I was in my 30's when I turned my first pen, and I thought it was the coolest thing. Thanks again to all for your comments and suggestions.

 

[tbroye]

My now 9 year old grandson has turned pens and so has my 6 year old granddaughter. This is under close supervision.
They have use the drill press for drilling blanks and the lathe for turning and polishing. they wear safety glasses and no loose clothing. Thy both have made blanks with Alumilite that they cast. I now let them drill the blanks on the lathe as it is easier for them. They do tend to get bored so I don't push them to finish. They use Skews but only in the scraping mode. I keep a supply of Sierra's and purse pens and some mini clicks on hand for them to use also some Saturn's. I usually do the gluing, squaring and the rounding of the blanks. To speed the process up somewhat I will turn the blank a little closer to the final size if they get bored and leave so the pen gets done the next time they feel like working on it later in the day or next day. The also do all the assembly. blew up a few blanks and wrecked a few kits during assembly, but who hasn't? They make pens for their friends, parents and teachers. Main thing is to keep it safe, fun and interesting. The twins will probably learn next summer when they are here. Tori's hair is usually tied back for safety but not in these pictures. Justin's pen is made with a blank cast at Nolan's during a NorCal meeting in August of 09.

 

[kenlicciardello]

I agree with Tom. Keep it safe and fun and they will run with it. My youngest son started turning and carving at age 9, under close supervision. He the blond in the 3rd picture in tbroye's post above. Right now, he has an amboyna navigator on display in an employee art show at the Reno Airport. He made a dvd of the process for school. He does the entire process except for using the saw and applying ca.

Keeps them away from video games also.

 

[broitblat]

I turned a pen with my niece when she was 11.

My nephew was also interested. At age 10, he did the drilling and the sanding, but was too nervous about doing the actual turning. Maybe my safety demonstration was a bit too daunting . Before we started, I touched a paper towel to the lathe and let him see how quickly it got snatched up and wound around the spindle. I guess it made an impression about being careful.

I didn't let either of them operate the (band) saw.

-Barry

 

[CabinetMaker]

My daughter turned her first pen at age 8. We covered the safety issues very carefully and I was right by her side the whole time. The pen, a teachers pen from PSI, turned out great and she has been doing one for each of her teachers since then.

 

[burgerman]

Thanks to all for all your additional comments on this topic. I definitely know now that age 9 is not too young to turn! I can't believe some of you have family members turning pens at age 6! That is really cool. It's nice to get kids interested in a hands-on creative endeavor at such an early age. Who knows where it will lead?
Tom, Thanks for posting all the great photos and information. When I was working in the shop with Noah the other day, and I told him that I know there are kids that make pens, he asked: "Are they any good?" Now I will have some photos to show him. That one pen that looks like some type of blue acryclic looks pretty good to me!
And yes, this is definitely a nice diversion from the video games that seem to take up most kids' time these days. Thanks again for all your comments and information!

 

[tbroye]

Frank

That blue pen my grandson made was turned with the blank he made in picture at the Nor Cal get together. I will try and dig up some other pictures of the pens the kids made. At the end of the last school year Tori made two pens for he Kindergarten teacheres. The were Sierras with the Unicav Pink resin blanks that was made for Breast Cancer awearness. It took her 3 afternoons to do both and the teachers love them. Here are a couple pictures of Tori making the pens. Notice hair back and safety glasses and small tools. one more of Tori doing one of her other passions and she loves Karate. She is now an Orange belt intermediate.

 

[burgerman]

Tom, I just took a closer look at the third picture from the left in your earlier post. I hadn't really noticed all that casting going when I looked at the photos earlier. That is really cool that the kids got to cast and turn their own blanks. If you find more photos of "kid made" pens, I would love to show them to my aspiring young turner friend. Your granddaughter looks pretty confident at the lathe. Is she standing on some type of stool? My midi lathe is on my workbench when I turn. It will be too high for Noah. I'm thinking about setting it up on a Black & Decker workmate, and see if that's a good height for him.

 

[tbroye]

Yea I made a stool for Tori to stand on when she help Grandma in kitchen so se brings it out to shop. It's like 30" inches long by 18" wide and 12" high so it's nice and stable. I have a whole box of Pearl X and molds and other stuff for casting, need to get some more alumilite one of these days. The picture of the casting was take at a Northern/Central Calfornia group meeting in August of of 2009 you Jay, Greg and Cindy from the group in picture. Jay was the instructor for our class. They are have a meeting this weekend which I won't be attending because of a Wedding in family. The skew she is using is a 1/2" oval skew from a set I bought at woodcraft when I first got the lathe. She uses it in the scraping mode and it works fine for her. I do the rounding and the turning to get down to a smaller size for her other wise it taks a long time she does the finishing using the Micromesh Pads wet and sometime some 600 grit wet/dry sand paper to get scratches out and then polishes it with plastic polish and Johnson's paste wax. I would guess she has made 15 pens over the last year.

 

[Smitty37]

Care

I guess if dads or moms want to teach their kids to turn whatever age they think is right IS right.

On the other hand, I would not let a youngster not related to me in my celler (without a parent present) when I am operating my power tools. Truth be known, I'd have to know the parent pretty well before I'd even use my tools with them present.