New Bee Gettting Started.. 101

[johndrew]

My granddaughter (13) was in a slight bumber accident (20MPH). The airbag came out and broke her neck and paralized her left arm.

I purchased a Jet lath and have turned two pens. I am wanting to teach her how so she will have the feeling of accomplishment of doing something people will admire.

Now down to basics..Where do you get supplies? How do you get a good finish? Are there any safety precautions other than glasses and or shield I should teach her or be careful of?

I saw somewhere there is a club meeting in Springfield, Mo but I did not see it on the calendar. Can someone give me the date?

Again thanks for any information you can provide a New Bee

 

[Frank Nemke sr]

Theres a supplyer in Monet Mo. He my know where theres events and groups in your area. Its woodnwhimies.com. Run by Tim & Tracey Nicholas. Real nice, helpful people. Tecneaks can ALL be found right here. Just go to the blue bars on top and brouse Hope your GD gets better. Frank

 

[Displaced Canadian]

woodturnerscatalog.com
pennstateind.com
Shelac wax can work for starters but I would recommend learning to do a CA finish.
Any other questions just ask.

 

[jimm1]

For kits and supplies, I would head to www.woodturningz.com. Ryan discounts all PSI products, plus runs monthly specials.

 

[ROOKIETURNER]

Welcome! IAP is a good group of guys and gals.

I would suggest using the search feature. Most of your questions have been answered on previous posts. If after you have searched the archives and library you still have questions, create a thread and wait for the flood.

 

[mredburn]

Can we send her blanks or anything else to help?

Where around the Springfield area are you?

And welcome to the IAP.

 

[Pens By Scott]

Welcome.
Another place to get started is Youtube.com. I actually am pretty much self taught. I started with a slimline kit or two. Found some Youtube videos, and copied what I saw. Russ Fairfield was one of the individuals I recall that provided some good starter videos, for both turning and finishing.

For safety equipment, I use a full face shield (Big Box hardware stores like Home Depot, Lowes, etc) and a good dust mask.

Welcome to the IAP to you both, from Canada. If you need more information from a beginner, let me know, might be able to ship a few blanks if you need...

 

[Fred]

Seems like you are off to a great start in getting a bit of necessary information. Let us on the Forum know in a day or so if there is anything specific you feel you will need immediately. We all seem to have a bunch of 'stuff' we can ge out to her!

Keep the youngster busy and watch to see what is especially interesting to her. Let the Forum know and watch what happens then. Hope you have a big mailbox ...

 

[robutacion]

Hi John, welcome to IAP...!

Sad to hear such tragic event in a kid so young, broken necks normally have worse results than that but still, it will be a challenge your granddaughter (name...???) has to endure...!

Is great that you are giving her the opportunity to be creative with wood lathe and some tools, however some extra care and attention will be require with the handling and approach to pen making or any turning...!

The common safety gear is certainly a must (face mask and breading apparatus (mask of some sort), for pen making some of this equipment does not require to be as heavy duty as large turnings but still is of fundamental importance.

You may require to have a slightly wider tool rest for her pen turning as she will need to use her paralysed left hand/ in the toll rest to hold the cutting tool and for own balance. The left hand for those of us without paralyses is pretty much used as a guide for the cutting tool, the left hand (if you are right handed, obviously...!) is normally use also to assist sliding the cutting tool from left to right and vice versa but generally, the hand stand pretty much as a support.

I don't know if there is any mobility within her left arm/hand and id there is any feeling/sensation to her fingers and how the hand has "curled/locked/froze" in a "normal" to her, position as this can affect how the will need to approach the tool rest.

Despite of the lack of information to the disability, I would strongly suggest getting a protective glove for her left hand. The most efficient and obviously expensive is the steal mesh glove, similar to the ones used in the meat works to protect the hands from any cuts. There will other options that you can search/look into but, it will be important that she feel and know that her left hand that she may have no control of, is within the safest possible way while the lathe is running with whatever the material that has been turned.

The left hand on the tool rest, has to be close to the turning material to void overhang and unnecessary catches, that distance can increase sightly than most of us do use and prefer but, the safety glove will make her feel a lot more comfortable when seeing the mandrel or BTC rotated at high speed so close to the hand...!

There are many other details that can be easily overcome with the right information and attention to the needs, however these should not be a deterrent for her to be afraid of trying...! Until I know a little more about her disability, I thing this would be a good starting point...!

Good luck...!

PS: IAP would be your best place to get all the supplies you need, and you will be having a lot of us, willing to help with what we can...!

Cheers
George

 

[CSue]

Hi John and welcome to you and your granddaughter as well. First of all, here is the link for the next chapter meeting in MO you might check out:
http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=59618


And here are a few links that might help you learn some of the start up stuff and more as well as link to learn acronyms used on this forum.

Good start for a beginner outlining the some of the essential things to start off with – by Hank
http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=41005

This link has postings by different pen turners on what they wish they had known earlier:
http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=46654

This link is - a PDF document on the acronyms used here on the IAP site. I am sure you know many but this will help with those you don't.
http://content.penturners.org/articl...9/Acronyms.pdf

There are many turners in our ranks who have some sort of handicaps and have learned to adapt quite well in order to keep our addiction satisfied, if you browse through the library and other threads there is a wealth of info.

Personally, my turning is rather unorthodox - from a chair - and occasionally using one "good hand" and my shoulder. I'm sure she will have lots of fun with this. And if she needs any materials, let me know.

 

[johncrane]

Welcome to IAP John!

 

[Glenn McCullough]

Welcone from the mitten.
I might suggest that you get a couple of Toni's blanks that take mostly sanding to finish, while shes learning to turn. This way she can see immediate success as these are stunning polymer clay blanks. No turning required. You can find them here:
http://www.exoticblanks.com/

 

[rherrell]

Welcome!

 

[rjwolfe3]

Welcome from Ohio!

Lots of info here in the forums. Lots of great vendors too.

 

[johndrew]

I stand and applaud the quick and great information the association has provided us. The videos are, as they say, "are worth a thousand words",
but the "tips", a combination of years and years of hands on experience and research, the nice people with the associaton are willing to share are priceless. They were some excellent safety suggestions I had not thought of.

About Brooks accident. They took a rib out and fused it to her vertiba to prevent total parallises. The 3rd vertibra was broken which is usually total parallises. She now has the use of her thumb and forefinger and can pinch the two together. She uses her good arm to place her left hand where she needs it.


Again many thanks!

Cheers

 

[Ligget]

That is sad news indeed, I use penturning as therapy and it works, doing something constructive makes you feel a little better about your situation!

 

[ldubia]

supplies

My granddaughter (13) was in a slight bumber accident (20MPH). The airbag came out and broke her neck and paralized her left arm.

I purchased a Jet lath and have turned two pens. I am wanting to teach her how so she will have the feeling of accomplishment of doing something people will admire.

Now down to basics..Where do you get supplies? How do you get a good finish? Are there any safety precautions other than glasses and or shield I should teach her or be careful of?

I saw somewhere there is a club meeting in Springfield, Mo but I did not see it on the calendar. Can someone give me the date?

Again thanks for any information you can provide a New Bee

New Bee,

First let me say how sorry I am for the position she now finds herself. That should never have happened. Those airbags are supposed to help. Sorry for the rant.

Anyway, please send me your address and I will send you a box of blanks for her to use for her pens.

I wish your family the best of times henceforth. I hope your granddaughter recovers the FULL use of her arm.

I look forward to hearing form you. I have a box ready to go.

Larry

 

[chiefgreen]

Hi from Fort Worth!
I am so sorry to hear about your Granddaughters accident. It is awesome that you are teaching her to turn pens. Kuddos to you!
I will add some more info for you to be confused with. There are many guys on the forum that sell most of what you need. As an alternate, I have found Woodturningz.com a great place to buy. You call to make your order, they will also have answers to any of your questions. Take a look at what they offer. If they don't have what you want, tell them.
The CA finish is a very good finish, but, as far as I am concerned, it has a learning curve, she might not at this time have patience for. You might consider "Mylands 3 Step Finishing System". This make an excellent finish and produces a shine to the pen that will make her proud. Also, it maybe a safer method for her than CA. You will see on the Woodturningz site, they offer the Mylands there. Hope not to confuse, just to add some more ideas for you.