The Anti Gloat or the what have I gotten myself into thread

[Brian Brown]

At the last meeting of our turning club, I was elected president. Maybe Shanghaied would be a better description (I think the VP used the term railroaded). I wasn't even there. It's like when they send someone out for more Cheetos, and elect him while he is gone. The biggest problem I face is that the previous president is going to be a tough act to follow. He has done amazing things for the club, including getting us our first five lathes, an excellent meeting place with multiple video cameras to project the demos, and great presenters and programs.

So now, I need to call on the collective wisdom and experience of the SMC family. I am looking for demo ideas. I am hoping to get a bit creative here. Like most clubs, we have all levels of experience in our members. Some, but not many, of the more experienced are willing to demonstrate, and we have used the willing quite extensively. Some of the regular attendees have never touched a tool, or have had such limited success, that they have never tried again. It is obvious from their regular attendance that there is a strong interest in learning, but they are too intimidated to get up and give it a try in front of a group. Add to that the fact that like most groups, there are always one or two know-it-alls who build themselves up by tearing others down. They tend to be overly harsh in their efforts to "help" others. This really increases the level of intimidation for those just starting. Some never come back after this happens, and some keep coming back, but just become part of the wallpaper. Our Presidents challenge and instant gallery have produced some nice work, but this is sometimes intimidating as well in trying to get new entrants to show their work.

So, with this in mind, I have several questions:

Do you have any ideas of meeting demos/activities that would benefit new turners, and still provide challenging content for the more experienced alike (like I mentioned before, willing to be creative here)?

What can be done to encourage talented turners to share their knowledge and experience?

How can we get more bodies involved in showing their work at the monthly challenge and/or instant gallery?

How about Mentorship (is that a word) ideas, probably outside of regular meetings, that provides an opportunity for those who are more comfortable with the one on one learning experience?

What if anything can be done to reduce the level of intimidation and get the newer turners involved?

Sorry to be so windy, but thanks in advance for the help.

[Jim King]

Start them out with a segmented insideout turning. Good way to learn a lot.

[alex carey]

my club does kind of a cool thing.

There is a demo by an experienced turner. It can be anything, from turning a large bowl to a small birdhouse. Lets say that it is a birdhouse. They usually run under an hour.

The next meeting people are supposed to bring a piece similar to what was in the demo the previous meeting. So this meeting they'll bring birdhouses. There is usually a show and tell and if you participated in the challenge then you get a ticket thrown in a bag. And then there is a raffle for gift certificates or other goodies.

another thing I enjoy is a wood raffle at the end of the meeting. Good way to raise some money as well. Everyone brings a piece of wood or two.

[Jerry Rhoads]

Brian, One of the Presidents Challenge that I did once to get the newer turners to bring something was, Everyone bring one of your fist turnings. Or you very fist turning. I took a piece from 25+ years ago with plugged screw holes in the bottom to encourage them.

We had very good responce to this. The less learned brought turnings, and even the people who sell items for $1000's brought some of their first turned.
Inperfections galore. It was great. This got more members bringing things for Show & Tell.

Along with some nice things, I take a piece or two not so nice for Show & Tell. Or something very simple. Currently we are getting good responce to Show & Tell.

When asking for volunteers to demonstrate. No hands go up.
You have to talk to them individually.
Someone brings a nice sphere, ornament, whistle, Nat. edge bowl or what ever for Show & Tell. Talk to them after the meeting or call them, and say persons are interested in how "you" did that, will you demonstrate it for us in a few months?

However less than a handfull do most of the demonstrating. Hard to accept, but that's how it is.

Jerry

[Dennis Ford]

The show and tell is my favorite part of the meetings, I have learned a lot by looking at what other people are turning. Having an "oops" show and tell where people bring their failed pieces can help reduce the intimidation factor.

[Tim Rinehart]

2 out of 3 of our local clubs do a Turner of the Month program. This is where some of the skilled turners will donate a nicely turned item that many would desire to own, and provide it to the club as a 'final' drawing after any other drawings have occurred. So even if you didn't win some tool, gift certificate, wood, etc....you still are entered for final chance to win a turned item. Trust me...we see ticket sales double/triple when some turners bring really outstanding items, or by their reputation alone.

One of our local clubs has started doing demo/swap weekends about every 3rd month. Good chance to get people involved.

Workshops on the weekends are a great way to get less experienced turners involved, as well as to present new techniques and projects. Some of the one's I've been to that were really well done include a skew workshop (oh yeah..a good one), and mini-hat (small version of cowboy hat).

Good luck...I suspect the club respects your judgement and you will likely do a fine job. Remember, it's not your job alone, leverage your board and other officers as much as you can towards proper direction that suits your clubs needs.

[David E Keller]

I don't belong to a turning club, but I can suggest a few things that have worked in other settings.

1. Random prizes for participation... It eliminates the stigma associated with show and tell exercises because all you need to do to win is participate.

2. Generally speaking, no one volunteers for anything... Just look at how you became president! You have to ask people one-on-one to demo.

3. Check out some other turning club websites. Many of them post demo schedules and topics.

4. Try some demos on embellishments... Metal leaf, coloring, texturing, threading, etc. Try turning alternative materials. In other words, get away from classic forms and wood once in a while. That may help to stimulate the less experienced folks when they see the 'masters' struggle with something new.

5. Talk with the 'know it all' folks. Explain to them that their experience and talent are appreciated, and yet, they may have a role in intimidating others. If they are overly critical in an attempt to elevate themselves, you can sometimes stroke their egos enough that they feel the need to be less boastful. Another option would be to have a beginnners meeting once in a while using the less intimidating folks as instructors.

6. The 'bring your early turnings' idea is a great one. Everybody makes bonkers and awkward forms when first starting out...

I'm looking forward to seeing the responses.

[Marty Barron]

Brian, I went to your clubs website and noticed that "sometimes on the third Thursday of the month you have a hands-on session". I think if you make it part of your mandate to change this to "on the third Thursday of each month is a hands-on session". If your club has a hands-on session each month it will give you a chance for the more experienced members to show people with no experience how to turn. You could have someone demonstrating and helping people on how to sharpen the tools. Someone else could be showing and helping people to turn a honey dipper, tool handle, pen, bowl, etc. The hands-on session is used teach the new people to turn and increase their knowledge of turning. It could also be used for new members to try a project from the demonstration on the first Thursday of the month. It will also give some members who are good turners but do not demonstrate at the big club meeting the opportunity to demonstrate to a small group a 4-6. This will give them the needed experience and confidence to demonstrate. After a few hands-on sessions they might be willing to demonstrate for your first Thursday of the month meeting.

The hands-on session will allow new turners to interact with more experienced turners in a more informal setting. This will then take the intimidation out of the equation for the new turners and utilize the 5 new lathes that the previous president acquired.

I hope this helps.

Marty

[Phil St.Germain]

Brian, congrats on being elected.

You could always do a demo on how to photograph your work or tool making. Demo's don;t always have to be on the lathe.

Phil

[Norm Zax]

A few others:
Watch a youtube video together and have a discussion
Three people bring blundres and explain how they were saved (or one long lecture on saving boo-boos)
Have a meeting on DIY tools and all bring samples
Have someone from Forestry lecture on trees in the US
have an exotic blank seller lecture on wood in danger and show unknown samples (+sell?)
A lecture on dyes
Have a newsletter? Start one
Good luck on the job !
Norm

[Tim Rinehart]

http://www.woodturner.org/community/chapters/practices/

[Alan Zenreich]

Last week, I taught a demo/workshop about using offset turning techniques to make pendants.

With so many demos being about bowls, spindles, boxes and the like, this was a very nice change of pace. Very few in our group had experience with this kind of turning, and the toys (errrr, tools) that facilitate the process.

Those who decided to turn took necklaces home with them.

[Roger Chandler]

"Maybe Shanghaied would be a better description" [quote]

I know how you feel........last meeting of our club, I was elected to be the communications czar/director.........it was like the former group just was glad to get the whole shabang into other hands, as they had been carrying the ball for the last 2 years.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Our local woodturning club has a "challenge". It's a different challenge each meeting. Can be smaller than 2X2X2, made of red oak, ornament, segmented, hollow form, or bowl with a foot etc. We have prizes, and most important, IMO, is a "senior" and "junior" division. The junior division is important, so the junior turners are able to win some prizes. If not, then they will always be "competing" with the senior experienced turners. In other words, good luck in winning.... Less participation by the junior turners. Everyone gets to vote for their favorite piece, in each division, and then it goes through where we talk about our turning. Good way to get ideas, and share. Sometimes we talk about oops and successes. 2 wins in the junior division and you go into the senior division.

Congrats and good luck!

[Tom Steyer]

Brian,

Since you are now in charge, start a new tradition by taking a portion of your next meeting to set the demo agenda for 2011. You know who the skilled people are in your club, so ask them to volunteer for a demo month next year. Some times people are much more likely to participate if they are part of a team (on member demonstrates coves, the other turning beads) again, try to pair a skilled person with a newer turner if possible. Be friendly but firm, explaining that the club needs to put together a demo schedule Today!

Since you now have club lathes available consider having a monthly "Turn N' Learn" session prior to each meeting. Ask the skilled members to be available to assist newbys with their problems and in general mentor them. This has been very successful for us.