What do you think?

[Peter Blair]

I'm thinking of volunteering my time to do an all day turning demo at my grandson(s) elementary school. The staff think it would be great but I have never done anything like this before and wonder if it is actually a good idea or not. I have a Rikkon mini that is mostly portable and can either plug into school power or use my small Honda Generator so I feel confident that the set up will work but I have a few questions:
My idea is to set up outside (of course this will be weather permitting) and allow the school to decide when and for how long each grade or class should have to watch.
1. Do I need a plastic screen between me and the students? I have never had anything (except curlies and shavings)fly off my lathe unless I was doing some delicate hollowing but wouldn't want any of the little darlings to get something in an eye.
2. How much detail as far as describing what I am doing would be needed? Or do I just spin some wood between centres and let the little ones ask questions?
3. If I bring 4 or 5 gouges and a couple of skews along with a few carbide tools, will that be enough or will I need to bring a sharpening station as well?
4. If anyone has had any experience with this sort of thing should I actually make a few items ( tops or ??) during the Demo or would it just be better to demonstrate some of the things a lathe can do ie. spindle and small bowls, etc?
5. As a first time demonstrator, I am not sure if it would it be wise to have some sort of 'Plan' or just spin some wood and see where it goes?
6. I will be turning on blacktop, near a playground that has wood chips as it's base. Would you suggest that I set up on a tarp or maybe just sweep the shavings in to the playground at the end of the Demo?
Any suggestions are really appreciated.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Bless you for volunteering!

I've done a couple demos, although NOT all day. Tops are for sure winners for boys although girls like tops too. Girls like little boxes. I usually pack along PPP pen polish for a quick on the spot finish, followed by a liquid friction finish. The PPP pen wax is really not a durable finish, although the "wow" factor of applying, and like magic, the piece is shiny is pretty cool for kids. The liquid friction gives it a bit more durability and depth.

As far as safety, if you keep them a few feet away and turn small tops/boxes, you should be okay. A pencil/pen holder (a.k.a. straight sided cup) makes a good teacher gift. If you make pencil cups, leave the bottom fairly thick for some stability. A small cup makes nice paper clip holders.

Good luck!

[Brian Kent]

I am thinking about my first woodworking inspiration. It was a famous guy making dovetail joints all day. Just two small pieces of wood dovetailed with minimum tools. Thrilling!

So my 2/5 of a nickel is to do one thing. That will be fascinating. The little tops or something else quick would be a thrill. Bring just enough to do that, and see if there is a way to skip the sharpening. Several similar tools already sharpened, so they are just seeing that one thing - the magic of starting with a hunk of wood and ending up with a top or whatever.

First time I saw somebody do lapidary work when I was in elementary school, he just took a small stone and and ended up with a small smooth oval stone. It was simple enough but I remember every step.

Maybe have a few sturdy bowls that can be handled and dropped a few times - super polished. Or a block of wood, a roughed bowl, and a finished bowl - to show them what else you can do.

[BILL DONAHUE]

You will have as much fun as the kids. I second Kyle's suggestion about tops and don't be surprised if some of the kids have never seen a spin top. You can count on short attention spans and a top can be finished in about 10 to 12 minutes and that includes using a chatter tool and coloring them. The girls, of course, will like different colors than the boys. To speed things up you want to consider going to Lowes or Home Depot and getting some 2" x 2" maple and having them cut the wood into manageable lengths of 10" to 12" each.

[phil harold]

turn potatoes catch the curlies and then fry them...

[Dennis Ford]

I have done something similar at the local forest festival (there was a small group of us sharing a couple of lathes). We brought a bunch of tops and turned a bunch more, probably gave away 200 tops and had fun too.

[Kathy Marshall]

Sounds like a fun time!
If you don't do the plexiglas shield, just make sure that none of the kids is sitting directly in front of the lathe (line of fire). While the chances are very low of launching a little spinning top or box, it's not impossible and better safe
I agree that spinning tops would be a big hit with the kids, especially the younger ones. The older kids might appreciate seeing a small box or bowl.

Good luck!

[Bill Bulloch]

Tops are the way to go. I don't know how many students are at the school, but it would be nice if you had a bunch made up to give each student one at the end of the demo. Maybe if you have time and are a member of a club, you could get club member to make up a bunch as a club project to pass on to the kids. Out Club did this a few years back for Christmas gifts for the kids at the Childrens Hospital. I don't know how many we ended up with but it was a hugh amount. I donated 21 and I didn't get started till the day before the meeting. Great idea -- go with it.

[Dave Fritz]

Good for you first of all. At some point I'd ask the school officials these questions. It would help you rest assured you've got all your ducks in a row. Believe me they'll have an answer. The last thing anyone wants is to have a child get hurt.

I'd second the tops. Kids love them.

If you have time you might want to take a bowl and show how it goes from a tree to a bowl, maybe some pictures showing the process. Teacher's too will be interested in how you get a bowl out of a tree.

Good luck and enjoy yourself.

Dave F.

[Tim Rinehart]

wonderful idea Peter, I think you'll enjoy yourself as much as they will watching you. I'm glad we have screens during festivals, as the crowds can make it more difficult sometimes to keep people back a safe distance, and the kids do like getting up close to watch.
Picking colors1.jpg
A screen would be a nice idea if you could swing it, wouldn't have to be 'industrial quality' for smaller stuff, perhaps a piece 12-16" x 24" framed to protect someone from a blank that, ahem, 'may' come loose. 1/8-3/16" thick would be plenty.
Don't know why, but our local clubs turn thousands of tops each year, and ever event someone loses a square blank chucked on the lathe. If it's just you, and you're pretty confident, less an issue. Best thing is to prep your 2x2 stock to have a tenon cut on them to more securely chuck up during the demo. That way, it's held more solid and you're not wasting time cutting tenons during the demo.

Have some fun asking the kids if they are right handed or left handed to make sure it's turned for the correct direction of spin :-D and of course let them pick the colors while you're preparing to take it off the lathe.
I like to part it off using a skew (in trenching mode with heel up) leaving a very small connection, and with a flourish, grab it off with my hand like magic.
If you had enough time and there were some adults, a honey dipper is always an easy cool item.

[Thom Sturgill]

Another vote for tops. Our turning club does the County Fair each year and we turn about 200 tops over a ten day period. We ask the kids two questions - how old and name two colors, then use skew to create rings (first question), then markers to make rings with the two colors. We have a wire screen about 3 ft square with about 2-3" grid between the lathe and the kids. Does not obstruct curlies but will protect from a flying blank. We have had one turner hurt when a blank came off after he took over from another turner and did not check the chuck and got too aggressive. AFAIK, that's the only incident we've had in six years.

I've also turned small boxes and mushrooms on request. All from 2x2 stock. Unless you can get more turners involved, having some tops made up in advance is also a good idea. Pink and purple, pink and black, blue and black, blue and green, and the colors of whatever team is popular locally (and the school) are good colors for the pre-made ones.

[curtis rosche]

I would make a set or three of captive rings to pass around the crowd while turning. Just something to keep some of the shorter attention spans captivated

[Tim McClelland]

A few years ago I took my Rikon mini to the school I taught at and did an object lesson demo making a pen. I had pre drilled the blanks so I didn't have to take my drill press along. As the kids entered the room I had them all put their names on a piece of paper. When the pen, and lesson were complete I had someone draw a name and that person got to keep the pen I had made. It was a lot of fun doing and showing them how a "crappy piece of wood" that didn't look like much on the outside, had a beauty of its own on the inside when treated properly and skillfully. Much like people.

[Ian James Webster]

Peter - as an insurance broker by profession my thoughts spring immediately to liability. If one of the children were to be injured you are almost certainly going to be sued (along with the school) by the parents. Do you have any form of business insurance? If so check with your agent respects this exposure. If not, check with your homeowner carrier for their take on this. Possibly ask the parents and/or school to sign waivers. Will the school's insurance carrier add you to the school's policy?

[Dale Gillaspy]

I have done several demos like this, and for what it is worth, here goes.

1. I like the idea of tops as well, but have plan b and c ready to go. Nothing worse than finishing a top in 10 minutes and having 20 more minutes to fill with nothing planned. It doesn't have to be a big bowl, a small egg cup would serve the same purpose.

2. A sharpening station is great for touching up tools between grades/classes. If you can't bring one, you probably could get by. I tend to sharpen a lot.

3. A safety barrier is a must, especially when working with kids. If something were to fly, even if no one got hurt, the "too close for comfort" factor would not make you or the woodturning community look good.

4. As for insurance, check with your club about making this a club sponsored event. You may get some help, and there may be some liability coverage as part of the new AAW plans, depending on what your local club chose to do.

5. Have a plan. Even if you don't have a hard script, have a road map. If you just try and wing it, especially your first time, you will wind up somewhere you don't want to be.

6. Last but not least, have fun!!!

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