• Congratulations to Alex Bradley winner of the December 2024 Turning Challenge (click here for details)
  • Conversations are now Direct Messages (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Gabriel Hoff for "Spalted Beech Round Bottom Box" being selected as Turning of the Week for January 6, 2024 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Another new turner?

A

Andy Coates

Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Messages
105
Likes
1
Location
Suffolk, England
Website
www.cobwebcrafts.co.uk
I thought I'd post this picture for you all to see.

This is my (nearly) five year old daughter turning the outer profile of her own new breakfast bowl...I bought Robin Wood's book, The Wooden Bowl, and it inspired me to go woody at the kitchen table...

She was on Easter holiday from school and one of the things she wanted to do in the holidays was to "spend a day in the shed with Daddy doing turning".

I should add that I was only away from the rear of the lathe for the 60 seconds it took to take the picture...as it turns out (no pun intended) she seems quite natural at the lathe and turned a lovely profile! Don't kids make you sick?

I turned the top bead for her and did most of the hollowing, but the rest is her work.

Andy
 

Attachments

  • ellieturn042006.JPG
    ellieturn042006.JPG
    92.6 KB · Views: 430
  • elliesbowl.JPG
    elliesbowl.JPG
    45.3 KB · Views: 436
In my experience, females make good turners right off. They're less concerned about dominating the wood than the guys. Wood doesn't take kindly to being pushed around, and they treat it kindly.

But really, a finger-pinching underhand grip? Looks as if she's high enough at the lathe to teach fulcrum and pivot turning. Probably safer at her young age to have her brace and swing to start a cut. I think it's even safer for old fat guys.
 
Wow, great picture and bowl to be proud of! On top of that she is wearing a mask, full face protection, hair pulled back, etc. Teaching safety is important, you're doing a great job!
 
Thanks!

Thank you all for you comments...she'll be thrilled when I read them to her later today.

She does seem quite natural,which, I suppose is why we should be catching children young and introducing them to turning. The RPT and AWGB, in the UK, are trying to address this with a series of regional tuition centres for young turners. Stuart Mortimer, you may know his name, is giving a weekend course, FREE!, for ten youngsters, this summer. He has the help of a number of the UK's most prominent turners to hand and it promises to be an exciting weekend for the turners. A number of tool and equipment manufacturers have even donated tools, finishes, timber Etc. free of charge. I hope it continues and grows and wish the project luck.

A note on the grip...

The WivaMac lathe's toolrest has a back curve which suits the underhand grip very well; especially for small hands. The heel of the palm sits nicely into the curve and the ridge on the under side of the top edge offers protection from "snap-downs".

Thanks again...you'll all have made a little girl very happy.

Andy
 
Kids Turning

Hello,

I bought my son a mini lathe 3 years ago when he was 12. he has been after me lately for a bigger lathe, he wants to turn bowls. I bought a brand new Palmgren 15" lathe for him last week, and he's still working on the first large bowl.
I think it is important to get the kids out in the shop. It gives them a creative outlet, freedom to express themselves, and keeps them busy. My son goes to a Catholic High school in the Chicago area, and last week one of the most prominent Catholic high schools int eh area was in the news. 14 kids busted for selling heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, and other drugs. I'd much rather keep my son busy in the shop than have him hanging out with guys like that, lookig for his next thrill.

Just my .02.

Thanks,
Dan Heine
 
Very nice work! Can't wait to get mine going that direction IF she's interested. She's only just over a year old and happy just throwing her drink off the high chair. Great for you and her!

-Chris

PS- I don't think my first bowl looked that good, both finish and design.
 
bowl finish

Just a quick response...all packed up and off for a three day craft event...although it'sclose to home so I'll be back evenings...

the finish is food safe oil and the wood is English Ash...there was some Olive in the tree but not through and through...

I've made an almost complete set of domestic woodware for daily use and it's proving very popular! Ellie, of course, made her own breakfast bowl and uses it every day...


more later perhaps..

thanks all

Andy
 
Hi Andy,

That makes me really happy. Thanks for putting it up and I hope Ellie enjoys her bowl for many years to come.

Robin
 
Hello Robin!

Wow...the people you bump in to on here...

The thanks should be all mine. You might remember that I bought the book at the WCT meeting at Blackfriars this April...it was my first meeting having only just been invited onto the register.

The book is beautifully written and produced and I'm telling everybody to buy it and read it. I've even downloaded plans for a pole lathe! If it ever gets built is another matter...but the book is inspirational.

Keep up the good work.

Regards,

Andy
 
Very impressive for being only just 5 yrs. old. My daughter just turned 2. I guess I something to really to look forward to teaching her a hobby at a younger age. If not that, then making monsters.

Great design on the bowl. Simple, but elegant.


Thanks for sharing.

Ray K.
Gothyc Designs
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top