Another good Saturday morning.
This month is our “Bring a special person meeting” that could be a friend, a parent or grandparent, sadly not to many takers on it this year but still a very worth while idea, Thomas as last year brought a soft toy as he didn’t get to sort anybody, Kieran also had a soft toy…probably remembered what Thomas did last year, quite brave of them if you think about it……..
2 new potential members here today as guest’s of Grant, Sam invited his granddad and Jordan his dad. As with most things we do here it snowballs into something else, Jordan’s dad turned a large half sphere (see picture on right hand side) which is ideal for his climbing wall at home, and now wants more of various sizes, Sam’s granddad turned a light pull and half way through Sam started to instruct Nick (Granddad) so I took a step back let them finish it together, I have to say it was very proud moment for me. Please click here for pictures.
On that subject, I was thinking only the other day we don’t have any juniors turning unsupervised yet, not that it’s a race or that it’s expected after 4 years of meetings, but it was just a thought, but when young Sam took over from me instructing his granddad I realised they are taking in this information. This club is not school, it’s very relaxed and they do what they want so they may not touch a lathe for quite a while, but when they do we say what tool we are going to use and briefly explain what is happening and they either remember it or they don’t, as long as they enjoy themselves they will pick up and use what they choose to. They all understand it’s a workshop and not a playground and remember the safety side of things.
On from that we now have 3 members with a lathe and tools at home, Sam being the very latest, at this meeting both Sam & Nick were looking at lathes in the Axminster catalogue, when Dave suggested we look at the lathe for sale on the Forest of Bere Woodturners web site. To cut a long story short Sam and granddad spent last Friday at my workshop making a large bench, we then took it to granddad's house and set it in place and bolted the said lathe on it, Both Sam and Nick want to learn to turn and Sam’s sister, so there’s 3 people going to benefit from it. It seems that 4 years on and for some it’s just suddenly clicked, so patience is the operative word here I think.
With these lathes at home we operate on a pretty strict understanding, I spend time with both the child and the supervising parent to make sure they know what they can do and they understand they don’t do anything else until we’ve spent more time at it, and to call me if they need to, I’m happy to pop in when I can and get them going again.
So back to today’s meeting, all four lathes were used and lots going on at the craft table, not a full house here today - dance rehearsals and things clashed, never mind there is always next month. Grant’s 2 guests really enjoyed themselves with Angy at the craft table and loved turning and setting fire to a bit of pine turned into a bud vase (click here for pictures), I think they will be regular members here. So all in all bringing a special person today was a real plus all round.
Lauren spent the morning with my camera, mostly just outside taking pictures of flowers and insects, she took some stunning pictures, it wasn’t planned, I think she saw something outside and it grew from that, with very little guidance she took some good interesting pictures. Please click here for a selection of her pictures.
Mike helped Alex turn a bowl and in the afternoon young Alex came back to my workshop and turned another, that’s another one that’s just suddenly clicked.
Well that’s another 3 hours gone in a flash, with everybody helping to tidy its done pretty quickly, lots of chat and its doors locked and back to my workshop, and there goes another brilliant meeting.
Mick April 2011