[crw-talk] Home school woodturning field trip

[John & Donna Griffiths]

Hello club members,

Last week I introduced the third annual (more or less) woodturning field 
trip for home schooled kids at the meeting and asked for interested 
members to sign up to help.  But not everyone who might be willing and 
able to help with this worthwhile event was at the meeting to hear my 
pitch.  (But I was discreet about pitching it, I did not wear a loud 
plaid sports coat and tug at anyone's sleeves.)

So I am calling for some more volunteers.  First, here is what happens 
on the morning of Saturday November 10 at A line.  We meet at 8 AM at 
the back building at A Line.  Duane Hill has kindly consented to us 
using his seven lathes he has stored there, plus we have a couple of 
volunteers to bring one of the club lathes there as well.  We will get 
set up, and the families will start arriving after 8 also.  We will get 
the insurance forms signed and a prominent member has been asked to give 
a short safety briefing.  If he can't do it, we will have a less 
prominent member do it.

As quickly as possible, we get to helping a kid from age 9 through high 
school make wood chips.  We do about 45 minute shift with a kid, helping 
them make something simple they can take home or perhaps a fine pen for 
a project such as Freedom Flight. Simple spindle turning things work 
nicely for younger kids, older ones can take on more complex things, 
perhaps a simple bowl from a pine 2x6 using scraping tools to minimize 
catches. (Give credit to Bob Patros for that idea.)   Jack Fitzpatrick 
will be making baseball bat pens, a project that has been very popular 
with the kids.  Clyde and Phil have had kids make Slimline or Comfort 
pens, also a very cool idea...silly old me has helped kids make icicle 
ornaments.  Your imagination can govern what you choose as projects.

What we need for volunteers to bring are:  tools and wood for the 
projects, any kits that may be required or finish, face shields, safety 
glasses and a platform about 4-5" high for shorter turners to stand on 
if you have one.  I have a lamp I bring and a power tap to plug it into 
for additional light.  Have your projects pre-drilled or any other prep 
work done so your student can get to the fun part, making the wood 
round.  The lathes have #2 MT bores and 1"x8tpi threads for any chucks 
or accessories you might bring.

The event goes until noon.  We have had as many as 21 kids, and doing 45 
minute shifts will allow about 4 shifts for each lathe and a half hour 
for clean up and putting things away.  Some kids will want to do a 
second turn at a lathe, and we can often entice a parent to try their 
hand too, if time and numbers permit.  All enjoyable and good outreach 
for the club.  This is a very popular event with the students and their 
parents and just plain fun for us members.  Remember, we are doing 
hands-on with the kids, not making a project while they watch.

We have seven members signed up for certain to help, and two "maybe".  
We are looking for a few more members to join us so members can do a 
shift or two, then someone else can step up to the lathe and do another 
shift or two.  If you can step up to the plate and donate a Saturday 
morning on November 10, it will be very appreciated.  Any lady members 
who can attend will provide a wonderful role model as we have many girls 
attend this event.

Please reply by email or a phone call to me at 608-248-2782 if you can help.

Thanks much, for your time reading this and if you can help out.

John