new photos

[Ken Werner]

Here are a couple of nice photos. The first is one of my eariy pieces, a cherry 5 drawer chest, made for my son, Ben, shown helping me with the final details. The photo is from 1990.

The second image is Ben at work at the lathe. Today.

I hope this brings a chuckle to at least a few of you.

Ken

[Don Baer]

Well there's no denying, Ben looks like his dad. A real chip off the ol block..:D

[Bart Leetch]

Lookin good Ken. Time sure flys when your havin fun. 1990 seems like just yesterday.:eek: :)

[tod evans]

ken, i only hope my son sticks with his tool fascination he`s 21months now and loves `em.
be careful ben you`ll get hooked, my first "sanctioned" tool was a lathe.
tod

[Alan DuBoff]

Good job at teaching your son woodworking!

I often wonder what will happen to our youth if none of them know how to work with their hands. Most of the schools have taken out the vocational programs, or other trades, and woodworking is one on the skids in most schools.

I worry that much of our youth today (hopefully not my kids;-) would have a hard time trying to cut a piece of drywall, or fix a plumbing leak, let alone build something out of wood.

At the rate our society is going, woodworkers will be at at premium.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

So what are the Shop Rules posted on the wall above the lathe. I seem to be able to make out DAD a few times but that's about it.
I need a good set of rules for my stepson whose interest is starting to pick up. Of course I would have to start abiding by the rules . . . . :D

[glenn bradley]

Its great to see you pass your interest along to your son. Neither of mine has any interest. Both are musically inclined and one draws but . . . no sawdust desires.

[Mark Cothren]

ken, i only hope my son sticks with his tool fascination he`s 21months now and loves `em.
be careful ben you`ll get hooked, my first "sanctioned" tool was a lathe.
tod

I've seen that boy of Tod's swing a hammer - he's a natural!!!!

[Mark Cothren]

Ken,

Great pictures! Thanks for sharing! I was wonderin' about what "young Ben" (anybody besides me a McClintoch fan?) may look like... as has already been stated, a chip off the ol' block.

Thanks again!

[Ken Werner]

Jeffrey, you have some sharp eyes there. I put up the rules so that I wouldn't be a nag. I wanted to encourage Ben to use the shop, but the way he was leaving it was driving me crazy. The rules have worked well:

Shop Rules

Failure to follow rules will lead to loss of privileges.


1. Nothing left on Dad’s jointer
2. Nothing left on Dad’s workbench
3. NEVER leave tools on floor
4. Put away ALL Dad’s tools used.
5. Compressor line put away neatly.
6. Vacuum or sweep after EVERY session
7. If you’ve made dust, run air cleaner for 30 min.
8. lights off
9. heat off

Yeah, as if I never leave stuff on my bench or the floor unswept...

So now, for the most part, I don't have to nag. I didn't like posting them in his face, but it has been working, for the most part.

I can't take much credit for Ben's woodworking. He was intermittently interested, but never a lot. This past winter, I was struggling to turn spindles for a bed [see this thread: http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=38759], and he'd come out and got fascinated by the lathe. From there, I just had to encourage him a little, and introduced him to some wood turners. Bought him the tools he felt he needed, and let him go. He really has a gift for it. If you look for Ben in the turner's group here, he's posted some of his stuff.

Now, if I could only get him interested in how to sharpen a plane and chisel....

I feel very fortunate that Ben has taken on this interest, but I don't take credit for it - I think for many of us, a love of woodworking is either there or not there. If it is - well then you can nurture it, but if it isn't...

Tod, when Ben was about 5, I asked him what he wanted for his birthday. He told me a hammer. So I went traipsing all around looking for a 12 oz leather handled Estwing. He pounded lots of nails with that, and it sits today in his tool drawer. When your son is ready, go get him one.

Thanks to all for your kind comments.

Ken

[Jim Becker]

Very nice! I'm glad that Ben is sharing shop time with you.

As to the list... I have a similar, but shorter one in my shop right now...in Russian, no less. It went up a few months ago when I first took my 10 year old daughter into the shop. It pretty much says, eye protection is required at all times, ask for permission before touching or doing anything and "listen to papa's instructions". I need to change it to English at this point...

[Corey Hallagan]

Great photos, that is very cool!

Corey

[john whittaker]

Thanks for the nice post. I've seen some of Ben's work and he does have talent. So do you dad.