Aspiring woodworker

[Lee Schierer]

My granddaughter Emily, 7, loves being out in the shop with me. She used to be happy just stacking blocks and sucking up sawdust with the dust collector. This year at Grandma camp was different, she wanted to make something. We've mad bird houses before and they are fun, but she wanted to make a present for her mother this time. So we decided to make napkin rings out of some scrap cherry.

She came up with the design. We laid them out in two strips so we could control them while drilling. She helped me mark the centers so we could drill the through hole on the drill press. Then she pulled down the lever while I held the pieces in place and moved the piece into position for the next hole. Once all the holes were drilled, I did the cuts on the TS since she is too young for that. I also rounded over the inside with the router. Then it was back to the drill press with a spindle sander to clean up the inside of the holes and the eight sides. She was really good at working on the spindle sanding table and kept her fingers away from the sanding spindle.

She did all the flat sanding and rounding of the corners on her own. She had to give me each piece when she thought it was done for inspection. She got the hang of what was needed pretty fast and after the first 2 or 3 she didn't have many sides to redo. Then it was time for finishing.

I decided she could apply MinWax Antique oil finish which she is doing in the photo below. She rubbed out each piece after each application.

They're a little hard to see, but her nine napkin rings turned out pretty well. I haven't heard how Mom liked them yet.

Thanks for viewing,

[Corey Hallagan]

Great photos Lee and looks like you two were having a great time!

Corey

[Ron Jones near Indy]

That is awesome Lee!:cool: It must be a great feeling for both of you. Thanks for sharing.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Excellent Lee! Years from now she'll remember this and you don't know what kind of an effect you'll have on her! My daughter enjoyed working with me on projects around the house and on our cars. As petite as she is, did I mention she has a degree in automotive mechanics and has been a police officer and a deputy sheriff? I like to think I helped give her some confidence to do what she wanted to do. Congrats Grandpa! Well done!

[Jim Becker]

Ah...I'm glad that Emily is joining Grandpa in the shop! Cute kid and before you know it, she'll be advising you on all your joinery questions... :) (I enjoyed meeting her at Five Barns last weekend)

[john whittaker]

Those napkin rings look GREAT:D :D

That sure was a lot of sanding you must have done....How long did that take?

And the MinWax oil finish looks very good. You sure did a great job. Keep up the good work and listen to your grandpa. Looks like he knows what he's doing.;)

[Mark Rios]

HAH!!!....very, very cool Lee. Way to get them out there while they're young. Great job to her for the rings and great job to you for the wisdom and encouragement you've imparted.

[Don Baer]

Very cool Lee,
I am looking forward to introducing 2 of my 3 Grandkids to woodworking in a few week. I have talked to them on the phone about it and according to their Dad they are looking forward too it as much as I am. Keep it up, she's abudding artist.

[Lee Schierer]

Ah...I'm glad that Emily is joining Grandpa in the shop! Cute kid and before you know it, she'll be advising you on all your joinery questions... :) (I enjoyed meeting her at Five Barns last weekend)

Wow, I just realized that I spent so much time on the planing contest, that I didn't get around to see who all was there. Usually I try to spend some time with everyone I can, but the plane contest took up lots of time.

[Jim Becker]

Yes, your Emily was getting wrinkled in the pool with our two girls and a few others all day long. In fact, Dr. SWMBO was the one to coax her teary eyes out for the meal break since we couldn't leave her in the water alone... ;) And your daughter's pie was excellent!

[Frank Fusco]

Doing things with children/grandchildren is always positive. However, IMHO, a woodworking shop is not for kids. I would never let a child in a shop where the machines are even 'live' and capable of being turned on. Add to that the risk to hearing from the noise and dust in young lungs. I won't do it. I walk my grandchildren through my shop with ALL machines unplugged and sharp things out of reach. They touch nothing. At some point when they are older and their parents agree, I'll introduce them to woodworking. Depending on our judgement call, probably between ages 10 to 14. No offense, but I'm kind of a safety nut. And my son would be the first to agree. He is an emergency room physican.

[tod evans]

frank, my 22mo. is welcome in my shop i don`t run loud equipment when he`s there but he`s been taught from the time he was able to comprehend that certain things are off limits and not open for discussion, he can tell at 22mos., the difference between a screwdriver and a chisel, he won`t touch a chisel stating "sharp, no-no", he`s permitted to use hammers and screwdrivers and will ask for boards to fiddle with. i think whether or not children should be permitted in a shop is very much dependant on both the child and the person supervising him/her and shouldn`t be constrained by age....02 tod

[Rob Bodenschatz]

I'll agree with tod on this one but it certainly can't hurt to heed Frank's reminder that the shop can be a dangerous place and kids need to be closely supervised. My five and three year olds are in there regularly with me and they know not to touch ANYTHING unless I say it's ok. One thing to always keep in mind are the not-so-obvious dangers such as dust and noise.

Looks like Emily did a great job on those napkin holders. I'm sure her mom will be proud.

[Mark Rios]

frank, my 22mo. is welcome in my shop i don`t run loud equipment when he`s there but he`s been taught from the time he was able to comprehend that certain things are off limits and not open for discussion, he can tell at 22mos., the difference between a screwdriver and a chisel, he won`t touch a chisel stating "sharp, no-no", he`s permitted to use hammers and screwdrivers and will ask for boards to fiddle with. i think whether or not children should be permitted in a shop is very much dependant on both the child and the person supervising him/her and shouldn`t be constrained by age....02 tod


I have to agree. I'm pretty leary of kids around power tools as well but what they are taught and HOW they are taught makes the difference IMO. I was raised in a production bodyshop, we ALWAYS had one at home, whether or not we owned or managed one elsewhere. At 7yo I hadmy own Snap-On tools in an upper tool chest and my own DA sander and the like. I did production work along with my brothers. I was taught about shop chemicals, welding, frame straightening, painting and so on before I was out of 8th grade. Kids have a tremendous capacity for learning as long as the time is taken to teach them CORRECTLY and patiently. It probably goes unsaid that my dad was a pretty patient guy. :D

That said, if some folks don't feel comfortable in the shop with kids under a certain age, then that's their prerogative. Knowing our kids are safe is a precious thing. Hopefully our children won't be shortchanged by our lack of ability to teach them properly.

[Dave Ray]

Lee, those pictures of Emily are great. She is soooo serious buffing out those napkin rings and so full of joy with her completed projects. Great going grandpa, you have a family tradition started. No way could that young girl find a more loving, caring teacher.

[Lee Schierer]

I understand the concerns of allowing children in the work shop. It takes a certain amount of unwavering supervision and care and it isn't for everyone. Young children should never be allowed in the shop unsupervised. You also have to consider the each child and their ability to pay attention and follow rules before bringing them into the shop. You also have to set rules and if rules are broken, the offender leaves the shop for an appropriate period of time.

In Emily's case, the only power tools we have operated is the drill press. She has used the spindle sander and sanding table. The sanding table is connected to my DC so all the sanding dust from teh spindle goes into the DC. My hands weren't far from hers while she was using the spindle sander. She also has pulled down the handle when told to, to drill holes, but I'm either holding the piece or it is clamped to the table. Hand tools with out sharp edges are the only tools she has been taught to use this far. My chisels and hand planes are in their racks out of reach when I'm not using them.

89 db rated ear protection is always worn when we operate tools that make noise. She doesn' even have to be told to put them on and she likes wearing them. She isn't allowed near the TS if I run it and I always lower the blade below the table after each cut. I never do any difficult set up or cuts when children are with me in the shop.

We will also be instituting a pony tail or hair clip rule from this point forward for her. :D

Encouraging skills in young people takes time, concentration and lots of patience. If you don't have all three then you are better off not letting young people in the shop. When I start getting frustrated, we turn the lights out and go pursue some other activitiy.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Lee,

It sounds to me that you are approaching teaching your granddaughter safe woodworking by example and discipline on your and her parts! Kudos! It takes a little more time but you'll never regret your woodworking or safety efforts!

I took the same care when my youngest son now age 33 was age 5-9 when he helped Dad frame and finish an unfinished basement and various major rehab projects. Regularly I get calls from him asking advice ....of a safety nature or asking for inputs or opinions on household remodeling. Just this weekend I got such a call....saftey advise wanted and procedural advice. He changed his method as a result.

Responsibility......you are teaching safety, discipline and responsibility...and woodworking! Kudos to you Grandpa!

[tod evans]

lee, my appoligies for commenting on kids in the shop before congratulating both you and emily on a job well done.
emily, nice work! tod

[Vaughn McMillan]

Very cool, Lee. I did my first shop project with my granddad when I was about that age. The lessons learned and the memories of working together are still with me. (So is the little cutting board we made for my grandma that day.)

Regarding shops and kids and such...of course it varies from one individual to the next, but if the kid has a sufficient attention span, and the teacher has sufficient patience and attention on the kid, I think it's a good thing. I was raised with loaded guns and very sharp knives in the house. I was taught at a VERY early age what I was allowed to handle unsupervised (essentially nothing) and how to handle it safely when supervised. I think the same approach could be taken with shop tools, as long as the rules are clearly stated and ruthlessly adhered to.

- Vaughn