Goatman Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Just curious what others would say about this. I know this is going to vary considerably depending on the kid. I've got a 8 year old grand daughter wanting to try it. She's always wanting to work with me in the shop. Lost her dad in Iraq so we spend a lot of time together doing stuff. Very, very smart kid. I was about 15 in wood shop at school. Ended up making my own lathe from an old washing machine motor in our basement. It was crude but it worked. Wish I would have kept it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 I'm gonna say it depends on the kid and the teacher. Sounds like you're confident in your student, so it's up to you to make things go right. A kid in my highschool shop class took a piece of shrapnel to the forehead and went to the hospital when his bowl exploded. He was 16 or 17, but a total moron and the shop teacher was drinking coffee in the lumber room...if that gives you any context. People take their young kids out hunting...I'd rather see mine holding a bowl gouge than a 12 gauge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid-woodworker Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 I have a 2.5 year old grand daughter and she plays in the shop a lot. She has her bucket of scraps and a few cars. She builds ramps and houses.. While granddad works. A set of pink hearing protectors and she is fine. Just getting her accustomed to the tools and noises. As she gets older we will build small stuff that she can glue and paint and eventually use a hand tool or 2. We talk about what not to touch and how sharp everything is. I don't think you can start too early. I would think an 8 year old could handle hand tools and maybe a sander. My granddaughter is always wanting to sweep up, she says, " granddaddy this place is a mess!" BRuce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid-woodworker Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 Ok, now that I have read the title of the thread, maybe I can post something on topic. I think 8 is probably too young to start on the lathe but everyone matures at a different rate. I see lots of articles where 10 and 12 year old children are turning pens and bottle stoppers but never one as young as 8. My apologies for the slightly off topic previous post. BRuce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwatson Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 id say it depends on the maturity of the 8 year old. you would have to be the one to determine how mature you think she is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikem Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 Can you make safety glasses and a faceshield fit comfortably? Is she tall enough to stand comfortably in front of the lathe? Is she mature enough to realize there is an element of danger to this, but can understand that safe practices are a must? If you can say yes to all three of these questions without a doubt, I say why not? If she has long hair, make sure it is tied back so there is no risk of it getting caught in the lathe, safety glasses and a faceshield is an absolute must! I would start out try to round a piece for her. This will make sure it is balanced, and give you a chance to uncover any defects. The gradually have her try different techniques. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boatworks Today Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 I'd say 8 maybe pushing it (like others have said, it really depends on the awareness of the child). I think my brother helped me turn some very basic stuff when I was 10 but he was also holding onto the chisels with me. I think something simple (and fairly safe with close supervision) would be to start with a scroll saw. Following patterns would also be good for hand / eye coordination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayWC Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 I am wondering why you're turning a child on the lathe. Most people in this forum use wood. Terrible joke aside I think 8 is a bit young. There is plenty else to do in the shop. She'll appreciate you making her wait if you work her up to it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris H Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 I am with most others. 8 seems a bit young, but at the same time, I would say the lathe can be a pretty safe tool with some basic rules/setup. I started working in my dad's shop around 10 or so, but that was all in, and a blade gaurd was for "rich folks". That included using the miter saw / table saw / band saw etc, all of which, in my opinion, are much more dangerous. I am not trying to play down the risks at a lathe, but I think they can be mitigated with good oversight and planning. Also tools today are just much safer than they used to be. One thing others haven't mentioned is strength. You don't need to be super stong for a lathe or anything, and when techniche is good, strength doesn't matter. That said, when starting, hand strength can be the difference between over gouging the wood, and tossing a chisel across the room. I have always thought age was more or less irrelavant (within reason, if the motor skills are there, the brain can by trained). Many folks argue that kids should wait to be 18 before driving because statistics show that younger drivers have more accidents. I think statistics show that inexperienced drivers have more accidents, so delaying the driving age, wouldn't reduce the accidents, just slide them up the age scale. Maturity is part of the equation, but maturity is more often the result of experience and responsibility, more than age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jHop Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 I'd say it should be fine. Some tasks you will need to do, and some you will need to demonstrate/supervise, but in all, the child should have fun. If you want to get them started, and you have a mini or pen lathe, I'd start there. And an even more basic place to start is to simply have the lathe on the slowest setting and have them hold strips of sandpaper to the spinning wood. (I'd recommend a poplar dowel for starters.) They will get the idea that dust comes flying off and goes everywhere, and discover immediately the joys of shaping something as it spins around. When my lathe was still packed up but I wanted to get some work done, I used a dremel type tool and sanded the dowels down to a shape. I also used a milk crate as my tail stock, so I could attempt to get a round shape by hand. Still have some of those examples, and it made me enjoy the lathe that much more. (as well as show a few new options to me.) Not exactly on topic, but it can also be another area for the kid to start with, and you don't have the fear of a piece of shrapnel coming off the lathe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 I am wondering why you're turning a child on the lathe. Most people in this forum use wood. Terrible joke aside I think 8 is a bit young. There is plenty else to do in the shop. She'll appreciate you making her wait if you work her up to it. wow jay i know i should not even be dignifying this with a coment but that is probably the worst and funiest joke i have heard in the last 5 min. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 8 seems a little young for full on lathe work but that does not mean you cant get her involved. when i did some wood turning with the kids in my classroom most were 13-18 but there incredibly imature and irrisponsible so its like working with a 8 year old at times. we would do some small stuff that were easy and fun for example we make string reels for the paper kites we made last summer. i would turn them and make the actual cuting but i would have the kids draw up there ideas showing them different shapes we can cut easily on the lathe for spindles. i would have them tell me if it looks too big or too small. basicly they are the boss and desighn it the way they want it you just do the cuting. i then handed them the sandpaper and showed them how to go throught the stages and let them do the fun work of sanding. then i handed them my decorating tools and let them press on the wood to make spirals and diamonds indentation on the wood. then i got out the markers and had them color the spindles any way they wanted too. then i got the denatured alch and have them blend the colors together making what looks like tie dye. next i had them mix up shelack, denatured alch, and boiled linseed oil finish. and put it on the wood. the kids were there for the intire process and most were mesmerized by how the process worked. i made shure i explained everything and kept asking them questions to keep them ingaged in the process. here is a few tips you should think about if you are going to get her involved. if you dont have one yet get a E-Z tool or make one(strongly sugest so you can make her own set of tools) with a square shaft that way you can keep it flat on the tool rest and it wont roll on her. her hands are small and she wont be as strong as you so make a set of tools that have smaller handles so she can hold it tightly. give it a long handle so she brace it with her body rather then just with her hands. remember she is going to be weaker then you. e-z type tools are better at not catching then a standard gouge plus she probably wont have the cordination and attention to regulary sharpen the tools so a carbide blade wont need to be sharpened ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayWC Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 wow jay i know i should not even be dignifying this with a coment but that is probably the worst and funiest joke i have heard in the last 5 min. oh it hurt to type it and I fully know I lost social standing to say it. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 oh it hurt to type it and I fully know I lost social standing to say it. :-) what realy kills me is as i was reading the post i was thinking that same thing and i didnt get a chance to say it before you did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goatman Posted November 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2012 I think we're willing to give it a shot though slowly like many of you guys said. Thanks for the input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikem Posted November 27, 2012 Report Share Posted November 27, 2012 Good luck Goatman! Let us know how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie K. Posted December 8, 2012 Report Share Posted December 8, 2012 Since I believe you think the concern have been met you may want to custumize some mini turning tools to fit the need. Less cutting edge equals less torque, may be longer smaller diameter handles for better control and greater leverage. I think she will do fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goatman Posted December 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2012 Well, she got her start yesteray and everything went pretty smooth. Only mishap was shen she blew some sawdust and ended up getting some in her eyes and that wasn't even on the lathe. She got to make a nice little candle holder for her nanna using a pine 4"x4"x10". Now she's got to make two more for her mom. She was really excited and proud of what she did. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted December 9, 2012 Report Share Posted December 9, 2012 good to hear goat keep her inturested as long as possible when they grow up a bit they become girls and usualy dont have the time for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles11we Posted December 30, 2012 Report Share Posted December 30, 2012 It seems in the past few years its become soo much safer to teach a child to turn. That dead center i think by oneway without teeth so if there is a catch the work just spins instead of the tool flying. Easy wood tools- i only have a small finisher by them but i have never had a catch or even heard o them catching as well as them being relatively simple to use (technique wise). I think with carefully prepared lathe/tool setup and good selection of wood i feel comfortable letting my 8 year old second-cousin turn, granted he has a fairly good grasp on knowing how physics work already and good motor skills. I would take alot of time letting him watch me turn just so he can know what to expect, the control the tools while he holds them, then just sorta guiding him then finally letting him turn without my physical input. I would take a long time to teach him as much as i could first and make sure he can handle it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted December 31, 2012 Report Share Posted December 31, 2012 8 seems a little young for full on lathe work but that does not mean you cant get her involved. when i did some wood turning with the kids in my classroom most were 13-18 but there incredibly imature and irrisponsible so its like working with a 8 year old at times. we would do some small stuff that were easy and fun for example we make string reels for the paper kites we made last summer. i would turn them and make the actual cuting but i would have the kids draw up there ideas showing them different shapes we can cut easily on the lathe for spindles. i would have them tell me if it looks too big or too small. basicly they are the boss and desighn it the way they want it you just do the cuting. i then handed them the sandpaper and showed them how to go throught the stages and let them do the fun work of sanding. then i handed them my decorating tools and let them press on the wood to make spirals and diamonds indentation on the wood. then i got out the markers and had them color the spindles any way they wanted too. then i got the denatured alch and have them blend the colors together making what looks like tie dye. next i had them mix up shelack, denatured alch, and boiled linseed oil finish. and put it on the wood. the kids were there for the intire process and most were mesmerized by how the process worked. i made shure i explained everything and kept asking them questions to keep them ingaged in the process. here is a few tips you should think about if you are going to get her involved. if you dont have one yet get a E-Z tool or make one(strongly sugest so you can make her own set of tools) with a square shaft that way you can keep it flat on the tool rest and it wont roll on her. her hands are small and she wont be as strong as you so make a set of tools that have smaller handles so she can hold it tightly. give it a long handle so she brace it with her body rather then just with her hands. remember she is going to be weaker then you. e-z type tools are better at not catching then a standard gouge plus she probably wont have the cordination and attention to regulary sharpen the tools so a carbide blade wont need to be sharpened ever. miles if you do want to get your nephew turning this is the advice i gave goat and its what i use for my studients. if you want to make some easy wood tools let me know there realy easy and i can walk you through it. you can make a handle and bar for 20 bucks. some of my studients could not handle the tools there were to short and light weight (the kids that is ) so they needed a longer handle to prace against there body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwacker Posted December 31, 2012 Report Share Posted December 31, 2012 My 8 year old grand son has been turning for two years. I bought him a mini lathe and all the accessories as a kit from pen state and he does just fine making pens and yoyos. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted December 31, 2012 Report Share Posted December 31, 2012 It's all about the individual kid... some are more mature and have more common sense than others ---- there are some adults that shouldn't handle tools! I was driving the family tractor at 10, so my father had faith for that tool for that task... However, he would not let me use a radial-arm saw or a chainsaw until I was 15... different tool, different task... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim0625 Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 It depends on how you mount him in the chuck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 It used to be ok at 11 when I was at school normally under supervision from the teacher. If supervised by you maybe 8 is ok as you will be giving 1 to 1 rather than 1 to 30 when I was at school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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