Club Demo Ideas

[mrcook4570]

I will be giving a pen turning demo for our local turning club next month and am looking for ideas. Overall, I do not think it is a penturning group. A few members carry turned pens and a couple of members sell their pens, but the majority are more into bowls and boxes.

If any of you have given such demos before, any advice would be appreciated. What went over well with the group, what flopped (so I know to stay away from that ), etc. Should I stick with basic turning and basic styles or go more in depth with the technical aspects of pen turning? Thanks!

 

[Rifleman1776]

I gave a penturning demo to my woodturning club last June and it was well received. Several months prior to the demo, I contacted PSI and they sent a bunch of their free DVDs on penturning. Another company also generously donated some nice items.
Check out my clubs website for an outline on what I did:
http://ozarkwoodturners.org/Meeting_Summaries/2006/June_06.htm
Keep in mind, this was mine, it may or may not be what you want to do.

 

[tipusnr]

I have done a couple at club events and try to throw something a little unique in to catch the interest of the bowl turners. Sometimes I use an alternative material, sometimes throw in some spindleturning beads and valleys showing how to hide the divide between the top and bottom by putting it in a shadow, or use a segmented blank. Sometimes I turn it over to a buddy who puts captive rings on the pens. they are totally useless but always get attention.

Generally I get the biggest interest in the fact that I can turn the whole thing with a skew. You never know what will get their attention. The biggest thing is to be excited and interested in your demo. If you are they will be too!

 

[Russb]

Prep ahead of time. Already have some blanks cut, glued, and trimed. Maybe even have a set of blanks turned and finished. Explain each step, but you won't have to wait for glue to dry, etc. If anyone is interested explain why you use the glue you use, why you use the drilling method etc. Don't go into too many details unless there is interest or else they will walk out on you. My first demo was pens a long time ago. I at least learned how to prepare and give a demo. Have fun.

 

[DocStram]

A couple of suggestions:

First, I'd talk with somebody from the club (probably the person who contacted you) and ask him what he thinks they would like to learn. Be certain to ask what topics were covered by previous demonstrators.

and, tell them there is going to be a "door prize". Don't say what it is.

Second, at the very beginning of your demo .... let the audience know what your goal is ... another words ... what they are going to learn.

Third, have a handout outlining what the important points are and tell them they don't need to worry about trying to remember the important stuff ... it's in the outline. On one of the handouts, put a small star or checkmark on the back of a page. Don't tell them about it but the person who gets it will be the door prize winner.

Fourth, remind them that sometimes things go wrong ... expect the unexpected.

Fifth, tell them that you won't talk while turning but you'll stop the lathe to talk. That way they will be assured that they will hear what's going on. This is an important tip ... I just went to Atlanta's Woodworking Show and planned on spending all day watching the CSUSA demos. I gave up after the first 15 minutes of the first demo. You couldn't hear him over the lathe.

Remember to break things down into small steps. You don't want to overload them with information. Give them one piece at a time.

From time to time, stop to review what you did.

Also ... allow time for questions. When somebody does ask a question be certain to repeat the question so everybody hears it.

Then at the very end, tell them to flip the handout over and look for the star. Make a bid deal out of it ... build up the excitement ... and give them one of your pens.

Remember to have business cards with you name, phone, email addy, etc.

Hope this helps!

 

[its_virgil]

I've done several demos, some to penturning groups, and some to woodturning clubs. You've had some great suggestions in this thread. The penturning groups seem to appreciate anything beyond the basic pen. The general woodturning clubs I've done demos for seem to appreciate anything they have not seen previously. One demo that has been well received is on finishes. CA finish techniques has been of particular interest. Only one guy in my woodturning club turned pens. I kept taking and showing them and now several of them bring and show what they are doing with pens. Maybe a topic on the lines of "Beyond the Basics" would be good. Things such as: (1)Simple segmenting, (2) using picguard or other material to embellish, (3) using acrylics instead of wood.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by mrcook4570
<br />I will be giving a pen turning demo for our local turning club next month and am looking for ideas. Overall, I do not think it is a penturning group. A few members carry turned pens and a couple of members sell their pens, but the majority are more into bowls and boxes.

If any of you have given such demos before, any advice would be appreciated. What went over well with the group, what flopped (so I know to stay away from that []), etc. Should I stick with basic turning and basic styles or go more in depth with the technical aspects of pen turning? Thanks!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Originally posted by Russb
<br />Prep ahead of time. Already have some blanks cut, glued, and trimed. Maybe even have a set of blanks turned and finished. Explain each step, but you won't have to wait for glue to dry, etc. If anyone is interested explain why you use the glue you use, why you use the drilling method etc. Don't go into too many details unless there is interest or else they will walk out on you. My first demo was pens a long time ago. I at least learned how to prepare and give a demo. Have fun.

I had a series of items laid out showing the progression from a hunk of wood and some parts to finished pens. That helped those who had never seen penturning understand the process. In speaking, I believe in the military system of teaching: "Tell 'em what you are going to tell 'em; tell 'em; then tell 'em what you told 'em." []