Spent some time with my nephew

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cowchaser

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Hope everyone had a safe holiday weekend. I was off on Thursday and returned to work on Friday. Got to see my brother and his 3 kids. I had made my brother and his wife some pens for the birthdays this month and gave them to them.

My oldest nephew just turned 12 and asked me if I would make him a pen. Well, needless to say I just didn't feel like making a pen on Thursday and told him no. I could see the disappointment in his face. I sat there for a little while and it really started eating on me. I mean the kid only wanted a pen for his scout book. So after awhile I asked if he still wanted a pen and of course you could see him light up with a quick YES. I told him again I wouldn't make him one and it looked like I just slapped him. Then I told him he could come to the house and make his own if he wanted to. He had the biggest smile you ever seen. So he came to the house and I set him up with a slimline to turn. Explained everything from the parts to the safety. Had him use a round nose scraper and stood next to him and we got started. This kid was making ribbons fly like I had never seen. I was thinking why don't mine look like that. Before we were done his dad was asking to try. Needless to say he walked away happier than I had ever seen him. My mom called me the next morning and asked if I remembered when he was young when he got something he always slept with it in his hand. The kid SLEPT with his pen.

Sorry this is so long, I just wanted to share the time I spent with my nephew. He only lives 2 hours away, but I only get to see him about 4 times a year. Guess I'll have to spend some time like that with his twin brother and sister when they get older.
 
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The reason I bought a lathe was because my 11 year old son (he is now 16) wanted to turn a candlestick. After a few candlesticks, bowls and mini baseball bats we bought some pen kits. He still turns a project now and then, he can be wildly creative about the pens he turns. We spent some time turning yesterday, I value his opinion about pens, he is even more critical than I am about finding flaws.

My 13 year old twins have been turning off and on for a couple years. The boy twin made toothpick holders for some friends, he put candy in them. Girl twin is the most creative of them all. She had a project to make a cell model, the instructions recommended making it out of a foam ball, we made ours out of solid wood. Turning is a satisfying project for kids, even with bad turning you end up with something interesting.

I also bought them a welder, lapidary equipment, and assorted other tools. I'm a manager with executive hands; I have no use for these tools, but as toys they are a lot more worthwhile that all the video games we could ever buy. They are very bright kids, I expect that they will grow up to be professionals, I doubt that they will ever make a living with these kind of tools, but they are learning to use honest, skilled tools and spending time experiencing what they can do with their own hands. That is more than worth the cost of the tools.

You are doing the right thing with your nephews. They will grow old with good menories and useful skills.
 
Gerry,
As a bona fide desk jockey, I encounter LOTS of "professionals" who can't repair a simple plumbing leak or electrical failure.

ENCOURAGE your kids to round out their education with knowledge of MANY hand-skills. It will save them on household repairs.

AND, if they learn turning skills (or other "useless stuff"), it could result in THOUSANDS of dollars saved. The "professionals" frequently talk about their THERAPISTS!!!!! My lathe has been my therapist since I decided alcohol wasn't doing the trick. CHEAP therapy AND craft income - now there's a thought!!!

Good work, dad, keep it up!!![:D][:D][:D]

(Yes, my son is 31 and CAN turn - hasn't found the need to, yet. But, NO, he does NOT have a therapist!!)[:D][:D][:D]
 
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