Overcoming intimidation

During a sabbatical to our Central Florida home over the holidays, I had the occasion to show some of my wood turning projects to the local community. I had a series of pens styles, several of my kaleidoscopes, and many styles of bottle toppers there, and had taken my Jet mini lathe with me for the trip so that I could work on some tool handles during the vacation.

The general consensus was that people were amazed that these types of projects could be turned out without massive amounts of heavy machinery and long periods of crafting. I had sold a good number of the pens and pen/pencil sets when it occurred to me that people might like the opportunity to create their own pen and that would give me a chance to practice my teaching methods with a different demographic. Having instructed a number of young people at the various turning events, I was prepared to discuss the safety issues, to begin the rough turning of the blank into a cylinder, and then back off to just verbally guide the new turner through the process of shaping the stock to the appropriate bushing diameters. With an older group, those of 4 to 6 decades or so, the attentiveness was terrific. Everyone was listening with great interest and observation, but unlike the kids, who couldn't wait to get the tool to the wood, as soon as the lathe spun up to speed the "student" backed away. The comments ranged from "Oh no, I couldn't ever do that." to others saying simply that I would better finish it for them while they observed. One gentleman who I know has building experience was so unsure of himself that his eagerness for a special pen of his very own was abandoned completely in favor of one that had already been made to stock.

I did, with a fair amount of cajoling and peer pressure, get a few of these fellow residents and house guests to actually turn themselves a fine pens, right through the finishing and assembly process with very fine results. Almost every one of the pens that they did turn though followed a straight line design style that followed the instructional example supplied with the component kit. Try as I might to suggest that they could do any shape that they wished, while still holding to the final bushing diameters, they formed the most traditional of contours. The wild creativity that still lived in the youth, giving forth designs that were bold and busy with questionable writing comfort, was lost somewhere with the parents and grandparents.

Those that were willing to step up to the task and sculpt the gem from the rough stock went away with much more than a pen, they had a story to tell to everyone that would amire their new possession, and it is my hope that they have also gone away with a feeling that there is one more thing that they can do.

Intimidation, rightly so, prevents us from jumping off from bridges, but alas it also prevents us from doing many of the things that we just observe from a distance. Knowing which of those fears to set aside may be the real trick, but I know a handful of people now that will have a great deal of pride in something that they created themselves in just an hours effort. The pens will mean so much more to them, and the experience of assisting them has given added meaning to me as well.

When a chance to try something new comes along, I hope that I can overcome my own reluctance as I have tried to help others do.

Ralph