New Blood
I hear a lot of folks say that we have to bring in new blood if our craft is to survive. I couldn’t agree more. However, in my experience, new blood doesn’t necessarily mean young blood. I do believe we should introduce the youth to the world of wood turning at a youngish age for the same reason we plant fruit and nut trees. So there will be a harvest several years down the road. Yes we plant the seeds now for a harvest later.
Young folks raising a family have many other distractions and priorities competing for their time; soccer practice, dance lessons, football and band practice. Their careers often demand 70 to 80 hours each week. Moms are just as busy keeping up with the kids and the house and often their career too. Me time for younger adults can mean weekend golf or, in decent weather, spending time at the lake, or just trying to get a little rest.
I offer my opinion hear based on 11 years out on the show circuit and well over 100 club demonstrations plus I founded an extremely successful woodworking and woodturning club, The Gwinnett Woodworkers Association. I have encountered over 1,000,000 people in that time and that is the experience I am drawing from. In general terms, folks who are most likely to accept an invitation to a turning meeting and respond favorably making a decision to get a lathe and all the related tools and accessories are folks who are approaching retirement or are already retired. In other words, invite everyone to your club meetings and demonstrations, but expect the most success with the well-seasoned members.
Younger folks are very often interested in flat type woodworking because they can build things for the house and family such as bunk beds, book cases and coffee tables, or perhaps even a dining table for their growing family. Woodworking is an activity almost every homeowner will be involved in at some point largely due to the economics involved. They get around to turning later.
Think for a moment how the wood turning community would grow if each of us invited enough folks to our meetings and demonstrations so that 1 person each year decided to jump in and take up the hobby. You have attrition and burn-out to deal with, but if everyone did their part, we could double our community in 2 years. So, that is my challenge to you. Invite folks to every meeting you attend for the next 12 months. Next June take stock of those you have influenced and you will be surprised. I’m sure you understand that this is exactly the way we grow our churches too. Because wherever you go, there you are.
Here is my inspiration for this message.
Prov 22:6 NIV2
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
Matt 13:18 ESV
“Hear then the parable of the sower: (The whole parable can be found in Matt 13:18-23)
Matt 13:23 ESV
As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.
We have been invited to attend the AAW National Symposium in Kansas City, June 22-25, 2017. We can be found in the Easy Wood Tools booth and in the Trend Sharpening booth. We will have working samples of the Amazing Doughnut Chuck™ and the Amazing Off-Center Chuck™ for you to examine along with limited inventory for immediate sale on a first come first served basis.
See you in Kansas City!
Notice
Friends: Please be advised that all orders received after June 16, 2017 will not be shipped until the week of June 26th, 2017. We sincerely appreciate your patronage and thank you for it. The American Association Of Woodturners is having their nationwide annual symposium in Kansas City June 22-25th, 2017 and we will participate for the 7th year in a row. We will still answer emails, but the phones will not be answered during this time. Thanks for your understanding, Ron & Sweet Janice Brown
Wyoming Woodturner
And
Amazing Off-Center Chuck™ Video
My good friend The Wyoming Woodturner, Sam Angelo, published another project video on YouTube this week. He turned a plate and used my Amazing Off-Center Chuck™. Although it isn't a "Tool Review" you will get a pretty good idea of how to use this new product.
More info about the Amazing Off-Center Chuck™ HERE
New Download - Should You Turn Pro?"
Including Bottle Stopper Designs - 50 Plus classic designs. Free PDF.
Amazing Doughnut Chuck™ Instructions
ProGrind Instructions
We have bundled several of the most popular documents into one downloadable zip file for your convenience. Still no charge.
