Thread: Inspiration

Originally Posted by Elill

Also, make it competitive. Get them to do some joints and then stress them - whoever makes the strongest wins, that sort of stuff

And again.

Originally Posted by Ticky

....so us boys had to do cooking.

I can't tell you how much I hated that course. there would not have been a single thing the teacher could have done to make me enjoy it. My point is,... do the kids want to learn it?

I would have love my kids to come out in the shed with me, but I have 1 son in IT, another is an Avionics Tech in the airforce & my Daughter is currently doing woodwork at school & she hates it.

Lets face it, working with ones hands is not for everybody, ....

I had lots of subjects like this at school.

Originally Posted by Fricasseekid

.... I found is that you can teach anyone the rules and steps of "how to", but you cannot teach passion for craftsmanship. This is something your born with. ...

Originally Posted by Fricasseekid

...I found what motivates me the most is that Ah Hah moment when I take a beautiful piece of maple or sepele and apply oil for the first time. It is in that instant that the true beauty of what I'm doing is revealed. You could perhaps snag a few with a good finishing demo.

Worth a try but you need a nice piece of timber to do it in the first place.

How easily we forget. I have been involved with timber for over 40years. Trade, milling, construction, marketing and furniture making. From these experiances I can honestly say that the most inspirational teacher was in my first year as an apprentice. I often still recall his word for word instruction on many different techniques. One of his favourite weapons was a bit of reverse phsycology. Dangerous ground but, like all strong medicine, can be very effective when used wisely. Admittedly, teaching apprentices is somewhat different from school and I dont envy you your task. One common denominator for 1st year apprentices and school students is attitude. Be it good or bad, it is there and can be used. Over the years, I have found apprentices starting out with a bad attitude are often very vunerable and insecure and their attitude is a defence mechanism.
Inspiration is the product of passion and passion is contagious, so help spread the desease.

some great ideas.
Now I have to rethink my approach.

Thank you all for your great input.

I the contagious part rusty.

Originally Posted by Cliff Rogers

Worth a try but you need a nice piece of timber to do it in the first place.

Yeah I thought of this after I posted. It's not like a burl slab is gonna fall in your lap tomorrow.

The team up and compete idea sounds like loads of fun. Make sure each team has at least one student that excels and one student that lacks. That way the average team performance is even.

I have watched this thread with interest to see what ideas would come and inspiratonal suggestions.

Steve there are many Australian's whom inspire such as Undie and his carving, Claw Hammer and his magnifiecent tables, turnings and arty stuff. Would Wood and his restorational and historical remakes, and his enormouse spindle turning, the various box makers, pen makers toy makers off this forum.

Then the Aussie tool makers of Chris Vesper, Colen Clenton & H.N.T Gordon
Many of the above have their own sites which can be viewed or those of us who have many WiP posts on the forum wiling to show our mistakes, failures and success.

The Sturt School, Niel Scobbie, Richard Raffan, Mike Darlow, Peter Calabria.

The locals in Cowra Cowra Mens Shed needs funds for expansion - Local News - News - General - Cowra Guardian

Then there is yourself a vast knowledge gained in running your own business, handing novices and experts alike.

Country kids have a unique life where they may have had access to tools since a very younge age and at this age may have responsibilities outside the normal city kids with large machines etc. Others maybe transient and realise makingbig projects will only hinder the moving process let alone storage.

Wood work covers such a vast landscape, maybe local Agfest visit or regional one often demonstrations, some where I saw on browsing the net Ipod wood holders, PC cases made from wood not metal.

Steve forgot the kids would all have to become members these days no longer can they just browes the pics.

Originally Posted by Lumber Bunker

some great ideas.
Now I have to rethink my approach.

Thank you all for your great input.

I the contagious part rusty.

Some years ago I and my business partner, where involved in a program for Soon To Be Released young fellas from the Juvenile Prison system. We were running a construction company at the time and had been approached to take on a couple of these young blokes at a time, for work experiance prior to their release. Talk about attitude! One young bloke never said a word to either of us until the last day of his stint. He walked up,I reached out to shake his hand but he kept coming, threw his arms round my neck and kissed me on the forehead! His only words were, "Thanks, your ok." He has since gone on to become a builder and now mentors kids himself and all I did was show him a bit of passion for wood. It was a very humbling experience.

Originally Posted by rustynail

Some years ago I and my business partner, where involved in a program for Soon To Be Released young fellas from the Juvenile Prison system. We were running a construction company at the time and had been approached to take on a couple of these young blokes at a time, for work experiance prior to their release. Talk about attitude! One young bloke never said a word to either of us until the last day of his stint. He walked up,I reached out to shake his hand but he kept coming, threw his arms round my neck and kissed me on the forehead! His only words were, "Thanks, your ok." He has since gone on to become a builder and now mentors kids himself and all I did was show him a bit of passion for wood. It was a very humbling experience.

Well done.

Originally Posted by rustynail

Some years ago I and my business partner, where involved in a program for Soon To Be Released young fellas from the Juvenile Prison system. We were running a construction company at the time and had been approached to take on a couple of these young blokes at a time, for work experiance prior to their release. Talk about attitude! One young bloke never said a word to either of us until the last day of his stint. He walked up,I reached out to shake his hand but he kept coming, threw his arms round my neck and kissed me on the forehead! His only words were, "Thanks, your ok." He has since gone on to become a builder and now mentors kids himself and all I did was show him a bit of passion for wood. It was a very humbling experience.

Nah, He worked out how to get paid lots of money for doing little work. How to do a quote win a job. Leave a toolbox at site for 8 weeks before starting and then charge for the extra's to double the job price.

Fly I think you have been watching too much A current affair.
Regards

Originally Posted by _fly_

Nah, He worked out how to get paid lots of money for doing little work. How to do a quote win a job. Leave a toolbox at site for 8 weeks before starting and then charge for the extra's to double the job price.

Oh, I see, silly me.
I think you will find there are builders and then there are builders.
If you want to make money in the construction game, I can assure you your recipe wont cut it. But he must be doing something right, he's plenty busy and in the current ecconomic climate there are a lot who aren't.

Originally Posted by _fly_

Nah, He worked out how to get paid lots of money for doing little work. How to do a quote win a job. Leave a toolbox at site for 8 weeks before starting and then charge for the extra's to double the job price.

Isnt that an I.T. Cv?