Successful Scroll Sawing with the Boys

[DRugerH]

Good morning all.   As I mentioned in my introduction a couple of weeks ago when I joined up, I have been purchasing a bunch of scroll saws for a boys club at my church to teach the boys some wood working and so they can make some ornaments.  I told them that we would be doing this back in October, and there has been a lot of excitement and anticipation ever since.  I also got a couple of gents from the church, who are also woodworkers, to help out on the nights we are going to use them as I wanted one adult per saw. 

On Wednesday, December 1st, we had our first workshop.  As I was bringing the saws in from my truck, the boys excitement and anticipation turned into nervousness and hesitation.  One little guy of 6-years-old looked down at the floor with a disappointed look in his face and asked me how old someone would have to be to use one of those saws.  I told him I've seen boys as young as 4-years-old use them, so he is more than old enough to operate one. 

Well, after the guys were setting up the saws, and the boys and I were doing our pledges and oaths, I walked them into the room that we converted into a scroll saw workshop.  I gave the boys my safety speech, handed out the safety glasses, and proceeded to explain all the things that would warrant us shutting off the saws and asking them to sit down away from the saw (screwing around, not watching where they are cutting, etc.).  Once I was done with that, I demonstrated how to use a scroll saw with a practice template.  Straight line, zig-zag and wavy line.  After they boys felt that they got the concept, I had each boy grab an adult and a saw, and I passed out the practice boards and asked them to do the same thing I did.  I'm telling you, if I didn't have 6-saws running at one time, you could have heard a pin drop.  The boys were 100% focused on the saws.  I saw the nervousness and hesitation slowly melt away and replaced with sheer enjoyment and amazement at their new found ability. 

After they started getting comfortable with the saws, I had them pick out the ornaments they wanted to make. I had prepared the pieces ahead of time with painters tape, then gluing the ornament templates to the tape, and pre-drilling any holes that they may have needed.

The boys started cutting them out, and one by one, as they finished, the look of pride when they showed me what they did was so rewarding that it was worth spending well over my budget (I had $300 of my own cash set aside, and spent over $400).  They peeled the tape off of their now scrolled out ornament and painted them up.  They wanted to go back and make another one, but we had run out of time.  We are going to do this again on December 15th, so I assured them that they would probably have enough time to make two more ornaments, so they were very happy with that.

And, remember the 6-year-old I told you about?   Well, I have to say, that little guy totally MASTERED the scroll saw.  He chose a rather difficult Christmas Tree with multiple branches.  This little guy stayed on the line the ENTIRE TIME!  He had never even seen a scroll saw before Wednesday, let alone used one, and he had that little Wen scroll saw 100% under his control.  He never broke a blade, or anything like that.  For him, going from thinking he wasn't going to use a scroll saw to cranking out the best ornament of the evening was so rewarding for the both of us.

I am very proud of all those boys, ranging from 5-years-old to 11-years-old.  I still have a smile on my face from that night, and I am looking forward to the 15th as much as they are. 

Anyhow, I just wanted to share this with the community.  

Dan

[Scrappile]

Outstanding.. Hope you took some pictures,, I would love to see some.. I can't help but believe with a little pr and campaining,,, you would get Wen of some similar  company to donate s few saws... after all you are creating future customers for them and it would give them great publicity...  What a great feeling this must have given you.. Good for you...

[OCtoolguy]

I am not a "leader" but I sure would have loved to have been one of your helpers that night. I always wished I would have had a grandchild to teach what I know but it was not to be. Keep up the great job you are doing. We need to nurture the future craftspeople or nothing will ever get fixed. 

[timelett]

I wish I had been involved more with dad when he had his woodworking shop ,good for you and your helpers for donating your time and money.

[old sarge]

What a wonderful experience  for all the children (and adults!)!!

[don watson]

A well deserved result I think. You did very well setting this up. Congratulations.

take care and stay safe

[stoney]

Great news indeed.  Showing youngsters how to use their own hands to create a wooden project is to be congratulated and admired.  Thank you for your involvement in possibly helping create some of tomorrows craftsmen.  Also thank you for sharing a heart warming story. 

Edited December 7, 2021 by stoney

[daveww1]

that's a wonderful thing your doing with the children.

[barb.j.enders]

Awesome story.  Thanks for sharing both the story and your expertise.  Merry Christmas!

 

[meflick]

Glad to hear it went so well for all and that. You are helping train new scrollers.

[Jaguarguy]

Great thing to do - thank you!  When I was subbing at the elementary school I worked with a number of "difficult" kids.  I had a room where I brought several guitars and amps.  When kids were good I would allow them to play the guitars and show them some basic chords.  The look of achievement on their faces was well worth the effort.  There were several little guys that really took to it.  At the end of the year, after contacting their parents, I let them pick out a guitar and amp to keep - they were so happy!  The next fall I ran into one of them and asked if he was still playing it.  He told me that he was now writing his own music!!  You can never tell when something you do with kids will change their (and your) life!  Thanks again for taking time with the kids!

[MrsN]

Wonderful!!! 

I am a woodworking teacher, so have my own stories/memories of these times, but they are so great! I hope you enjoy the time you spend with them!

[Scrappile]

35 minutes ago, MrsN said:

Wonderful!!! 

I am a woodworking teacher, so have my own stories/memories of these times, but they are so great! I hope you enjoy the time you spend with them!

One of my most remembered teachers was my wood working teacher... Everytime I get to enjoy the hobby, I think of him.  I am sure there are many students that have the same thoughts about you.... I think doing away with "Shop" classes is a great disservice to the young kids of today...

[OCtoolguy]

45 minutes ago, Scrappile said:

One of my most remembered teachers was my wood working teacher... Everytime I get to enjoy the hobby, I think of him.  I am sure there are many students that have the same thoughts about you.... I think doing away with "Shop" classes is a great disservice to the young kids of today...

I agree Paul. My woodshop teacher was a great man by the name of Jack Cohen. He's about the only teacher that I can remember. I can still see him standing up on top of one of the woodbenches and demonstrating how to use a router. 
When they discontinued shop classes they stopped many people from entering into the trades and now we have a shortage of people who know how to fix stuff. I'd love to see Trade Schools make a come back. Of course, they'll have to hire people like us to teach them how to teach the kids.

 

[Norm Fengstad]

Dan thanks for sharing this. I think it is a great outreach to children and scroll saws are probably the safest wood working tool that gives great results.

[DRugerH]

Thanks all.  I'm certainly not looking for praise, but just wanted to share this experience that I had with the boys, and I just thought you would all appreciate it.  I had told my mom about this (she lives with me now that she was not able to take care of her home any longer) and earlier this evening, she decided that she wanted to try her hand at scroll sawing.  I did the same for her that I did for the boys, except she got to use my Hawk G2.  I gave her the same practice board and then she made a star.  She was quite proud of herself as well.  Something tells me she wants her own now.  I'll be looking for a Delta 40-540 as it's built similar to the Hawk, but smaller and more cast iron for less vibration.  One of my saws is a Delta 40-550, I think, the 2-speed version, and that was the best out of all the 16" saws I used for the boys.  That one will stay with them, so my hunt begins.

Again, thanks all. 

Dan

[OCtoolguy]

Well, you deserve the praise. You are doing a good thing and your Mother proves that you are never too old to learn something new. Scrolling is a hobby for all ages and the quality of the new saws just makes learning that much easier.

After doing a quick search to see what the Delta saw looks like, it seems there are a ton of them on the used market and at very reasonable prices. You should have no problem finding a good saw for Mom.

Edited December 8, 2021 by OCtoolguy