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My son's Cub Scout den (about 6 or so) 8 year olds will be coming over to my shop to be exposed to the world of luthiery. I've found the key to keeping these guys interested is to involve them in an activity - yet, at that age clearly I won't have them resawing back and side sets with my bandsaw...

Do any of you have experience in a presentation to that age group on building guitars? Can you share some thoughts on what might keep them engaged, yet be appropriate in terms of their level of capabilities, and safety?

I was thinking perhaps of a highly supervised (one kid at a time) bending demonstration, with adults also having hands on (they'll certainly be captivated by the torch, etc.) and perhaps a session of gluing some braces on a top that I need to close. Could also have them look through some bookmatched sets that I have, explain resawing (without demopnstration) and see if they can match up the tops with their mates.

Thoughts?

Corky,
I have had kids come visit my shop and I have set them up with a hand plane (usually a wood one) and a nice piece of pine and show them how to make shavings. Usually you have to drag them away from it. They make huge piles of shavings and reduce the board to nothing They love it. There has to be a bit of supervision of course. A soft floor for dropped planes and respect for the blade. The good thing is the worst that could happen safety wise would be a small nick cut. Another reason for a tight mouth opening and a thin shaving.
The board is 1" wide so it isn't hard to pull a shaving.
Kids that age love hands on and get bored with too much explanation. You get a big presentation set up for them and they end up playing in the sawdust. It is like the old cliche of the kid who gets this fancy present and ends up playing with the box.
L.

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never underestimate a young mind. They pick things up faster than one may think. Have some good visually stimulating displays then allow them to ask questions . You may be surprised.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
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I have been doing demos of the electric guitar and the uke weekly in my shop classes. My students are a bit older, 10-12 mostly. I did a bending demo with a blanket, that was exciting to them, but they were figety during some of it. You should get some good attention, in a new place they will likely act conservatively.

Start them out with a good short into, then quickly get into something with a short activity, I would set up for them to try some scary sharp tools, they will enjoy using a hand plane, a chisel and maybe a pull saw. They will want to keep the plane shavings, which is good, it is soft, quiet and will keep their hands busy while you demo some bending. If you let them bend some small sticks on the pipe they will enjoy that. Perhaps your project could be a basic little bent wood shaker box.

They will enjoy a resaw demo if it does not last too long, loud and dangerous is cool. Hand out some foam ear plugs. They will also enjoy playing with some calipers, measure some hairs and paper. A cool demo with nylon strings, measure it loose and as you tighten it see how it thins out.

What ever you demonstrate, try to get everything ready, if you have too many times walking across the shop for little things they will take that time to do little things that you don't want.
Rob

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It's been years, but I helped my mother with a little project for Vacation Bible School way back in the day.

I found some leftover pine boards about 3 inches wide, and sawed them up about 10 inches long. Added a screw on one end for a tailpiece, and a tuning pin from a dulcimer on the other end. Had some little scraps for bridges, used nylon fishing line for a string. I pre-drilled the holes for the screws and tuning pins beforehand.

They made one stringed musical instruments in an afternoon with screwdrivers and a small hammer. Some of them got pretty good at simple tunes... sounded like a rubber band orchestra.

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I don't want to put the Kabosh on your idea, but in every group of kids, there is usually one who likes to smash stuff.
Just saying...

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Speaking from years of experience with scouting for the cubs keep it simple and brief. Anything to engage them is fascinating, but recommend keeping an observant adult nearby for each scout for any activity. As mentioned, anything they can work on and take home is treasured by them, even if a piece of shaved pinewood. I did a brief talk/demonstration for my scouts while a scoutmaster on guitar construction. All of them wanted to build a guitar at the start, but when I finished only one wanted to yet. He received the side we bent during the demonstration--the smile on his face while explaining to his dad afterwards the process was more than worth the effort

On a similar note a possible avenue to encourage woodworking skills with the cub scouts is to offer a use of tools you have to assist with their pinewood derby cars. We found several parents (particularly single) that really appreciated any/all assistance from the woodworkers in the pack. Made for a much more competitive race and happier scouts/parents!

That sounds like a great idea ! I bet the kids would love that.
L.

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

All great suggestions...thanks for all your help!

If you have lock outs on any machines, use them. I had a guy over with this old mando he wanted to repair. He brought his three kids. We're talking for a while and my table saw comes alive seemingly on it's own. One of his kids wasn't bigger than the saw top and had found the switch. I'm not sure who crapped themselves more, me or the kid. Make sure you have enough guards posted.

Good Luck,
Danny

Absolutely agreed on pulling the plug on anything dangerous. Put away edge tools too. Dropping a chisel on a toe could be very serious.

I gave a presentation to some elementary schoolers once. A mistake I made was letting them pass around a neck during my talk. Completely took their attention off me and onto the thing they could touch. If you're going to have a see and touch, do it at the end of the talk.
I had a finished guitar, and all the major parts that go into it on a table in front of me. I held up the bent sides to the finished guitar, then the top, etc to show what the parts looked like in their "raw" state. Don't get too technical, like how thick things are (hold up the part and say "about this thick") or try to explain "tap tone". Try to appeal to their sense of curiosity on how all the parts work together. Have fun with it. Kids are great.

-C

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Freeborn Guitars
and home of BeauGuard©

The first thing i say and insist on having repeated back to me before any young person comes in the shop is "Treat everything in this room as if it were dangerous. . . don't touch without asking first." It used to be just "Everything in this room is dangerous," but that always turned into a game of point out something that is not dangerous. . .

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Thanks! Great advice on safety - all saws being unplugged as we speak, and all chisels being put away. Great idea Chas - I like that suggestion.

After reviewing my earlier post,
In my mind, you have another as a chaperone, you are one on one with them while they use something dangerous (chisel, bending pipe), the chaperone is letting them take turns with a plane that is not so dangerous.

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