Diana and I do demo stuff at the Conner Prairie living history museum each fall at their "Country Fair" weekend event. It is next weekend but I have put little thought into it this year. The horse boarding business has monopolized my time this summer especially with the current drought and trying to keep ahead on available pastures.
In the past I took a number of old tractors and different machinery up there and have done things like shelling corn with an old tractor sheller and sawing firewood with a tractor flat belt driven buzz-saw. From the beginning we have sat up a low bench and attached an old hand crank sheller which is mounted to an old wooden box. We allow each youngster (and a few adults especially international travelers) to shell an ear of corn. They get to keep the cob if they like and the kids usually want to. Such activities require extremely close supervision...
I try to keep coming up with new or replacement ideas to keep things fresh. I have done such things as set up 2 sets of tripod pole frames and mounting two different block and tackle system from them and let the kids pull the rope to lift identical weights so they can see and feel how such systems work. Discussions often involved how these things were used both on the farm and in other applications such as sail boat rigging. One year I had a small tractor sitting there and used a jack-stand as a fulcrum for a big prybar to show how a heavy load could be lifted easily by a proper lever. Another demo involved rolling a heavy cast iron wheel easily up a ramp to show how an inclined plane can make a job easier. All of these things usually involved a good bit of discussion both with the kids and with their parents.
More recently one of the favorite hands-on activities for the kids has been nail driving. It is amazing how many kids (and adults) have never actually driven a nail. We use a piece of a beam on low supports so it is low enough that the kids can drive a nail or two while on their knees on a rubber mat. The piece of beam comes home very heavy. We usually have 3 or 4 hammers going continuously all day both days. For safety we start all of the nails well so they can't flip out.
We have also had a yellow poplar board mounted in two B&D Workmates and allowed the kids (under supervision) to plane it with a couple of smooth planes ands a couple of spoke shaves. One activity that was very popular was boring holes in a board with a brace and auger bit. That is the most scary one and I will either provide plexi-glass shielding or discontinue it. You can get cut on a plane but not so deep. It just requires too much supervision. Kids don't have any idea of the risk and many of their parents don't have any idea period.
This year since I need a batch of gates I am thinking about setting up a gate making station as part of the display and I would be standing there making simple wooden gates much of the time mostly using fairly simple hand tools.
I am always looking for new ideas and I thought I would mention it here hoping that something might pop up that I could use.
Looking for ideas
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- robinson46176
- Platinum Member
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- Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:00 pm
- Location: Central Indiana (Shelbyville)
Looking for ideas
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farmer
Francis Robinson
I did not equip with Shopsmiths in spite of the setups but because of them.
1 1988 - Mark V 510 (bought new), 4 Poly vee 1 1/8th HP Mark V's, Mark VII, 1 Mark V Mini, 1 Frankensmith, 1 10-ER, 1 Mark V Push-me-Pull-me Drillpress, SS bandsaw, belt sander, jointer, jigsaw, shaper attach, mortising attach, TS-3650 Rigid tablesaw, RAS, 6" long bed jointer, Foley/Belsaw Planer/molder/ripsaw, 1" sander, oscillating spindle/belt sander, Scroll saw, Woodmizer sawmill
farmer
Francis Robinson
I did not equip with Shopsmiths in spite of the setups but because of them.
1 1988 - Mark V 510 (bought new), 4 Poly vee 1 1/8th HP Mark V's, Mark VII, 1 Mark V Mini, 1 Frankensmith, 1 10-ER, 1 Mark V Push-me-Pull-me Drillpress, SS bandsaw, belt sander, jointer, jigsaw, shaper attach, mortising attach, TS-3650 Rigid tablesaw, RAS, 6" long bed jointer, Foley/Belsaw Planer/molder/ripsaw, 1" sander, oscillating spindle/belt sander, Scroll saw, Woodmizer sawmill
- derekdarling
- Gold Member
- Posts: 318
- Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 2:53 pm
- Location: Surrey, BC
Things to show
Make a treadle lathe, that'll amaze anyone! Check this: 'http://www.vintageprojects.com/machine- ... readle.pdf'
or google 'treadle lathe' for alternatives.
Another alternative is a pole lathe: 'http://www.mark-ju.net/videos/lathe.wmv' for a movie of this one: 'http://www.mark-ju.net/more/lathe/how_to_build.htm' in action. Many early windsor chair spindles were made in the forests (near 'Windsor' castle) by 'bodgers' using this type of lathe, way before powered tools.
or google 'treadle lathe' for alternatives.
Another alternative is a pole lathe: 'http://www.mark-ju.net/videos/lathe.wmv' for a movie of this one: 'http://www.mark-ju.net/more/lathe/how_to_build.htm' in action. Many early windsor chair spindles were made in the forests (near 'Windsor' castle) by 'bodgers' using this type of lathe, way before powered tools.
Derek Darling
Surrey, B.C. Canada
10ERs, other stuff, you know.
Surrey, B.C. Canada
10ERs, other stuff, you know.
- Ed in Tampa
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 5832
- Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:45 am
- Location: North Tampa Bay area Florida
Don't forget to repeat your projects every few years. You have new generations coming on board all the time.
The two and three year olds that were too small to drive nails 2 or 3 years ago are probably willing and anxious to give it a try this year.
Also the ones that were too small to try the block and tackle will one day grow enough to enjoy gving it a try.
The two and three year olds that were too small to drive nails 2 or 3 years ago are probably willing and anxious to give it a try this year.
Also the ones that were too small to try the block and tackle will one day grow enough to enjoy gving it a try.
Ed in Tampa
Stay out of trouble!
Stay out of trouble!
Get a hold of an old Yankee twist drill (push-push). My Dad used to let me drill holes in everything with that thing, and I still have one. They're pretty easy to use and safe too. Then the kids can hammer an appropriately sized nail thru the holes and join board simply enough.
Here's one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ANTIQUE-YANKEE-No41 ... 27b4d1f74f
And another:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Yankee-Push-Drill-a ... 3a5e6fcf23
Here's one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ANTIQUE-YANKEE-No41 ... 27b4d1f74f
And another:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Yankee-Push-Drill-a ... 3a5e6fcf23
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- easterngray
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- Location: Cape Cod MA.