Bow making with 8 year olds

footfootfoot · 01-21-2012, 08:50 PM

I started a thread in another forum. It's pretty cool. Just to save time I'll put the link here if you want to follow the progress. You can comment here or join the other forum. It's a specific forum as opposed to a general one.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/i...c,29980.0.html

Griff · 01-21-2012, 09:53 PM

Another dangerous site sir.

footfootfoot · 01-21-2012, 10:05 PM

sorry.

xoxoxoBruce · 01-21-2012, 11:57 PM

You've got guts taking on that quest. Kudos.

BigV · 01-22-2012, 01:14 AM

Have you thought of just playing with the wood and the tools? How much of a complete lesson from tree to table are you trying to give here? I had the most fun handing tools to my Dad as he did all the actual work on the car, and I've grown to have a love of working on cars, and some skill. Of course the real wild card in this scenario is the attention and devotion to the task of the kid. If they're having fun, or even just quiet enjoyment then I would say you're sharing success. What is the kid's expectation?

I think there's a real risk of having it turn out poorly and having the final product failure be the part that was remembered. I say this because a bow, a serious bow is hard to do very well. It may be reasonably easy to make a functional arrow flinger... What level of craftsmanship are you seeking? I have seen lots of whittling and noodling around with knives and sticks, and the pleasure of working like this is long lasting. But no serious project was created, not by one so young.

I think this is an awesome project, and I'd love to participate, maybe I can just audit the class, and only come to the labs?

Good luck, please keep us posted.

footfootfoot · 01-22-2012, 09:19 AM

These are 8 year olds who asked me to teach them to make a bow. They don't watch TV or play video games, they are focused and motivated.

It's about the process and learning about the physics of bows, using tools, organizing a project, measuring, laying out lines, the history of bow making, and so on. Even if all they end up with is a gnarly stick that bends a little bit when they pull the string they will feel it is a success. They have vastly different metrics than us for success.

I'm going to do most of the heavy lifting and let them finish it up. You can sail the ship across the ocean but if you let them bring it into the harbor they feel like they are the captain. (Especially if they trip into the lifeboat)

Griff · 01-22-2012, 09:32 AM

I think its a great idea. Kids need to create and be comfortable with tools. One of my favorite teenagers got a full academic ride to study nano-tech. Brilliant academic kid and always had shop classes and crazy projects going on at home. kudos!

That forum could be the end of me though.

footfootfoot · 01-22-2012, 12:32 PM

Then don't click on these links either:
http://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl
http://www.arrowheadology.com/
http://www.paleotube.com/
http://forums.wcha.org/forum.php
http://nudebeaches.tumblr.com/

BigV · 01-22-2012, 03:19 PM

It sounds like you have the perfect disconnect between their goals and your goals. Really. *They* think they're making a war machine, or a hunting weapon or whatever their mental image of a bow is; *you* think this is a good vehicle to work with the kids, engage them in some fun time that will *whistles tunelessly, looking as innocent as could be* coincidentally be spent working with tools, learning how to plan, work, test, evaluate, re-work, etc. There's a name for this mismatch: kismet.

Go play. Have fun, they sure will.

wolf · 01-22-2012, 05:18 PM

One of them will put your eye out ....

footfootfoot · 01-22-2012, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigV

It sounds like you have the perfect disconnect between their goals and your goals. Really. *They* think they're making a war machine, or a hunting weapon or whatever their mental image of a bow is; *you* think this is a good vehicle to work with the kids, engage them in some fun time that will *whistles tunelessly, looking as innocent as could be* coincidentally be spent working with tools, learning how to plan, work, test, evaluate, re-work, etc. There's a name for this mismatch: kismet.

Go play. Have fun, they sure will.

I know all these kids, I'm well aware of what they think they'll get out of it. I've known most of them since they were born, 7/8 of them are girls, the boy is my son, he'll probably either add missiles to his bow or add missiles to his arrows.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolf

One of them will put your eye out ....

I had a vivid premonition of carnage just an hour ago.

monster · 01-22-2012, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

I know all these kids, I'm well aware of what they think they'll get out of it. I've known most of them since they were born, 7/8 of them are girls, the boy is my son, he'll probably either add missiles to his bow or add missiles to his arrows.

I had a vivid premonition of carnage just an hour ago.

learn to enjoy it, soon it'll be the only sight you'll have.....

01-21-2012, 08:50 PM	#1
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	Bow making with 8 year olds I started a thread in another forum. It's pretty cool. Just to save time I'll put the link here if you want to follow the progress. You can comment here or join the other forum. It's a specific forum as opposed to a general one. http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/i...c,29980.0.html __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

01-21-2012, 09:53 PM	#2
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Another dangerous site sir. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

01-21-2012, 10:05 PM	#3
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	sorry. __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

01-21-2012, 11:57 PM	#4
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	You've got guts taking on that quest. Kudos. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

01-22-2012, 01:14 AM	#5
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	Have you thought of just playing with the wood and the tools? How much of a complete lesson from tree to table are you trying to give here? I had the most fun handing tools to my Dad as he did all the actual work on the car, and I've grown to have a love of working on cars, and some skill. Of course the real wild card in this scenario is the attention and devotion to the task of the kid. If they're having fun, or even just quiet enjoyment then I would say you're sharing success. What is the kid's expectation? I think there's a real risk of having it turn out poorly and having the final product failure be the part that was remembered. I say this because a bow, a serious bow is hard to do very well. It may be reasonably easy to make a functional arrow flinger... What level of craftsmanship are you seeking? I have seen lots of whittling and noodling around with knives and sticks, and the pleasure of working like this is long lasting. But no serious project was created, not by one so young. I think this is an awesome project, and I'd love to participate, maybe I can just audit the class, and only come to the labs? Good luck, please keep us posted. __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

01-22-2012, 09:19 AM	#6
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	These are 8 year olds who asked me to teach them to make a bow. They don't watch TV or play video games, they are focused and motivated. It's about the process and learning about the physics of bows, using tools, organizing a project, measuring, laying out lines, the history of bow making, and so on. Even if all they end up with is a gnarly stick that bends a little bit when they pull the string they will feel it is a success. They have vastly different metrics than us for success. I'm going to do most of the heavy lifting and let them finish it up. You can sail the ship across the ocean but if you let them bring it into the harbor they feel like they are the captain. (Especially if they trip into the lifeboat) __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

01-22-2012, 09:32 AM	#7
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	I think its a great idea. Kids need to create and be comfortable with tools. One of my favorite teenagers got a full academic ride to study nano-tech. Brilliant academic kid and always had shop classes and crazy projects going on at home. kudos! That forum could be the end of me though. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

01-22-2012, 12:32 PM	#8
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	Then don't click on these links either: http://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl http://www.arrowheadology.com/ http://www.paleotube.com/ http://forums.wcha.org/forum.php http://nudebeaches.tumblr.com/ __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

01-22-2012, 03:19 PM	#9
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	It sounds like you have the perfect disconnect between their goals and your goals. Really. They think they're making a war machine, or a hunting weapon or whatever their mental image of a bow is; you think this is a good vehicle to work with the kids, engage them in some fun time that will whistles tunelessly, looking as innocent as could be coincidentally be spent working with tools, learning how to plan, work, test, evaluate, re-work, etc. There's a name for this mismatch: kismet. Go play. Have fun, they sure will. __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

01-22-2012, 05:18 PM	#10
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	One of them will put your eye out .... __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

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