Showing off some young talent!

[dabar39]

I had the pleasure of watching my great nephew for the day, yes I'm that old to have a great nephew. Anyways, he was wanting to make something for his mom and kept bugging me to make something. He wanted to make a heart out of some sheet steel I had laying around.

I told him to take and practice making hearts on a piece of paper til he got one that he liked. Once he did that we cut it out and let him trace it onto the sheet metal. I showed him how to cut with the plasma cutter on some scrap and he was able to make some pretty good cuts. I watched as he cut out the heart shape, I did the grinding and clean up of the heart. I showed him how to use my ring roller and he made a pretty good stand for his heart. I showed him how to run some practice beads on scrap then showed him how to tack the pieces and then weld them on some scrap. Once he did all of that I showed him how to spray paint with a rattle can. The following pictures were done by a six year old child. I helped only with the grinding and supervision of how to do it. All of the cutting, bending, welding, and painting was done by Justin. He is a natural born talent.

Oh, and did I mention he's pretty much confined to a wheelchair as he has a deformity in his hips that will probably require surgery (possible hip replacement) to correct.

[tacmig]

Kids were not in the cards for my wife and I so we have spoiled my nieces to just about well done! Nothing better than sharing time in any forum with the little ones. Amazing how our worlds stop for them and we do it without flinching every time. Great project! great kid and I'm sorry about his handicap but also happy it may only be temporary!

Well done,

TacMig

[dabar39]

thanks TacMig. Well I don't have any of my own either, so yeah the nieces and nephews get a lot of attention.

Here is one of his pieces of scrap he cut while learning how to plasma cut. I wrote his name in script and he made the cuts.

[willy]

Too bad there arent more people in the world like you
I think the good man upstairs is holding a special spot for you.....

[Jetmekdc-10]

That is great, It's fun to see kids get interested in things other than a playstation. My 8 year-old boy is always out in my shop with me. I have been teaching him how to use basic hand tools. He keeps taking his bike apart. A few months ago at supper he asked me to teach him how to weld. I almost choked up. I looked at my wife and got that " Don't even think about it" look from her. What she does'nt know won't hurt her. I told my boy that I'm still trying to figure how to weld and when I do he'll be the first to know,then gave him a wink. Kids are great.

[kcstott]

That reminds me of my dad sticking an oxyacetylene torch in my had at the ripe old age of seven. he did auto body wrk on the side back when the local code enforcement and EPA did care if you used the good paint right in your driveway.
Well all that body work I had to fill in the holes from the dent puller.
The old man built some good qualities into me I do things the way I do today because of him and what he showed me.
I'll be doing the same with my daughter if she wants to learn.

[tacmig]

thanks TacMig. Well I don't have any of my own either, so yeah the nieces and nephews get a lot of attention.

Here is one of his pieces of scrap he cut while learning how to plasma cut. I wrote his name in script and he made the cuts.

That little fart anyway. What's bad about this is 2 fold: 1) His handwriting is much better than mine and 2) If his hand writing is better using plasma than mine, can you just imagine how bad my plasma cutting is. He's a natural.

TacMig

[SundownIII]

Dave,

Awesome story. Thanks for sharing.

Kid has talent. Fortunate to have an uncle who cares.

Brought back old memories. My uncle, who'd been a hard hat diver/welder in the navy in WWII taught me to weld. Many of those lessons I've retained to this day. He always seemed to be a little more patient than my dad. Guess that's cause I wasn't around him 24/7.

Kids at that age soak up knowledge like a sponge. He's lucky to have you as an uncle and instructor.

[aametalmaster]

Thats great Dave. My daughter had hip surgery for a displaced hip when she was young....Bob

[john p]

My name is John P. I live in the cold country of Canada.Always looking for projects for my son an I.Very nice job,got my mind in gear.Need more people like you to step up to the plate,show them how to work with their hands & minds.Hard work and thinking never hurt no one.Work safe .Look sharp , be sharp,but don`t get cut .