Plans for Making A Wooden Hoola Hoop for a 7 Year Old Girl - By Rachel DeCou

Sounds easy enough to me… especially for someone who can make anything. And what are you gonna do, disappoint that poor child. Oh, skip the paint, and keep us posted

-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/

thanks Michael.

-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com

Don’t make it out of Walnut, if you are going to paint it.

I don’t want Debbie to have company in the painted Walnut corner.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

In deference to your daugther , go buy the kid a hoola hoop.

She has no idea how heavy these circles are when made from wood and she thinks her Daddy can do anything.

Sometimes you just have to go with the flow.

Cute story anyway.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

I expect to see a painted wooden hula hoop in the Projects section soon.

-- Life used to be soooo much simpler!!!!

Sounds like a great segmented turning project. You might even be able to sneak by Rachel without Step 2 if you use the right wood!

I does make a dad feel good to see what “superstars” they are to the little ones, doesn’t it???

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

I’m with Karson, don’t use Walnut if you are going to paint it.

and we all know you can do it… should be interesting to see.

-- ~ www.darrylmasterson.com ~ www.darrylmasterson.etsy.com ~ www.woodworkingdungeon.blogspot.com ~

That was hilarious. I think I had that same conversation yesterday.

-- Tony, Ohio

It’s these Papa Bear moments that you’ll cherish forever. I know that when I put on my Superman cape, failure is an option…but failure to try is not…

I’d try steam bending / laminating some thin strips of light pine, just overlap and keep winding around a 55 gallon drum till you get your thickness, then ratchet strap in shape till set.

Or… a roll of bailing twine can be purchased from a farm supply store pretty inexpensive, the fiber comes from plants so you’re still closer to wood than plastic…

Wind about a dozen or so loops around the drum, (or better yet a car tire inner tube so you can over inflate it later for shape and tension while drying), then start a couple hundred of winds around the loops to round it in like a compound bow string. Soak it with wood glue, shape it and let it dry…

Thanks for sharing,

Q

-- I don't make sawdust...I produce vast quantities of "Micro Mulch."

I like the laminated wood idea, but I’d think something light and something dark in layers, would be an awesome Hoola Hoop built by Daddy.

This post has made my night, thanks Mark.

-- Respect your shop tools and they will respect you - Ric

Priceless… I look forward to seeing her plans put into action. Thanks for sharing, Mark.

-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.

This is such a cool story Mark. I have two daughters but their shop time is over as they are 14 and 12 now. I am eager to see a DeCou hoola hoop!

-- "That Government is Best that Governs The Least."-Jefferson

Yeah, enjoy the shop time as long as you can!

-- If you think healthcare is expensive now, wait until it's free! PJ O'Rourke

From the famous line in the movie “Water Boy” You can do it.

-- Jerry Miller

You are all just great. Thanks for the comments.

I really didn’t plan on making the Hoola Hoop, but after reading all of your input, I’m actually thinking about it. You know, I’d have to make two of them though.

M

-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com

I woke up today and had to read this again. It is so precious what our children think we can do when they are still young and inexperienced. I think you should build these for them. They will treasure them for about two weeks then forget about them for twenty years, in twenty years you will pull them out of the old barn and the innocence and joy of childhood will come flooding back to your daughters, then these hoops will be priceless to them.

-- "That Government is Best that Governs The Least."-Jefferson

I think this is the most inspiring post I’ve read in a while.

My little one woke me up this morning, ” Wake up daddy, it’s early o’clock.”

Off to daycare, but I’m picking her up this afternoon. Do I spend the afternoon watching Sponge Bob Square Pants?, or do we build a Hula Hoop…

Mark, I hope Rachel doesn’t mind if we use her plans…

Q

-- I don't make sawdust...I produce vast quantities of "Micro Mulch."

Great story Mark,

It reminded me of my Granddaughter drawing a picture of a Teddy Bear when she was 6 years old. & asked me to do a carving of it.

She still has it, so I’ll have to take a picture of it to show here.

You committed yourself to making a Hoola Hoop when you posted this story.

We’ll keep riding you until it’s done.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

My goodness, you didn’t drop what you were doing and make the hoola-hoop?

-- Adrian ..... The 11th Commandment...."Thou Shalt Not Buy A Wobble Dado"

ok, you guys are starting to gang up on me. I did take some time yesterday to push her in the big swing I hung from the tree in the front yard. It’s one of those swings that has such long ropes that you have to have someone push you to ride in it. Doesn’t that count for something?

Earlier in the day I spent an hour and half fixing a broken John Deere tractor toy for my son. Had to make an axle repair requiring brass supports and small nickel-silver hand peened rivets. That put me in good shape with Riley for awhile. I think that is why Rachel was after something, and dreamed up the Hoop.

ha,

thanks for the love,
M

-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com

Hey Adrian: I’m still working on trying to live up to the other 10 commandments, and now you’ve added an 11th? I’ll never make it, so I guess I’ll need help…....

M

-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com

I was actually kidding… the thing will weigh about 10 pounds. Will it still hoola?

-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/

I don’t know Obi, might actually work better being heavy. An object in motion, stays in motion, momentum sort of thing. Too many years since my mechanical engineering classes to say without more thought.

Sounds like a good question for the Mythbuster guys on the Discovery Channel.

-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com

One of my favorite pictures of my oldest daughter is one of her helping me pour concrete. She was just 7 at the time and wanted to help. I knew she wasn’t strong enough but the run was short so I let her handle one end of the screed board and my wife caught it on film. She’s decked out in her jean, oversized ball cap and her mom’s leather work gloves. I love that picture. She is now 14 and started her freshmen year in highschool. Between all of her school activities and my schedule, one on one time with her is a precious commodity. She doesn’t have time to just pop into the shop to see what “daddy” is doing and she would rather I not hang out with her when her friends are around and she has figured out I can’t fix or make everything. The days of being a superhero don’t last very long. My advice – Make a hoolahoop!

-- Kip Hiebert

Thanks for sharing, Mark. I completely understand and appreciate this post: my daughter wants me to make her a guitar, and she has less cause to believe that I can make anything than your daughter does (from what I’ve seen, you CAN make anything).

I love Rachel’s process. It tells volumes about just how silly she thinks it is that you don’t have time for this project.

BTW: Step one might be acheived by riving, turning, and then steam bending a single piece of wood. Then you could join it using a scarf joint—keyed to prevent it coming apart. On paper, it sound almost as easy as your daughter’s plan ;) And once you’ve figured this out, you can tap the vast untapped market for wooden hoola hoops…

-- Rookster, (http://www.robertkarl.org/woodworkingblog/)

How about bending a long willow sapling, you figure out the joint.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Hi Mark;

I say buy a plastic one and paint it. Who’s to know?

When my son was about that age he wanted a model backhoe.

It took two days to complete.

I’ll post the pictures latter.

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

The Super hero must meet the challenge!!

follow the steps specifically so she can say that she designed it. And definitely paint it – even if it’s walnut :D :D :D
(misery loves company)

Looking forward to the completed task.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

If you haven’t seen it yet, Quixote has added a project showing his Hoola Hoop. He put me over the edge, and now I’ve gotta do one also. I linked his project above in the Addendum to my blog above.

I also added a list of Hoola Hoop builders to my blog posting above. I hope to add a bunch of names to the list.

thanks,
M

-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com

you better get working on this Mark.
what if Quixote’s daughter starts up a chat with Rachel… uh oh.. I can just hear the “you did what? And I’m still waiting?” :)

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Ms Debbie, It’s worse than that.

I arrived at the pre school today… I was mobbed by three year olds who want to see the “woody hoop”, and when will I be building one for them too?

She’s talking to everyone, so Rachel can’t be that far away…

I’m rethinking the build process to make it a kid friendly project. More thoughts later.

Q

-- I don't make sawdust...I produce vast quantities of "Micro Mulch."

I like that name: “Woodie-Hoop”

Shouldn’t be any trademark infringements with that one.

M

-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com

I’m loving this project. I’ve seen lots of ideas in the last couple of days that I’ve thought about doing with my boys that are 10 and 11 but I hadn’t thought about looking for projects to do with my 4 year old daughter. This looks like a lot of fun. Thanks for posting it.

I’ve got a file in my office where I put things my kids have drawn that I want to keep. You need to hold on to that set of directions until your daughter has kids of her own so you can show it to them as you take them into the shop to build them their own woodie-hoops!

-- Daddy always said, "Try not to bleed on the wood."