| Project by helluvawreck | posted 1031 days ago | 1757 views | 0 times favorited | 8 comments |  |
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I’m probably breaking the rules because I didn’t make this bat. My son Charlie made this bat when he was 12. About two weeks before he made this bat we had bought a Powematic lathe at an auction and I hooked it up and played around with it a few hours. The last time that I had used a lathe was in high school. About a week or so later my son Charlie came to the plant and I spent an hour or two showing him how to use the lathe. I turned him a couple of bats because it seemed to be a simple thing to choose to show him how the lathe worked. When he was ready to try it himself I let him take over and he pretty much had the hang of it right off the bat (know pun intended). I was a little nervous and was concerned that he might get hurt but he was pretty good about such things and had a lot of common sense. Before the day was over he had made quite a few bats. This is the only one that I have left. It was his first one. When my brother watched him turn that day my brother told Charlie that he believed that he had found his calling. We lost Charlie a couple of years later. If Charlie were alive today I really do believe that he would be a Lumberjock himself. I know that he would be a good woodworker.
-- If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. Henry David Thoreau
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8 comments so far
Delta356
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450 posts in 1052 days
#1 posted 1031 days ago
That is not just a bat, but a solid memerior of that day. That is great looking bat.
I’m sorry to hear of your loss.
Thanks for the post.
Thanks, Michael Frey
Portland, OR
FERY WOODWORKING INC.
DaleM
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813 posts in 1582 days
#2 posted 1030 days ago
I’m very sorry about you losing Charlie so early in life. It looks like the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree though, because he definitely had your skill. That’s a great project from someone so young. Thanks for sharing the project and part of your life with us.
-- Dale Manning, Carthage, NY
rivergirl
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3197 posts in 1036 days
#3 posted 973 days ago
This story is so terribly touching. No wonder you treasure that bat. Aren’t you glad that you spent that time with Charlie? We too often take for granted the little moments in life that are the most precious. I see that you didn’t. A good example for all of us to follow.
-- Homer : "Oh, and how is education supposed to make me feel smarter? Besides, every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain."
helluvawreck
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10924 posts in 1064 days
#4 posted 973 days ago
rivergirl and all, thanks so much for the kind words. Charlie passed away 12 years ago last February and would have been 26 years old now if he had lived. Although my wife and I will never get over the loss we have learned to live with it. There is a great big empty spot inside of us that will never go away and occasionally it flairs up into a lot of pain. However, the Lord has a way of putting scar tissue over an empty place like this and allows us to find strength in what remains behind. We both know that we will see Charlie once again on the other side where all tears will have been wiped away.
-- If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. Henry David Thoreau
Jiri Parkman
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947 posts in 2010 days
#5 posted 910 days ago
Very sad post. Even if my english would be better I would hardly be able to find the right words to write now.
I think, Rivergirl wrote it.
-- Jiri
mafe
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8084 posts in 1287 days
#6 posted 613 days ago
I have a sad but warm smile in my heart, sorry to read this, I did not see this post before, it puts things in perspective. Yes you were lucky and so were Charlie in that beautiful moment.
All my best thoughts,
Mads
-- Mad F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect. Democraticwoodworking.
robbiethewood
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118 posts in 442 days
#7 posted 433 days ago
I’m sorry to hear of your loss. thanks for sharing this family heirloom whith us
-- http://robbipowerwoodturner.blogspot.com/
helluvawreck
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10924 posts in 1064 days
#8 posted 363 days ago
Thanks, Mads and Robbie. Sorry I missed your posts.
helluvawreck
https://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com
-- If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. Henry David Thoreau
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