snip

I don't know where woodturning is going, but I am thinking that it
will be its own undoing as far as enthusiasm goes. 25 year old guys
don't want to sit in a room full of 70 year old guys that have
absolutely no interest in what they are doing. In our club, an new
lathe owner will come to the monthly meeting exactly once.
We offer a year's paid membership to anyone that buys a lathe at WC,
and younger folks just won't come back.
I'm not seventy, but sixty-seven is close. I'm old enough to realize how
much I don't know (being sixty-seven means that I'm the average of
woodturners? I hate being average).


there is no reason that 20 and 70 can't mix just fine, what it takes is the
"old guys" being interested in the young guys and visa versa - if it is a
clique and not a club, then the effect mentioned will happen - if the club
makes an effort to welcome a new lathe owner - "hey welcome - how can we
help you? - this guy teaches boxes, this guy teaches bowles, we have a
sharpening workshop coming up in 2 months, and oh, that thing you showed is
really great - how long have you been turning - you are doing great" - good
chance you'll see them next meeting.