Turning Lessons. Get Them Sooner than Later

[Dan Bevilacqua]

Just had my first turning lesson all day last Tuesday. I have been turning regularly for a little over 1.5 years now, learning as I go and from You Tube and Forums, like this one (as well as my turning club, only recently).

The lesson was invaluable. I was fortunate enough to win a turning lesson with our club President who is a long time excellent turner. He was able to correct my bad habits that I have developed in the last 1.5 years. I intend to practice what he has taught me so I don't revert to my bad habits. We started with spindle turning in the morning and finished with bowl turning in the afternoon.

I still need lots of practice; but, I am on my way to becoming a better turner, having l, learned the fundamentals correctly now. However, bad habits are hard to break, and it will take PRACTICE of the correct methods.

By the way, the Club I have found is about an hour away from me, and it is a great new club. The members are fantastic. I have since joining the club now had the opportunity to turn on 2 wonderful lathes, a Robust American Beauty and a Vicmarc VL300. Great lathes.

The gist of my thread, if you haven't guessed by now , is get a turning lesson(s) sooner than later. Bad habits are difficult to break.

 

[robo hippy]

There were a lot of things I had to figure out on my own when I started because we didn't have a club, and I know the internet existed then, but I didn't use it. With an instructor, you can make huge leaps in terms of refining technique and mechanics of turning.... Now, I mentor a lot, just because it is fun...

robo hippy

 

[hockenbery]

Dan - your experience is so typical.

I had a very basic (scrapers only) guidance from the adult education shop teacher and then was on my own for a long time with a few books.
Got really good with spindles just sort of ok with bowls.
Then a class with Liam O’Neil in 1994 and another with David Ellsworth in 1995, What a difference! In 1996 In was invited to teach at MD Hall.

Almost all of my beginning bowl students left the last class (8 evenings of 3 hrs) better bowl turners than I was when I took Liam’s class.

 

[Fadi Zeidan]

Al,

Do you publish your class schedule somewhere?

 

[John Torchick]

"Each one, teach one." I joined AAW a few years ago and find that the club demonstrations are worth every penny. I have approached the demonstrators and asked questions along with others. Watching and listening for those few minutes are rewarding. A symposium is good if the expense is in the budget.

 

[Fadi Zeidan]

I started using gouges in August of last year. In January, I took a 3 day class with David Ellsworth. What a difference it makes. My only limitation is practice, I feel pretty comfortable with the gouge now. I plan to take another one in 2019, trying to decide with whom and what can I build on what I have learned so far.

 

[hockenbery]

Al,

Do you publish your class schedule somewhere?

Fadi,
I stopped teaching at MD Hall in 2004 when we moved to Florida.
These are MD Hall Classes - currently taught by Chuck Engstrom
https://www.marylandhall.org/classes/141/752/247

I was doing a couple of classes a year in my shop for a while but stopped a few years ago because I don’t have the time or desire to prep the wood.
I refer Student inquiries to Rudy Lopez who lives fairly close by and is any excellent teacher.

I still do a little teaching - you can win a day in the shop with me at the Florida Symposium.
I do a few mentoring sessions with club members and workshop for my club where other club members prep the wood.

 

[Dean Center]

Bazinga!