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Big surprise

Joined
Feb 16, 2021
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Parkersburg, West Virginia
Around 25 of us Woodturners used to meet at a friends every Tuesday. He passed away a couple of years ago so Woodcraft lets us meet in the class room on Tuesdays from 9:30 until around noon. We have all come to know the workers pretty well. I had the assistant manager call me yesterday and ask me if I would like to teach beginning bowl turning classes. Of course I said yes. Looking forward to it, I think it will be fun.
 
I taught at a Woodcraft for a number of years. My observations; You need eyes in the back of your head. You can actually put your hand on the chisel to direct the cut, then turn around and the student will be back to their old bad habit. Women take instruction much better than men. Nobody likes practicing and expects to take home a finished project. A sharpening class should be held before the turning class, no one will bring sharp tools. Give them wet wood to practice on. My favorite anecdotal story; A gentleman was having a horrible time with a spindle gouge. All he kept saying was that he would be doing much better with a skew. I couldn't imagine how. He told me he had his skew in the truck, so I told him to go get it. He laid the skew flat on the tool rest and started using it like a scraper. Ah, that is why he had better luck with a skew, he was only used as a scraper! Another tip, after doing classes for a year, my promotion was getting employee pricing.
 
I do not like to take on lessons to those that you need to explain what a lathe is. Also, I don't like more than 2 students at a time. Too much to keep an eye on....

robo hippy
 
You need eyes in the back of your head
You captured a lot that sounds familiar. I got pretty good at hearing bad cuts.

What do students want to take home - treasures or Techniques

I had two guys in a class at Campbell who had 4 years turning experience - 4 prior Campbell classes. They said their wives took classes once a year and they just signed up for woodturning the same week.
They both said I should priorize the other students. They ended up being a lot of fun to work with and both made passable hollowforms.
 
I do not like to take on lessons to those that you need to explain what a lathe is. Also, I don't like more than 2 students at a time. Too much to keep an eye on....

I usually teach one-on-one, but I don’t care if the person has never seen a lathe before - in fact I prefer it since they don’t come with hardened bad habits. I always teach the skew then the spindle gouge in the first session, using techniques that always work. Most have been young people but some have been even older than me. (Yikes!)

A few years ago I was asked if I would teach a class at a crafts school. I think there were 8 lathes in the turning area.

Then they told me the first class would be all teenagers with zero turning experience. Each be accompanied by parents to “help”. Oh, so sorry, I’m busy that week. That class needs 8 teachers. And ban the parents.

JKJ
 
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Thought of something else that is very critical, liability insurance. When I taught a lot of classes at Woodcraft, the teaching contract required that I have a 1 million dollar liability insurance policy. I had one with my woodworking business at the time, so no problem for me. Even if your Woodcraft Manager says they don't require it, you will be held responsible if someone gets hurt under your tutelage.
 
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