John C Campbell Folk School/Oland Tools

We just returned from a vacation that included a portion of western N. Carolina south of Asheville. Along the way I heard about the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC that includes woodturning classes. We drove by the school but it was on Saturday and it happened to be a weekend when they were not having classes, so things were pretty well closed up. I'm wondering if anyone has heard of the school or has attended any of their classes on woodturning. According to their catalog, they appear to have a pretty extensive listing of courses and instructors. The grounds and facilities of the school are beautiful and it looks like it would be a great place to go spend a week or a long weekend.

While I was in Brasstown (a few miles east of Murphy, NC in the middle of apparently nowhere) I was told of an Oland (it's a Danish name and should have the slanted line through the O) woodturning studio a couple of miles east of Brasstown. We dropped by the studio and had a delightful visit with Mrs. Oland who began serious woodturning after her husband, a woodturner, passed away in 1991. She has a web site at olandcraft.com.

During the visit Mrs. Oland demonstrated for me a set of stainless steel tools with replacable HSS tips created by Mr. Oland. I was pretty impressed with the results she was getting from them, but I have been turning only since January so I wasn't sure how much was the tool and how much was her skills. She sells them directly and they are also sold through Highland. Is anyone familiar with these tools?

....teacher at the Folk School in 1986, and I have been back with my wife for many "lost vacations!" I have been teaching woodturning and photography there for several years, and my wife enjoys the variety of classes she takes while we're there, especially the cooking classes. The food is excellent, the setting serene, and the new turning studio a great set-up for teaching. I still use the Oland angled hollowing tool as a favorite for some applications. Check out the Folk School schedule and give camp for adults a fling!

IIRC, Mr. Oland also intended that his design could be executed as DIY for those so inclined. I made two of them, one straight out the end and the other at 45 degrees; I just used hot-rolled round bar for the shafts, HSS bits from Grizzly or Enco. If you're not comfortable with metalworking, or wish to save some time, or want better appearance and corrosion resistance, buying would be better.

Either way, they're heaven on earth to use, especially for hollowing. Very little chance of catches, and when they do, not very severe. They take a small bite, so final passes should be just a touch to reduce sanding effort.

Joe

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. and Mrs. Oland at an Atlanta woodworking show in the late 80's. Super nice folks. I purchased the tool with the 1/4" angled cutting bar.
Went back to the same show the following year only to learn that Mr. Oland had gone on to that great turning studio in the sky, the victim of a brain tumor. Mrs. Oland carried on their work, continuing to market the turning tools that he designed.
Mr. Oland amazed the show participants by turning a goblet while looking away at the audience and holding a conversation, and did not miss a beat while still turning this goblet. Talking about the WOW factor.

I live near the Campbell Folk School, and attended a beginners class there a couple years ago. Since then, they've built an all-new woodturning facility, and it's great. Top-notch instructors. I recommend it highly.

Get a catalog of courses from them, and register early...some classes fill up a year or more in advance.

www.folkschool.org - 1-800.FOLK.SCH (365.5724)

Love the Oland tool! They (many variations) are my most often reached for. I have even groung one of the HSS bits with a very pointed and angled "fingernail" type grind. This thing provides a very slick finish for complicated spindle wor. The remaining ones are for hollowing, boxes, goblets HF ect. Easy to make too! See this link for a how to in the tools section...
bill..
http://aroundthewoods.com/

Took a class in hollow forms there last week. The instructor was Doug Barnes, the director of the woodturning school. If you want 1st class instructions in a condensed time frame this is the way to go. I'll post pictures if I can figure out how to make my pics smaller to be accepted by this system. The only caveat about the Campbell School is the food, which some describe as new-age, semi-vegatarian. Most people I talked to were sneaking out for burgers.

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Mr. Oland also intended that his design could be executed as DIY for those so inclined. I made two of them, one straight out the end and the other at 45 degrees; I just used hot-rolled round bar for the shafts, HSS bits from Grizzly or Enco. If you're not comfortable with metalworking, or wish to save some time, or want better appearance and corrosion resistance, buying would be better.

Either way, they're heaven on earth to use, especially for hollowing. Very little chance of catches, and when they do, not very severe. They take a small bite, so final passes should be just a touch to reduce sanding effort.
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I aggree with Joe, they are very easy to make and are very effective.

making your own can done at a very reasonable cost. A low cost Oland tip can made from a broken 1/4 or 5/16 taps or various small end mill and slot drills. They are all HSS and normally thrown away by the machinist. Check out you local machine shop.

My favourite is the 45' at the moment I probably have about 5 in my tool collection

neil

David

I think the JCC Folk school is outstanding. Top notch instruction (I attended the Al Stirt class in January), excellant new turing studio and a great enviroment.

I will admitt it took a couple days for a Corporate slug like myself to relax to a point where I remotely fit into the school culture but I got myself there. I will argue with Bill about the food. The food was fresh, hot and healthy. The trick is to figure out who the veggie's and vegans are in the first day or two then sit at thier table for dinner so you can have their helpings of meat.

Frank

Seems odd to call roast beef, boiled shrimp, fried chicken or the other hearty dishes served during a week at the Folk School as anything but delicious. And the available veggie entrees are great too.
Even without the wonderful dining, the classes and atmosphere are unbeatable.

Before becoming a woodturner I was a blacksmith for about 10 years. I went to blacksmithing school at John C Campbell a number of times. Because of an automobile accident I now do woodturning. I have been to the woodturning school at Campbell once. I like everything about the school and highly recommend it to anyone.