What turning instruction would you find most helpful?

[John Keeton]

With the advent of YouTube, DVDs, one-hour demonstrations, and the like, the world of classroom woodturning instruction has evolved considerably over the past few years. Not only do folks have a broader interest in objects other than bowls, but also the methods of embellishment and adornment seem to change rapidly.

Given what you have experienced in an instructional setting, and what you have not yet been able to experience, I am curious as to what most find appealing. In other words, what type of classroom instruction would be of interest?

I hesitate to do this in the form of a poll, as that would seem to pigeon hole things into just a few categories. I would prefer your comments about what you might find interesting, and more about broader topics, as opposed to "how to turn" a peppermill, for example, since most of those topics can and are covered in many demonstrations and DVDs.

[Rob Miller]

As a novice, the topics that are of most interest to me are wood selection and preparation, as you may have noticed from my other posts. The turning is fun but to me, it is largely something that is learned hands on. That is, how do I proceed from a load of green wood picked up on Craigslist, composed of a variety of odd shapes, degrees of hardness, with checked ends and bark on, to create a selection of good blanks ready to put on the lathe.

[Peter Fabricius]

Hi John,
I think that tool techniques would be very helpful to all novice and intermediate turners.
After I retired in 2006 I was very lucky to receive some new tools, one at a time as Christmas and Birthday presents. I really wanted to learn all about techniques for each and now 8 years later, the learning continues, but I have established good tool handling techniques and it makes this hobby 1000% more enjoyable!
For example the utube demos by Lyle Jamison are fantastic.....
Peter F.

[Roger Chandler]

I do not know what my "status" as far as a turner is..........perhaps "experienced" would be broad enough a characterization yet, would shy away from any term like "expert" which I do not consider myself to be. Although I do have a broad experience with numerous types of forms, I think for my own personal instruction, I would like to explore multi-axis turnings.......especially as it relates to counterbalance and mounting off center forms on the lathe.

I think a whole new genre of forms might be available to me with some learning in this area. I plan to explore some of these on my own when I can get some time..........experiments that will hopefully be safe and allow me acquisition of a new set of skills.

You planning anything like this John? We might have to talk!

[Dave Paine]

Hi John,
I think that tool techniques would be very helpful to all novice and intermediate turners.
For example the utube demos by Lyle Jamison are fantastic.....

+1 for tool techniques. The Lyle Jamieson YouTube videos were excellent. I learned a lot about using my fingernail grind bowl gouges.

Sad that he removed them from YouTube, likely trying to sell DVD's.

[Wally Dickerman]

John, over the past 25 years I have taught a lot of people to turn. Over 500. Mostly beginners. Almost all wanting to learn how turn a bowl. As they advanced many wanted do hollow forms. In all of my hollow form classes they wanted to learn just that...how to turn a HF. In my HF classes I always use dry wood. If we are to turn collars or other embellishments I don't want wood movement.

In my own turnings I still use some of the tools I made myself years ago for hollowing before commercial tools were available. So do my students. Of course we also use more modern tools. We start out with wide openings because they are easier. Also the student can see part of what's happening inside the vessel. (The very small openings many turners make today started out as a "look what I can do" sort of thing). Depending on the turning, often a wider opening is more attractive. My classes often included turning a collar of another wood.

Anything else I can tell you?

[Dale Miner]

Something that is seldom covered in demos is end grain vessels. The tools and techniques for end grain hollowing are different than for cross grain. End grain orientation for certain objects displays the grain to best advantage and seems to be often overlooked.

If you could maybe come up with a method to squeeze a few more hours in the day it would be nice also.

[Paul Williams]

+2, or more, for tool technique. I am basically self taught plus a few dvds and YouTube videos. I can muddle through most turnings, but feel that I would have a lot less tear out, less sanding, and perhaps a better final result if I spent more time on tool presentation and technique. That seems to be harder to learn on your own than how to turn a specific shape.

[Mike Goetzke]

I'm a beginner and learned a lot here, dvd, and youtube. What you don't see a lot of but really made the light bulb light up was when I saw a video (I think Steve from Hurricane tools) that showed two views. One as an observer like most prevent and a second from the turners perspective. This second view really taught me what riding the bevel was. Also, a big key that helped my turning was getting the tools sharpened correctly.

Mike

[Michael Mills]

+1 for tool techniques. The Lyle Jamieson YouTube videos were excellent. I learned a lot about using my fingernail grind bowl gouges.

Sad that he removed them from YouTube, likely trying to sell DVD's.

Are they removed? I just checked for …. “Lyle Jamieson” woodturning…. And 40 came up by Lyle. BTW another +.

I have watched a lot of videos and presenters like Lyle and Stuart Batty answer my questions more to the point and in detail.
http://vimeo.com/woodturning/videos/page:1/sort:alphabetical/format:thumbnail
Turners have different methods and they can all work; i.e. Lyle shows starting with the rest parallel to the bed, Grumbine says to never to this and start perpendicular, Jordan starts at 45*. They all work.
As a couple of examples, many turners mention stance (dancing with the lathe) but it is typically just in passing along with a lot of other topics. Raffan had two segments in his videos just on stance and Batty has three segments in the above link.
Another example would be the tip to align your finger with the tool blade with some cuts with the skew or spindle gouge. It wasn’t until Dave Hout’s video that anyone explained the why and it finally sunk in.
I do admit, sometimes you have to smack me with a 2X4 to get my attention. Excruciating detail works better for me than a casual ten second remark in an hour and half video.

[Steve Doerr]

John,
I'm not sure I completely understand your question, but I will give you my perspective on how I learn best. So, here goes:

1. Demo's--I find them very enjoyable and like going to them and watching them. I always take notes, thinking I will be able to use the information that I have written down when I get back home. What happens is that when I get home, I get back on the treadmill of life and activities and don't really take advantage of what I saw and wrote down. I will say, there are usually one or two things that I remember that I do end up using.

2. DVD's--These I like because I can go back as many times as I want and watch and rewatch what is being demoed. You can go from the screen to the shop and back as many times as you want. The trouble is that you don't always get to see the the exact tool technique or the tool position as closely as you would like and there is no one there to give personal help and instruction.

3. Classroom setting--This is my most productive method. I like this as you are trying new techniques that there is someone there to help you. They can make corrections in what you are doing before it becomes a learned procedure. The only problem with this is that just like in school, you don't truly learn anything permanently in just one two hour or day situation. To truly learn and make it muscle memory it needs to be done on a continuous basis for a given period of time.

4. Personal contact--This is more of an opportunity for people to exchange thoughts and ideas. These thoughts and ideas help move us to a new level. It challenges us to take steps that we would not have done without that exchange. It also is just nice to talk with other that share your own joys and passions.

I don't know if this is what you want, but it's my 2 cents worth. HTH
Steve

[Reed Gray]

I started over 2 years ago to make a bowl turning video. My main complaint with others were that they were focused on 'this is how I turn a bowl', which is fine, but only answers about half of the questions that come up. A big thank you to all who ask questions on the forums. Well, after shooting and editing, with everything included, I had 8 hours of clips. I think I have given up on making a video on it, and will just put it up on You Tube in segments. My original title was/is 'Weapons of Mass Destruction for Bowl Turning and How to Use Them'. There are so many different tools out there from chainsaws, bandsaws, grinders, gouges, scrapers, etc, that most of us have quite a collection. One video only shows you how to use some of them. Tool technique is huge, and while all tool skills are related, many have their own idiot-syncrasies, it is difficult to cover them all. I guess it all relates to 'if you ask 10 different turners a question, you will get 12 or more answers. Oh, yea, and this is just bowl turning......

robo hippy

[John Keeton]

I agree that "tool technique" is a pretty broad category, and it seems there are a world of beginner classes being taught that cover much of this. And, the reality is that we never stop learning different/new tool applications. Additionally, much of that differs so much from person to person, as suggested by Reed.

Perhaps it might be helpful to limit this to intermediate turners, and I am curious about topics such as design, form, proportions, spindle turning, artistic vessels, pedestal/finial application (design, proportions),etc., just to suggest a few. Roger gave a good example in multi-axis turnings.

[Tim Rinehart]

I think sometimes the questions that need explained are the ones that folks don't even think to ask. Sharpening somewhat falls into this category, but workholding techniques, including variations on jam-chucking, donut, and custom jaw fabricating would be useful without even knowing it as a relatively inexperienced turner, though quite honestly even a lot of more experienced turners will find someone holding a piece in a unique way and realize they would benefit from that at times.

[Dave Cullen]

Perhaps it might be helpful to limit this to intermediate turners, and I am curious about topics such as design, form, proportions, spindle turning, artistic vessels, pedestal/finial application (design, proportions),etc., just to suggest a few. Roger gave a good example in multi-axis turnings.

I am that turner. I've been doing spindles off & on for 20 years, though I'm not an expert by any means. I'm just now getting into bowls and faceplate work, and it's a new experience. I think this progression is typical of the turner's education - we start with spindles first. So for me, where I'm at now, a hands-on classroom on bowl turning would make sense. I've watched the videos, and I have one of Richard Raffan's books on my lathe now. But until someone shows me how to use that damn gouge I'm gonna keep making firewood.

The other topics you mentioned - design and form, proportions, etc - are also on my mind and I'll no doubt be asking questions about them here as my bowl skills progress. I'm not sure what the best presentation for teaching them would be though, as that's more about art than turning. I'm a good technician, and I can copy most anything, but I'm not an artist.

I've been watching one of Cindy Drozda's DVDs on finials and on the making of her Finial Star bowl. She does talk about proportions, and I might be able to come close with enough practice. But to be able to "see" a shape and know what it needs like she does is truly art. I dunno if anyone could teach me that.