Bob Hackett
How close to South Portland are you Jack? If you`r within traveling distance of the Rockler store there then you ought to pay a visit on the night they hold the turning club meeting there.
I think you`ll find that turners are more than willing to share everything they know as well as freely giving one on one instruction to boot. Many of the turners I know are usually willing to loan you a couple of their spare tools to get a feel for what`ll really work for you as far as different grinds, widths and thicknesses in tools go. If I lived closer I`d loan you a few of my own tools. I am one of the founding members of the Maine Wooturners,the first chapter of the AAW to form in Maine.
I`d say I`d help you with your spindle turning and mastery of the skew but the truth is I`m a former bowl turner and do most everything with specially ground spindle gouges so I really couldn`t be much help for your quest in "taming the skew".