One day classes- what to teach

Re: One day classes- what to teach

David Walser

My first woodturning class, which was about 4 - 6 hours of class time at the Tucson Woodcraft, covered basic spindle turning -- beads and coves -- and bowl turning. We turned a practice stick of beads and coves (one each), a twig pot, and a bowl. The twig pot and bowl were fairly small. I think the twig pot was about 4" tall and the bowl was about 6" in diameter. It was a good sampling of what could be done on the lathe. The instructor supplemented the class instruction and projects with a display of a number of turned items.

All-in-all, it was a good introduction to the hobby. Obviously, you cannot cover everything in that length of time, but it was sufficient time for us to turn a couple of projects and see if we wanted to learn more.

Lumpy sticks

Re: One day classes- what to teach

Lyle Jamieson

I keep my classes to teaching the process and tool control not project oriented.

Re: One day classes- what to teach

George Balock

I agree that tool control and design are very important topics, but in the end, students want to walk away with a project that they completed.

I like the idea of a weed pot. It is an easy project and it can be completed by a newbie in a day.

Re: One day classes- what to teach

John K Jordan

I also teach spindle turning in one-day or 1/2 day classes. I start by giving the student a blank already rounded and rotate it by hand as they learn to make shaving with a skew chisel. This teaches tool rest support, the engaging the cutting edge, and riding/supporting the bevel. Surprisingly to some, almost everyone "gets" it after just a couple of minutes with a skew. Then slow speed planing, then plane and taper at higher speeds.

THEN it's time to show how to mark the centers, mount, and round a square blank with a roughing gouge. This can be intimidating to some at first due to the vibration and noise but I think it's less so after they learn the concept of the bevel and the cutting edge. Then the spindle gouge. If time, we learn v-grooves with the skew.

A great 1st project for some (those who garden or know a gardener) is a dibble. A honey dipper, french-style rolling pin, or a weed pot is something they can take home. Some were excited to make a simple mallet. Depends on the person.

For the kids we have samples and let them each pick but with only one instructor maybe everyone should make the same thing.

They usually like to take home their lumpy stick too!

JKJ

Re: One day classes- what to teach

dougturner

John, 7mm ink pens are simple to turn, inexpensive and use scrap wood. Beginners are often motivated to continue learning more complex projects and techniques after turning a pen.

Re: One day classes- what to teach

john lucas

I agree with George. I try to stress to my classes that learning to use the tools is more important than finishing a project but alas most fight their way to the end and are proud of whatever they make. I had one guy who was having trouble and finally decided to just play with the tool and not finish the project. He told me at the end of the class that he learned a lot more by doing that. He is the rare one I have found.

Re: One day classes- what to teach

john lucas

I agree it would make a wonderful first project but the school I'm teaching in doesn't have any pen mandrels and I only have one so that project probably won't work.

Re: One day classes- what to teach

David Walser

John -- You could turn a pen without using a mandrel. Bonnie Klein demonstrates turning a wooden carrot to hold the ink tube from a Bic pen. I'm sure you've seen similar pens of various designs. The problem with such a pen as a 1st project is it is fairly delicate and might intimidate most new turners. Bonnie Klein's carrot pen might be "doable" by new turners because some carrots are naturally chunky. Dick Sing's long, slender desk pen.

But, I still prefer a weed pot as a first turning. Ours had a large bead as the base and a long cove for the neck -- the practical application of the bead and cove sticks we'd just turned. We also used three chucking methods in turning the project: starting between centers, using chuck to allow drilling the weed pot, and reverse chucking by using the dill mounted in a Jacob's chuck as a jam chuck for turning the bottom. Lot's of fundamental skills in a very small, quick, project!

Re: One day classes- what to teach

dougturner

John, You can also turn each section using a dead center in the headstock and a 60 degree live center in the tailstock without a mandrel. Or even turn a wooden morse taper with a tenon for the headstock driver.

Re: One day classes- what to teach

cameron youngstrom

Where's the class going to be, sounds like exactly what I need considering I have been looking at turning from afar for a long time now (just haven't found a good used lathe or convinced myself to steal the kids college money for a new one...) From a person that has zero turning experience but fantasizes about the day a museum-quality 3' tall hollow form adorns his foyer here is what I'd like:

Theory:

-Wood selection

-What lathe to buy: old vs new, why are there 1000 craftsman lathes on CL but never a 3520b, capacity, horsepower and that sort of stuff: the practical side, what really matters, what trade offs do you really make..

-The mystery of accessories: chucks, jaws, duplicators, vacuum, etc for dummies and why I do or do not need to spend $ for them..

-what are the types of things that I can make on a lathe for my wife and how rich will I make her when I sell them?

Practical:

-Safety: How do I do this without tearing my arms off when the tool catches or knocking out my neighbor's window?

-Green verses dry wood

-Why do turners all have 500 chisels on their walls: teach me the point of each tool and their effective use

-How do I minimize tearout

-Process to hollow: seem to be many, which is the right one 8-)

-Sharpening: what sharpness is needed and how in the world do I maintain it without $800 worth of Tormek jigs and an elf?

-Lots of practice cuts with an authority figure breathing down my neck, possibly hitting me with a split bamboo pole when I screw up...

At the Appalachian Center for Crafts *LINK*

john lucas

I teach there fairly regularly and of course was there photographer for 26 years. Absolutely wonderful place.


https://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/

Cameron......

Barry Irby

you have lots of questions and they are well organized and excellent. You need to take the plunge. Take John's class. Join a local turning club. Get some hands on experience. You will know in less than an hour if this is for you.

(You are right about the chisels, many of us have about fifty and are still one tool away from greatness. In fact we only need about ten and that's generous at least to start with.) The reason there are many Craftsman lathes on the market is they are cheap and easy to come by and quick to out grow. I had one back in high school and sold it many years later. Took a New York minute to sell it for more than I paid for it. Not nearly as many people own a big powerful lathe and they literally last a lifetime, in both senses, you don't outgrow them and they will outlive you. Buy them from the widow. Take the classes, join the club, get some hands on experience, and if the bug bites, buy a lathe.

PS, You have already been bitten.

Re: Cameron......

cameron youngstrom

I know I've been bitten, its why I troll craigslist twice a day looking for the elusive powermatic from that widow 8-) Would love to take the class but its about a 7 hour drive from WV... I believe that there is a WV club but I haven't made it down there yet, but one of these days I will.

Cameron, you sound like a perfect......

JamieDonaldson

...candidate for a week long class of learning and turning at the Campbell Folk School in N. Carolina! Camp for adults, in an excellent teaching facility, and the food is great!

Re: Cameron......

Ivan Clark

Depending on where you are in WV, you might be close to one of the 2 AAW clubs or one in surrounding states.

You might want to check out the VA Woodturning Symposium in November. It is in Fishersville VA (between Staunton and Charlottesville). In addition to the pro turners, there will also be a hands-on area. This is the first year for the new format.