Woodturning for beginners

Just used day one of my woodturning course voucher & have had such an interesting day, Stuart made me feel relaxed from the start , explaining about the woods preparation and showing examples of various techniques & finishes , which I found inspiring .I am a complete beginner but Stuart is a very relaxed & patient tutor who gives you confidence .His workshop is well equipped & has a a good ventilation system. I had a go at spindle making in the morning . had lunch & with Stuarts guidance ( & lots of help ) I managed to produce a lovely oak dish to take home in the afternoon . This was a wonderful birthday gift & I'm really looking forward to day 2. I think the success of the day was summed up by my familys reaction of
"wow . did you make that?"

This was a great introduction to woodturning. I'm amazed at how professional my two pieces of turning looked at the end of the day, but a lot of the professional finish came from Stuart's guiding hands. Stuart's tutoring and hospitality set just the right tone for an interesting day. Although I've been interested in turning for years and have had expert friends, its only when you do a day like this that you begin to realise the skills and techniques involved and also how you can begin to master them.

I'm a volunteer with a local woodland Friends group so I was also interested in how to manage felled wood and the drying process, and I got great help from Stuart on all of these aspects. I was surprised at the extent to which wood continues to "live" after being felled. It's made me a lot more confident about what we can do with our wood.

And I also enjoyed my mini-tutorial on the engineering aspects of swift nest boxes.

Hi Stuart,
Sorry about the late review! Thank you for a great 2 days of turning wood. I've thought that I would enjoy it for years and now I know for sure. For anyone who is thinking about it for themselves, or for a friend, you won't be disappointed. The 2 day course is great because you learn a lot on day one. You can then go away and think about it, then practice more the next day or whenever you book day 2. There's a lot to it but Stuart will answer any questions and give advice from his 30 odd years experience. I will definitely be back for more and will be in touch when I start thinking about getting some equipment!

Cheers

I had an absolutely fantastic day on the one day course with Stuart and came away with some stunning pieces which I am chuffed to bits with.

Stuart is an excellent teacher with an outstanding knowledge and skill base which he was more than willing to share with me in great detail which will be invaluable for me going forward.

The course setting was the icing on the cake, a stunning location with plenty of opportunities to view and discuss Stuarts current pieces and the processes around them.

If you are looking for an informative and accommodating tutor to further your skill set or try something new Stuart is your man. I could not recommend him more highly! Also if you are a complete beginner to the wood turning game like me he also has the patience of a saint.

I was an absolute beginner and found the course a great introduction to the craft.

I came away with sufficient confidence to buy a lathe and tools and have now turned quite a few pieces with some modest success.

Stuart was very helpful in assisting me choose the equipment and get started.