# Basic woodturning tuition course



## cheekybee (8 Aug 2012)

Hi, I'm a newbie and looking for a basic woodturning tuition course in the Bucks/Beds area. 
Hampshire (Lymington) is also a possibility.
The nearest I can find all involve a 50 (ish) mile journey.

I thought I'd try to get a rudimentary understanding of the techniques involved with pushing potentially lethal pieces of sharpened steel towards a spinning piece of non-round wood before I commit to switching my newly acquired Perform lathe on. :-k 

Can anyone assist?


----------



## chipmunk (8 Aug 2012)

Hi Cheeky Bee,
Check out the Register of Professional Turners as a first port of call...
http://www.rpturners.co.uk/

You can search by county and there you will find professionals providing tuition.

HTH
Jon


----------



## cheekybee (8 Aug 2012)

Thanks Jon.

I had already tried them but under 'Tutors' there isn't a single entry for Bucks or Beds and of the ones in Hampshire, one's in Liphook which is a 68 mile drive and the others don't appear to have a website so will have to await an email reply.

I was about to type "Am I doing something wrong?" when I tried your suggestion of searching the website by county and discovered that, although there doesn't appear to be a single turner in Bedfordshire, several were listed for Bucks including Acorn Woodturning Ltd in Ford.
They do run courses in the areas which I'm interested in so I'll contact tham asap.

Thanks very much for the info.
Regards,
Geoff


----------



## Neil Farrer (8 Aug 2012)

Geoff,

Although is not tuition per se, if you pop along to Bedford Saw and Tool Company on the Ampthill Road, Bedford on a Saturday between 9 and 12 they have a woodturning club which is very much a hands on weekly session. They have two very experienced turners who demonstrate various skills, and if you want to you can join in with the weekly challenge which is designed to widen the skills horizons of new turners. Its very unpretentious and we suspect that many of the members don't even own lathes but enjoy the woodworking banter and the cups of tea! Ask for Tony in the shop and he'll tell you the score. http://www.bedfordsaw.co.uk/pages/woodturning_121.htm.


----------



## cheekybee (8 Aug 2012)

Thanks for this Neil,
I'll certainly check them out.
I've been onto the web page and, as you say, it looks like a nice informal start to my turning experience.
Regards,
Geoff


----------



## dickm (8 Aug 2012)

There used to be turning classes in the Great Linford Art Centre in the north of Milton Keynes - almost certain they have a website. The guy teaching there some years ago was not brilliant, but it was still useful and they may have got a better tutor now.


----------



## Woodchips2 (8 Aug 2012)

Guy Ravine http://www.goodtimber.com/cgi-bin/build ... rning.html does one to one tuition and he is at Upper Stowe near Northampton. I've seen him demonstrating but not had a lesson.
Regards Keith


----------



## Woodchips2 (8 Aug 2012)

You could also try Gary Rance http://www.garyrance.co.uk/ based in Wendover but he does production turning and demonstrations so may be too busy. I've got his DVD and been shown a few techniques by him and he is good.
Regards Keith


----------



## cheekybee (17 Sep 2012)

Guys,

Thanks for all the sound advice.
It's certainly given me some very useful leads.
Can I draw a line under this one now though?
I suspect I may be having to thank respondents into my retirement/dotage if I don't.

Once again thanks to all who gave me leads and no doubts we'll probably bump into each other at shows and demonstrations etc.

Geoff
=D>


----------



## Blister (17 Sep 2012)

65 miles from you 

http://www.turnersworkshop.co.uk/

our Richard


:mrgreen:


----------



## henton49er (17 Sep 2012)

Les Thorne is at Alresford, only 37 miles from Lymington.

http://www.noturningback.co.uk/ntbk/

An excellent teacher.


----------



## gregmcateer (18 Sep 2012)

Blister":3rlkc82r said:


> 65 miles from you
> 
> http://www.turnersworkshop.co.uk/
> 
> ...



+1 for Richard Findley - Great turner, gerat bloke and great (aka 'patient') teacher!


----------



## woodturnerEric (19 Sep 2012)

you could try looking on the AWGB site for clubs in your area,as clubs are always very helpful when it comes to turning tips and help,regards,

Eric.


----------



## cheekybee (5 Nov 2012)

Guys,

Again, thanks for all the sound advice.
Following Neil Farrer's advice, I've joined the Bedford Saw & Tool Turning club.
As he says, it's nice and friendly and I'm learning lots.

Not sure how to end this thread but if anyone can tell me I'd be grateful.

Once again thanks to all who gave me leads and, as I said, no doubts we'll probably bump into each other at shows and demonstrations etc.

Geoff


----------

