Hello all,
Frank is right in what he says, demonstrations are a part of earning your daily bread as a turner but they are much more than that. You get to meet other woodturners and no matter who you are or how long you've been around you can still learn from them. My most enjoyable demonstrations are to the general public who know little or nothing about woodwork or turning.
As for the best tools please also include Ashley Isles and Henry Taylor to the list. I've found that most of the names listed make good tools, again it's horses for courses, some handles have different shapes and suit some turners better and some tool shapes offer more scope. In most turners workshops you will find a combination of names from the list.
With regard to a career in woodturning it may be best to look for a joinery company or similar that produces turned items for stairs and furniture to get established and learn the basics, and then eventually develop their own style and become self employed. Probably the best case of this is Stuart Batty from Derbyshire who trained as an apprentice in his fathers works, Stuart is now one of the World's leading turners and works mainly in the United States. His dad Brian, although not doing demonstrations now is still one of the most respected turners in the UK.
Regards....Mike
