Hi Dave
I was exactly like you...a complete beginner. I'd read part of Rowley's book and butchered a piece of 3x3. Mark will tailor the course exactly to suit you.
For my own part, I'd bought Trev's lathe, turning tools and chucks. Mark suggested that I bring my tools along as he was intending to critique my sharpening technique and offer advice. I did take them all along but I was more interested in knowing which ones were used for what as, having read that part of Rowley's book, I was still a bit confused as it seems that there is a cross-over and you can use some tools for spindle work as well as bowl work. So we spent a fair bit of time going over the tools (25 of them). You may not want to spend time doing that.
We then talked a bit about safety (one of the cleanest workshops I've been in) and he then produced a lump of 3x3 oak which he put in his lathe..a Poolewood...he has a choice of four). He showed me how to use the roughing gouge to get the square down to round. Then he introduced 4/5 more different tools such as the various gouges for finer work...I made beads and coves and fillets... skew chisel..tricky one, that one...
We covered sharpening the various tools and I practised...some are easier to sharpen then others.
When I went to bed last night I couldn't get to sleep for ages as I tried to assimilate everything. My head is still spinning.
But as I say...the day was tailored to my needs and my pace. I came away totally hooked. So I just had to go out and have a little play..only to realise that I've already forgotten quite a lot
I guess I need to read up Rowley again. Mark is also at the end of a telephone.
The one thing that I never appreciated was just how many chippings you produce. Think planer..then think thicknesser ..then think spindle moulder. Clean machines compared to a lathe!!
One of the best days.
Hope that helps.
Roger
