Tuition

Woodturning lessons

I am first and foremost a professional woodturner making my living from the work I sell. At certain times of the year I have time away from making and can offer turning tuition in my warm and comfortable fully equipped woodturning workshop. This is no secrets tuition using the machinery, tools, techniques and equipment I use every day.

Frequently today woodturning is a combination of new and traditional techniques with inappropriate and expensive machinery. This often leaves the novice turner confused as to what the most appropriate, safe and affordable approach is. The goal of my courses is for you to learn new skills safely in a relaxed and friendly environment allowing you to make informed and affordable choices in the future.

All courses are held from 9am till 5pm. I supply everything used during the day including tools and wood. I also supply safety equipment, safety visor, gloves & dust mask for sanding. We stop regularly throughout the day for tea and coffee breaks. Lunch is fresh homemade bread with a different soup every day.

In my workshop I have three top of the range Hegner VB36 bowl turning lathes and a Wadkin long bed lathe. All turning is undertaken using green wet wood. Techniques used for green and dry woods are much the same and are easily transferable to your own workshop.

If you are serious interested in taking up woodturning as a hobby or considering becoming a professional, I would recommend you do the three or five day course. The repetition and practice of certain subjects is invaluable in learning real skills that you can go on to develop by yourself.

1 Day Lessons for two or three students
£170 per person

Minimum two, usually three students. Please email for a list of available dates. I will arrange for another person to do the day with you.

The one-day course is offered as a basic introduction to woodturning and is for those who have very limited experience or have never turned before. If you wish to learn some real skills please do the three or five course. It is not possible to learn to turn in one day.

On a one day course we will typically cover aspects of spindle work as well as bowl turning, this will normally include:
An introduction to the workshop, lathe, tools and how to work safely.
The design and function of turned work.
Choosing and using suitable wood.
Lathe work and how to stand correctly at the lathe while turning wood with minimum effort. Impartial advice on buying, lathes, tools and wood.

There is a lot to cover in one day so to maximize your time turning I do all preparation of wood, sharpening of gouges etc. You will spend most of your time turning at the lathe. It is likely that you will go home with a simple bowl at the end of the day.

3 day courses for two to three students
£500 per person

Minimum two, usually three students. Please email me for available dates. I will arrange for another person to do the days with you.

The three-day course is equally suited to complete beginners as well as to the more experienced turner. This is an in-depth comprehensive course covering spindle work, bowls and natural edged bowls using green wood. It will give you a good understanding of the craft of woodturning while learning skills you can go on to develop by yourself. The extra time spent on some subjects combined with the repetition of others means more information is learnt and retained by the student.

Over the three days we would typically cover:
Preparing, choosing and understanding wood.
Design and how to see the shape of finished work in the wood before you start.
Mounting wood on the lathe safely between centers, on faceplates and chucks.
Freehand tool sharpening.
Correct stance/posture and good body movement at the lathe to produce the flowing curves and shapes you want with minimum effort and sanding.
Processing wood, drying wood, rough turning and drying bowls and how to remount part turned dry bowls. Wet turning and finishing green wood and natural edged bowls.
Power sanding, hand sanding and polishing work. Impartial advice on buying lathes and tools and how to get good wood inexpensively or for free.
Please bring any tools you are having problems with and I will have a look at them.

Five day natural edged bowl and hollow form course for two to three students
£900 per person

Minimum two, usually three students. Please email me for available dates. I will arrange for another person to do the days with you.

The five-day course has the same basic structure of the three-day course but is more in depth focusing on producing higher quality finished work. We start at 9am every day usually finishing up at around 5pm.

The five-day course is equally suited to complete beginners as well as to the more experienced turner, everyone starts at the beginning. It is similar in structure to three-day course initially covering basic spindle work, bowls and natural edged bowls using green wood. We then move on to more advanced turning techniques to produce vases and hollow forms.

Over the five days we would cover:
Preparing and choosing wood.
Design and how to see the shape of finished work in the wood before you start.
Mounting wood on the lathe safely between centers as well as with faceplates and chucks to produce elegant work with no evidence of being held on the lathe.
Freehand tool sharpening.
Understanding wood and tools to produce smooth clean cuts with good body movement to produce the flowing curves and shapes you want with minimum effort and sanding.
Processing and drying wood and bowls and how to remount part turned dry bowls. Wet turning to produce sanded natural edged bowls, vases and hollow forms.
Power sanding, hand sanding and polishing finishing work.
Tool design and how to make your own or adapt shop bought tools to produce larger more complex work. I have a large selection of professional and blacksmith made turning and hollowing tools for you to try.
Impartial advice on buying lathes and tools.
Again please bring any tools you are having problems with and I will have a look at them.

Gift certificates
Gift vouchers are available for one, three day and five day courses and are valid for one year, please call or contact me by email for details.
Or they can be purchased through Paypal here

Accommodation & directions
My Workshop and Gallery is situated just off the A9 in Ballinluig Perthshire an hour from Glasgow or Edinburgh. If you are coming from the south leave the A9 at the Ballinluig junction and head towards the services I am first left after the post office. From the north I am first on the right when you leave the A9.

There is hotel and B&B accommodation available nearby in Pitlochry, Dunkeld & Birnam. There is plenty to do in the local area for spouses or travelling companions.

angusclyne@hotmail.com
Tel: 07775811280

Feedback from former students
“This was an outstanding course for a novice like me. Angus Clyne is an amazing teacher, a unique and dynamic personality, and he has great patience with beginners. He is a very inspiring Master Craftsman, and always managed to help me build on the skills that I learned over the 5 day course. The course is worth every penny, and I will return to him for a further course in the future.”

“The tutor's approach to my inexperience was excellent. To repeat himself, sometimes more than once was done with total patience & his demonstrations were clear & at my pace. The workshop atmosphere was relaxed & I thoroughly enjoyed my 5-day course. I can highly recommend Angus's approach to this wood-turning introduction.”