Finewood - Tuition

Woodturning Tuition in Suffolk

Notice

Instead of retiring completely, as I had indicated, and disappointing traders and students, I hope to continue both on a reduced scale. I so enjoy meeting new customers and easing students into the absorbing and challenging pastime of woodturning. Just phone or e-mail me to discuss how I can help.

Happy turning to you all.

Albert

One day of 1-1 Wood turning tuition, available 7 days a week. Primarily devoted to practical experience with the aim for the student to complete a number of turned products. Along the way, covering safety, characteristics of different timbers and choice of tools, machines and sources of supply.

Tutor

Albert Lain; experienced and qualified teacher keen to impart his enthusiasm and skills.

Courses Available

Introduction
A days introduction. Learning how to safely apply the tools to rotating timber. Included will be working between centres, use of Roughing Gouge, Spindle Gouge, and parting tool. After lunch, the use of self-centring chucks, boring on lathes and Jam fitting. Suitable for someone considering the hobby, just starting to turn, or just interested and looking for an absorbing day.
Intermediate
A logical progression from course A but focused on Headstock work and increasing the diameter of the material to be turned. Use of screw chuck to turn a shallow bowl, and then a deeper small bowl with either a turned top edge or natural edge. Method of removing all indication of how it was secured to the lathe.
Experienced
In development at present, but either increasing diameter and/or depth of product, or experience in successfully turning freshly cut timber. Awareness of other methods such as split turning, duplicate turning, coopered work, long hole boring, lattice work, off centre turning. Just where do we stop? This can easily get out of hand...

The Workshop

A heated wood turning workshop with many lathes and good dust extraction. Always some interesting other work in progress. Attached to our home and looking out to the garden and across fields.

The Cost

Courses A and B: £175 9am-4pm, all materials and tools included
Course C: £225 9am-4pm, all materials and tools included

Preparation

Discussion before the day about experience so far and what you would like to achieve. Guidance on what to wear. Invitation to bring any existing tools and safety equipment to wear.

What Next?

Phone or email to discuss how I can help, and if you wish, to determine a mutually convenient date.

I will need your postal address to enable me to send a pre-course preparation document and to include a brief questionnaire about your experience, if any, so far.
If you would like to make a days tuition as a gift to a friend or partner, request a copy of our Gift Voucher. Warn me if you wish it to be conveyed confidentially for a birthday or Christmas surprise.

If you have been on one or more of these day courses, I would appreciate any comments you may have to help me improve and refine how and what I do. Please use the comments page on my site or let me know by phone, email, or letter.

64 comments

Mick - 19th March 2024

Last week I had a beginners lesson with Albert having never tried woodturning before and soon realised I should have done this years ago! It was a great day in an amazing workshop but sadly it went by far too quickly. With Albert's patient supportive one to one teaching I was able to make a Yew handle fitted to a cheese knife and an Oak bowl both of which I must admit to being very pleased with. I also left with some useful videos to refer back to which Albert encouraged me to take. This has certainly got me hooked and I will definitely be back for a further lesson and I am now actively looking for my own lathe and tools.
Thank you Albert for a brilliant day and Sheila for the lovely cake. I would highly recommend trying this to anyone. It was rumoured that Albert had retired but luckily for budding and more advanced woodturners, this is not true.
Michael Ross - 9th November 2023

At the beginning of October, I was fortunate to be invited to experience wood turning on a one to one tuition by Albert. It was an all day tuition within a brilliant workshop! And I was made most welcome. Everything was provided including tea and cakes. And what Albert doesn’t know about wood turning is not worth knowing. Highly recommended!! Enjoyed every minute. Mick Ross
Lindy OHare - 3rd November 2023

A wonderful and very instructive day spent with Albert. His knowledge about wood is enormous and in his workshop he teaches and shows you everything you need to know to start your own woodworking journey. I cannot recommend it more highly.
Thank you.
Phoebe Lydbrook - 27th October 2023

Really fabulous day with Albert learning about wood turning! I was a complete beginner and came away with a very professional-looking bowl and knife. Albert is extremely skilled, a fantastic teacher and great company. I had such an enjoyable day and would really recommend booking in for tuition before Albert retires!
Martine Lincoln - 17th October 2023

Just moved back in the area. It's such a shame to miss out for this great tuition as its just ending.
All the best Albert and for the training opportunity I had with you all those years ago..
I Thank you so much
Martine
Jack Noakes - 10th October 2023

I enjoyed two days tuition with Albert last month. I have not turned wood before and found Albert's teaching style clear and logical, he would always talk around what was happening and how to recover when it goes wrong! The second day provided a fantastic opportunity to reinforce the basics from day one and apply these to a slightly more complicated object.

This was a brilliant learning experience that has given me the confidence to buy a lathe, knowing how to get started.

Thankyou Albert and happy retirement from teaching!

Jack
Dave Curtis - 28th September 2023

I treated myself to the introduction course for my birthday on 26th September, and had the loveliest day with Albert.

The day started with a tour of the workshop, a talk through my own aims and experiences I had had so far, and a look at some of the projects and turning to get some inspiration. The workshop is an absolute delight with plenty of lathes, bench grinders, gadgets, tools, and a most wonderful dust extraction system. There are also plenty of photos from Albert's work over the years which tell an amazing story and shows you straight away what an experienced teacher and craftsmen Albert is. There was time spent orienting around the lathe and the turning tools, and I felt in very safe hands straight away. Health and safety aspects were all well covered, not just about the machines, but the workshop in general.

The first turning of the day was to make a handle for a pizza cutter. Every aspect of this was preceded by demonstration with Albert turning the same project on his own lathe before setting you off to do the same under his supervision. The teaching process was so balanced and measured and clear, that you start to sense your own progress really quickly. I was so consumed by the process that I had forgotten to take photos and video as we went along, and this is something that Albert actively encourages to that you have a point of reference once you've left. Tea and biscuits were consumed, and we chatted.

Having made a pizza cutter, the next project was a shallow bowl. I had turned the outside of a bowl blank once, but never worked out how to use a chuck to then be able to gouge the inside of the bowl. This was all covered so clearly and well that I am excited about turning more blanks and refining the basic skills. As the day went on the turning process seemed to click for me, and I am so happy with what I made. I couldn't have had a better birthday present to myself.

As someone who is interested in turning pens, Albert also took me round his wife's workshop and we also had a chat all together over tea and cake, and I look forward to steadily building up my own experience over the coming years.

If you're thinking about booking some tuition with Albert I would encourage you to do so as soon as you can. Albert is a gem, and understandably wants to reduce the amount he is doing, and spend some time in his lovely garden. If you're able to do anything this year with Albert, do go for it. If I can find anyway of returning again, I will. Thanks for the lovely day Albert.

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