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.

72 comments

Tom Freeman - 26th March 2025

Today, I embarked on Albert’s introduction classes for wood turning.
It’s was apparent the knowledge I acquired from my high school days of turning was very inadequate.
Obviously, It was a fantastic day carving a new handle for a chisel I recently snapped and a shallow bowl.
As previous comments state I can confirm Albert is a true gentleman as well as his lovely wife Shelia.

However, sadly today was the end of an era for this teaching master.
As I understand Albert is retiring from teaching this craft and it’s been a privilege to know that I was his last student.
Amazingly I had the chance to purchased his Poolewood lathe which hundreds of his past students have learnt this craft on.

Needless to say, I took him up on his offer.
Tom Freeman - 25th March 2025

Today, I embarked on Albert’s introduction classes for wood turning.
It’s was apparent the knowledge I acquired from my high school days of turning was very inadequate.
Obviously, It was a fantastic day carving a new handle for a chisel I recently snapped and a shallow bowl.
As previous comments state I can confirm Albert is a true gentleman as well as his lovely wife Shelia.

However, sadly today was the end of an era for this teaching master.
As I understand Albert is retiring from teaching this craft and it’s been a privilege to know that I was his last student.
Amazingly I had the chance to purchased his Poolewood lathe which hundreds of his past students have learnt this craft on.

Needless to say, I took him up on his offer.
Maggie - 20th November 2024

Hello,

I'm Maggie and I came across your website and I want to make a sale of two machines.
I'm giving away my late son's powermatic 4224 lathe to passionate wood turner. If you know of a fellow bowl turner, Furniture Maker, wood sculptors, cabinet maker, luthier, school, teacher, student, family, organization that might be interested,
I also want to give out his open car hauler trailer to any circle truck driver or a towing service, auction house, vehicle dealership, auto racing teams, that might be interested, kindly forward this message to them.
dylan - 8th September 2024

I really enjoyed spending the day making the puzzle & I found it really inspiring. I also really liked learning how to make a ring on the lathe it is also amazing in the way that it works and it was fun confusing my family and friends in how to disassemble it and my grandad (who’s a tech teacher) was interested on how I made it.
dylan - 8th September 2024

I really enjoyed spending the day making the puzzle & I found it really inspiring. I also really liked learning how to make a ring on the lathe it is also amazing in the way that it works and it was fun confusing my family and friends in how to disassemble it and my grandad (who’s a tech teacher) was interested on how I made it.
Mark Davies - 1st September 2024

A 60th birthday present from my kids. What a fantastic opportunity to learn a new art from a true professional and real expert. 2 brilliant days spent in the company of a true gentlemen. Patient, gentle, detailed, and expectant of effort, attention, and high standards from his pupil, it was an experience to remember and also to build on.
Little did I or the family know that I was/am the last pupil/student that Albert is likely to teach so I hope I was a fitting end to a long and productive career. If it proves to be the case that I am the last of a long list of students who have benefitted from Albert's expertise and skill I hope I was a good exemplar and more to the point what an absolute privilege it will have been to be that person who was the final name on the list.
Thank you Sir, and best wishes,
Mark, Ollie, Em and Geo who had the idea and found you.
Angus - 10th July 2024

Really brilliant day with Albert learning woodturning (so brilliant that I went back for the second day).
Albert was a calm, patient and knowledgable teacher - the day flew past and at the end of day one I took home my own turned bowl and steak knife. Day two saw me leaving with a larger bowl and natural edged bowl (and some fresh grown vegetables from the garden).
I would (and have) recommended this to anyone - if you have ever wanted to try wood turning, this is the place to start.

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