• We just finished a fairly major forum upgrade. If you are having problems using the forums, please clear your browser cache and that should clear up any issues. Otherwise post in the Help Thread or email us at forum_moderator@aawforum.org. Happy Holidays!
  • It's time to cast your vote in the December 2024 Turning Challenge. (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Vincent Luciani for "Flower Pot" being selected as Turning of the Week for December 23, 2024 (click here for details)
  • Conversations are now Direct Messages (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Favorite Instructional Videos???

uniquewoodworld.com

uniquewoodworld.com

Joined
Nov 16, 2004
Messages
15
Likes
0
Location
SE PA
Website
www.uniquewoodworld.com
What are your favorite instructional videos, what do they cover, and why do you like them best?

I currently have no videos/dvds in the house, but would like to add some--hopefully at the recommendation of this group. I find myself re-reading the 15 or so books I have on hand. The Ray Key and Keith Rowley books get the most use, as they speak a great deal on form. "Singing" Form is so elusive... *sigh*

At any rate lol, please do post up any books, VHSs, or DVDs that you felt inspired by, or that gave you insight into areas previously unconsidered.
 
uniquewoodworld.com said:
What are your favorite instructional videos, what do they cover, and why do you like them best?

I currently have no videos/dvds in the house, but would like to add some--hopefully at the recommendation of this group. I find myself re-reading the 15 or so books I have on hand. The Ray Key and Keith Rowley books get the most use, as they speak a great deal on form. "Singing" Form is so elusive... *sigh*

At any rate lol, please do post up any books, VHSs, or DVDs that you felt inspired by, or that gave you insight into areas previously unconsidered.
Click to expand...
It depends on what you are trying to learn. For bowl turning, Two Ways to make a Bowl featuring, Stuart Batty and Mike Mahoney is good. I have the DVD version I prefer the DVD because the pace is so fast I need to repeat parts. I find that easier with the DVD. The Elsworth videos are great too; he has a lot different style than Batty and Mahoney. I like to check out different turners techniques and then see which works best for me. For the skew Alan Lacer and Richard Raffin rule. Currently I have, Turning Projects with Richard Raffan, checked out from our club library. That man can turn in 5 minutes more and better turnings, than I can turn in 30 minutes. I’m buying my own copy. It is a great advantage to belong to a turning club with a nice library. I haven’t checked out a book or video yet that I haven’t learned something from! I’ve had a lathe for over 20 years but only have been turning seriously for a little over a year. I’m finding out, The more I learn the more I need to learn.
 
I got my dad Turning Boxes and Turning Wood , both by Raffan, for Christmas. Both are good DVDs. I was astounded with Raffan's back hollowing of boxes. He holllows one out is about 15 seconds. While I have no where near that skill level, I do pick up some technique.

I got Raffan's DVDs on hamiltonbook.com. They are a closeout place for books and videos. Some of the books have a ding or crease in the cover. Many are being discontinued. The price is certianly right. I think I got Raffans DVDs for $13 each.

Std Disclaimer: Happy costomer, no financial stake in Hamilton Books....
 
ideas

Jeff,

You indicate that you are from SE Pennsylvania. My recommendation to you is to contact Bob Rosand in Bloomsburg and find out when he is doing a local demo, or at least one near you. If that doesn't work, go to him for a private lesson session. Not only is he one of the woodturning world's best teachers, he and his wife Susan are great people. Bob may suggest a friend in your area who might be willing to help you.

I spent time in Bloomsburg with Bob and my woodturning improved noticeably afterwards. When The Smith Mountain Lake Woodturners formed less than a year ago, I became program chair. Bob was the first "big hat" we brought in for an all day demo and a workshop. I feel that by doing that early on, the club gained momentum. Today SMLW has over 40 members.

I don't know the AAW clubs in your area but a quick glance at the listings for PA in the directory shows that there should be one close to you. You can also find that info on this site. AAW clubs often have libraries that offer videos, but more important than that is the personal contacts who most likely will be extremely helpful to you. Before I moved to SW Virginia I was involved in two clubs in the DC and Maryland area. The help I received from those clubs was tremendous -- and I made good use of the video library.

I hope that you find a club. Let the videos follow after you take advantage of the club's resources. Just a thought. 🙂
 
Glenn said:
I got my dad Turning Boxes and Turning Wood , both by Raffan, for Christmas. Both are good DVDs. I was astounded with Raffan's back hollowing of boxes. He holllows one out is about 15 seconds. While I have no where near that skill level, I do pick up some technique.

I got Raffan's DVDs on hamiltonbook.com. They are a closeout place for books and videos. Some of the books have a ding or crease in the cover. Many are being discontinued. The price is certianly right. I think I got Raffans DVDs for $13 each.

Std Disclaimer: Happy costomer, no financial stake in Hamilton Books....
Click to expand...
If I can find those videos there for $13 each they are sold! I'll check out Hamilton Books. We had Chris Stott as demonstrator at our club last year. He can hollow a box with a skew quite quickly also.
 
I would agree with most of the above. I think the whole lot of Elsworth tapes are superb and fun as well.
Mahoney is excellent with good technique as well as theTwo Ways with Batty.
The sharpening video is well done, available through AAW. Del Stubbs video is contagious with his enthusiasm and makes me wish I had been taught by the man.
Also the personality pieces on Moulthrop, Nish are worthy to see other people's progress.
Alan Lacer's work is good on the use of the skew.
John Jordan's new work is good on Aesthetics which basically tell you how to set up the grain on your chuck in order to produce certain patterns. Also is helpful in terms of avoiding cracking.
HOWEVER, my favorite video for sheer solid knowledge about turning bowls is Bill Grumbine's new video that gives a down and dirty four cuts to use. He is a teacher and knows how to communicate. Excellent. You can find him at Wood Central's website or just run a search.
The beginning turner has a lot of excellent resourse at his/her disposal although nothing works like a lesson!
David Galloway
 
For bowl turning I would definately suggest this new DVD by Bill Grumbine of Kutztown, PA... http://www.wonderfulwood.com/dvd.html
This video takes you from cutting the blank out of the log to the final polishing and all steps in between including sharpening your tools...
If you are in the local area Bill also offers one on one instruction and is available for demos to clubs....
I do not work for Bill, but I am one of his many very happy students... he is a great teacher with a fantastic sense of humor that comes across very well on this DVD.. it is also probably one of the longest in the industry at 2+hours for the same price you would pay for any of the others...
 
I think my favorite videos are the one Del Stubbs did a number of years ago - lots of info - nicely done, David Ellsworth's videos (I do not have all of them - but like the bowl one and the hollow vessel one). I also got John Jordan's videos and thought they were good - but then he put out his new DVD and I like that the best. I almost think it depends on what you like to turn. Our club has a library and we get to rent them out for a month which gives us a chance to see if we want to buy them.
Hugh
 
TEK said:
If I can find those videos there for $13 each they are sold! I'll check out Hamilton Books. We had Chris Stott as demonstrator at our club last year. He can hollow a box with a skew quite quickly also.
Click to expand...


TEK - PM sent....

We had a Chris Stott demo last year. I was also impressed by him. He was a real nice, down to earth guy. He started by spindle turning a small table leg. I later won it in a raffle and got him to sign it. He's a class act.
 
As far as turning bowls information goes I echo Old Griz's remarks about Bill Grumbines two hour DVD.
I was terrified with using my fingernail profile Robert Sorby deep bowl gouge while I was learning to turn bowls before getting that video and I was resorting to using a scraper more than a gouge. Now I seldom use a scraper at all and I find that gouge is very easy to use for many other things than just bowls once learning the techniqe from a pro like Bill Grumbine. It is a joy to see those nice long curly shavings coming off so easy regardless of if it is green or dry wood being turned..
W.Y.
 
when work sent me all over the place, i'd travel with different turning videos -- my tastes changed as my turning experience developed.

but i started with the john jordan (bowl/hollow) & david ellsworth series tapes (espcially his #3).

raffan, alan lacer, chris stott are great beginner videos ... chris gives you an english turning perspective

allan batty has the best videos on the skew and thread chasing. and as an english master tradesman, he presents a traditional approach.

trent bosch has a good tape on his method for stump-to-turning-- but i really liked the part on his cravinig and 'illusion'

and aaw has some good tapes on sharpening, etc.
 
I have seen the Ellsworth, Raffan, Stubbs Videos
I think the best one out right now Is the Bill Grumbine DVD!!!!! It has sections so you can go right to the part you need to refresh on!
Jim
 
Another Video

Saturday was our club (North Coast Woodturners) meeting day. I picked up a two DVD video from the library. It is Mike Darlow’s "The Practice of Woodturning". This is not a DVD to watch in one sitting. I was getting a little bored watching the beginning chapters, although they would be great for someone not familiar with a lathe. Once I got through the introductory chapters. I got into the spindle turning section. This is some good stuff. He explains step by step how and why cuts are made with the spindle gouge, roughing gouge and skew chisel. As much as I love Raffan’s "Turning Projects" video, Raffans movements are so quick, I have to watch sections repeatedly to catch his technique. Darlow breaks it down step by step. Now I want to go down to the lathe and practice. This video is really long it’s 2Hrs 53 min from the beginning to the end of the spindle turning section. There is still a section on Cupchuck turning that has 5 chapters and then the second DVD that covers Faceplate turning and Bowl turning. I’d definitely recommend this video for learning spindle turning. I’ll post an opinion latter on the other chapters after I have watched them.
 
Tom;
Thanks for that info.
I have learned a lot about bowl turning from Bill Grumbines DVD but I need to know much more about spindle turning . I live in a one horse town and I know my library wont have the Mike Darlow one or if they could even order it in. I will check when they are open tomorrow (Closed Mondays).
Failing that, would anyone here have a site address that would list the contents and price of that one ? ?
W.Y.
 
Packard has it.

I see Packard Tools has it. It's over 7 hours long. It's not cheap $69.95. Maybe when that snow melts and you can travel to a club and it will be in their library. I'll put in a link to it. The AAW clubs are some great resources!Packards page
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top