• Congratulations to Alex Bradley winner of the December 2024 Turning Challenge (click here for details)
  • Conversations are now Direct Messages (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Gabriel Hoff for "Spalted Beech Round Bottom Box" being selected as Turning of the Week for January 6, 2024 (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.

Turning school???

Joined
May 31, 2005
Messages
55
Likes
0
Hi Everybody,

Well, with the PM3520a and every accessory know to man on the way I have another question. Have any of you gone to either the Arrowmont or John Campbell schools for turning instruction? I am largely a self-taught turner and have wondered if it would be fun to attend one of these week long school to really hone my tallent. I have looked at the websites for both and find that the Arrowmont school is a bit more intense while the Campbell school allows late afternoons free and encourages free time. I am leaning toward the Campbell school because Dave Hout is going to be teaching there and I enjoy his instructional style on TV. Please share your thoughts especially if you have direct experience with any of the above.

Thanks,

Chris
 
Chris,

Know several people who have gone to Arrowmont and Anderson Ranch (other one you didn't mention), and all found the experience very good. I've attended David Ellsworth's 3-day class at his studio in Eastern PA, and think it is exceptional. Would that I had time for a full week at one of these places.

By all means do it if you can.
 
chris
I have been to John Campbell and visited Arrowmont many times. I would highly recommend either one. You might also look into The Appalachian Center for Crafts in Smithville, Tn. www.tntech.edu/craftcenter They don't have as many workshops but the ones they do have are a lot of fun.
 
Thanks guys. Interestingly, I used to be on faculty at TTU and knew about the Craft Center but, never took any of the classes offered there. I am glad they have some quality offerings. Plus, all of the schools are relatively close to me since I live in the Nashville area.
 
I work as a photographer at TTU and have been here since 1987. I didn't know about the Craft Center until I got here even though it had been in existence since about 1980. I was actively into woodworking at that time and certainly would have gone by there to visit if Ihad known about it. What a great place, and it's getting better all the time.
They take a lot of flak because they don't offer more workshops but it's a teaching school. The workshops are something they offer during the summer when there aren't as many students. It's not workshop oriented like Arrowmont and John Campbell
 
There are a few areas in the country where excellent local woodturing classes are offered. Some are by well lknown local turners others are more formal.

Check with the clubs in your area.

One such place is Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts in Annapolis. Which offers Basic and intermediate woodturning by the resident instructors and one or two masters classes each year.

Resident instructors are currently Joe Dickey, Margaret Lospinuso, and Temple Blackwood. Each of them are talented turners and excellent teachers. I taught there for 8 years and Phil Brown, Steve Gleasner, David Fry, Frank Amigo were all resident instructors before moving as I did.

The most recent Master Classes have been with Bob Rosand, Cindy Drozda, Al Stirt, Trent Bosch, Jimmy clewes and Lyle Jamieson.
 
I had the best vacation I have ever had a number of years ago when my wife treated me to a two week session with John Jordan and Gail Montgomery at Arrowmont. Arrowmont is great. You stay there, eat there and turn there. There are other arts and crafts classes going on, so if someone goes with you they can take a class that interests them. The food was good. Lodging was good also. The woodturning classroom was great. We had as much wood to turn as we wanted. They opened the shop at 6 AM - breakfast was at 7 AM. Class would start at 9 AM and run until around 4 PM with a break for lunch. They kept the shop open until around midnight. As long as there were two people in the shop you could use the machinery. Then the shop was open on the weekend also. I think I drove my wife crazy as I was in the shop all the time.

I went back to Arrowmont for a week with David Ellsworth about a year ago. They didn't have the shop open quite as much (not as early) but I still had a great time. Arrowmont now has a bunch of Stubby lathes, a couple of Oneway lathes, a General and something else I can't remember. Class size was about 12 - 14 people.

The input I got from taking both of these classes made me a better turner. Both in shapes and techinique.

You kind of get culture shock after leaving Arrowmont and just outside the gate is Gatlinburg. But as I said earlier - what a vacation. I had a ball.
Go if you get the chance. I have only heard about the other schools - but nothing negative.

Let us know if you go and what you think. Some classes fill early (David's, John's and others) so you need to be on top of when they accept reservations.
Hugh
 
Right experience at right time

Chris,

I tried to gauge your experience level from your post. It sounds as if you are not a brand new turner. If that is accurate then you have two options as I see it. Either take a course at Arrowmont or J.C. Campbell or find an experienced turner whose teaching ability is known to you and get private lessons from such an individual.

For those in the Lakeland, Florida area I would recommend Al Hockenbery, who is an excellent instructor. I was a member of Maryland Hall and the Chesapeake Woodturners when I lived near Annapolis, Maryland and can verify that he has accurately portrayed the excellent teaching environment and professionalism you will find there.

As a former teacher, I have strong feelings about "when to do what" when learning to turn. Arrowmont is regarded by some as the ultimate woodturning learning experience. And it can be. But I think some go there before they are ready to absorb what the excellent instructors have to offer. Those who are true "intermediates" or better will get a lot out of Arrowmont. But I think a beginner is better off going to someone for private lessons than they are "jumping in the deep end of the pool" at a place like Arrowmont and going home feeling intimidated by the progress of those around them, those who were ready to learn at the next level.

Do not be misled here. I like Arrowmont and look forward to going there again. But I remember the frustration of a real novice in our group who was not prepared for the intensity of the experience. She tried hard, but she would have been better off taking private lessons somewhere.

Just food for thought. 🙂
 
Hi Everybody,

Thanks so much for the feedback regarding these programs. Ed, you are correct, I am not a novice turner. I have 4 lathes (I promise I will sell 2) and have been turning for a few years. I turn bowls, spindles, pens, etc. I just received my newest lathe yesterday, a PM3520a (from Osolnick's and they did a great job at a considerable bargain). Since before I ordered this lathe I have been contemplating attending a truning school to get a really good "immersion" type training. Right now I am leaning toward going to Arrowmont to take the class with Dave Hout from Aug. 14-20 this year. I find his program on DIY to be very good and his instructional style appealing. My plan would be to come back with some pictures that I could post and indeed, report upon my experience. Thanks again for all the positive comments.
 
Back
Top