Beginning Turning Suggestions?

[Mike Davis]

Are there any projects you would like to try (or would suggest) in a beginning turning class?

 

[SabertoothBunny]

In the first turning class I took we made a mallet and a pen. Other forgiving project could be french style rolling pins, bottle stoppers, candle holders, trivets, Harry Potter inspired wands, basic Christmas tree ornaments, mushrooms, trees, icicles, dibblers, etc etc etc

So for a beginners class I would suggest practical things they can take home and use. The mallet, dibbler, rolling pin, bottle stopper and pen are great options to use for beginners. They don't require many tools, are all spindle projects, allow for learning techniques and are very forgiving in the creation process.

 

[Mike Davis]

Good suggestions.

 

[ScottM]

Weed pots (vase for dried flowers).

 

[Steve Martin]

I recommend using 2"x2" white wood, practice use of different tools and make piece round, then make coves, v's, other shapes, with gouges, skews, parting tools, etc. Several really good turners use this practice to "get back in the groove" when they have been on vacation or otherwise away from the lathe for a week or more. It also allows practicing how to hold the tools, assess sharpness, move hips to create tool movement.

 

[iclark]

In my first turning class, we made 1/4" drop nose scrapers.
The instructor furnished the 1/4" square HSS blanks, brass ferrule, set screw, and wood blank.
It was a good project for a mini-lathe.
Instructor drilled the hole for the steel and the set screw. We tapped the set screw hole through the ferrule and wood, hardened it with some CA, and then cleaned the threads again with the tap.
Everyone chose their own concept for the handle. My niece made hers in the shape of a baseball bat since she was a serious softball player.

Carving mallets can be frustrating to get the hitting surface of the mallet straight-line in the short time of a first class.
If you have enough parting tools to go around, honey dippers can be fun as can Christmas tree ornaments in the shape of Christmas trees done like a honey dipper.
The first pen turning class I took had a number of 1st time turners in it. The Turn for Troops pen turning event always welcomes 1st time turners.

 

[bob vaughan]

I recommend using 2"x2" white wood, practice use of different tools and make piece round, then make coves, v's, other shapes, with gouges, skews, parting tools, etc. Several really good turners use this practice to "get back in the groove" when they have been on vacation or otherwise away from the lathe for a week or more. It also allows practicing how to hold the tools, assess sharpness, move hips to create tool movement.

What teaching of beginners I've done, I've found this preliminary exercise to be a great confidence builder but I suspect that you already do something similar with beginners.
Decades back there was a list floating around called "Doyle's List" suggesting various lathe projects that span the range of skill levels. A beginner will usually choose something do-able.

 

[Phil S]

Angels always seem to be a hit

 

[wbarnes]

What teaching of beginners I've done, I've found this preliminary exercise to be a great confidence builder but I suspect that you already do something similar with beginners.
Decades back there was a list floating around called "Doyle's List" suggesting various lathe projects that span the range of skill levels. A beginner will usually choose something do-able.

View attachment 209762

Seeing this list makes me want to get into turning!

 

[Hmerkle]

@Mike Davis
I think you concentrate on skill building.
A project that the student pics that is based on learning the skew or the gouge or other tools.

1. The student should become familiar with the machine and the tools and lose or at least be able to control his or her fear of jamming a sharp tool into a spinning piece of wood!

 

[Mike Davis]

Yeah my teaching at home is more like that.

This is for beginners at Sawtooth. A lot of times they just want an easy taste of a class for fun and to see if they like it enough for more classes.

So a completed project in 4 hours with instruction, practice, clean up, and after class discussion has to be fairly simple. And they want a variety.

 

[bob vaughan]

Yeah my teaching at home is more like that.

This is for beginners at Sawtooth. A lot of times they just want an easy taste of a class for fun and to see if they like it enough for more classes.

So a completed project in 4 hours with instruction, practice, clean up, and after class discussion has to be fairly simple. And they want a variety.

You've got a tough job ahead of you but I expect you'll come up with an outstanding bunch of projects.

Decades back, I taught a woodturning class at a local community college for a few semesters. The prep and planning time was amazing before each class, but when the class was done, it was worth it.