What a Great Day

[Bruce Pennell]

Today I got my first lesson. I received a private 5 hour lesson from Wally Dickerman (http://www.turnwood.net/wallydickerman_703.html). What a great teacher, I feel very lucky to have tapped into his great knowledge. Wally and his wife are great people very honest and open. I did get to view a lot of nice work, I think Wally has traded with everyone.
It is hard to put into words how much I enjoyed myself today. Wally has such a depth of knowledge when it comes to the vortex. I got to see tools he made back when there where no bowl tools. I had tried one 14" hollow form, but did not have the tools to finish it. Wally let me try a lot of different tools. Life is great!
I've only been turning now for about 3 months so this was a great treat for me. Wally walked me through a 7" X 3" hollow form. The opening is 2 3/4", walnut collar and alder form. What a difference a lesson can make. Wally spent time on form, tool sharpening, life, and turning. What a great teacher. I can not wait for my hollowing tools to get here. I decided to go with Don Pencils (http://www.donpencil.com/) scorpion combo. After the lesson from Wally and trying his tools, I decided to wait on the laser, capture system, until I learn to do it by hand,and sound.
Thanks for looking, as always comments are welcome....Thanks...Bruce

[Brian Weick]

Great job Bruce, very nice work and I envy your little "school session " you had with your teacher~ :D
seriously,
great job Bruce
Brian

[Steve Schlumpf]

Bruce - WOW!!! What a great opportunity! Really nice looking hollow form! I hope to someday be as fortunate - Wally had to have been very inspirational! Congrats on the lessons - looking forward to seeing results of all that education!

[Glenn Hodges]

Bruce you are lucky to have a lesson with Wally, and the piece you made proves it, nice job.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Great job on a great HF Bruce. You are lucky to have a lesson with a fellow turner like Wally.

[Ken Vonk]

I was lucky enough to get a lesson from Wally not too long ago. He is a great guy. Don't you wish you could hook up to his brain and learn all the stuff he's learned...lol Your hollow form looks great. When I did mine, with Wally, I broke the walnut collar at the end of the lesson and had to come home and make a lid with a finial to finish the hollow form. My parents live in Green Valley and I hope to see Wally again when I go to visit.

Keep up the good work!

Ken

[Bruce Pennell]

Thanks everyone, Wally is just a great person and turner, I do wish there was a way to tap into all that knowledge.I really enjoyed his displays of other famous turners stuff, his projects were just unreal, thin and carved with a dental tool. He has a way of teaching that is just great, he tells you the truth, corrects what you are doing wrong, directs you, yet lets you do the work. For a first lesson it was fabulous. I am afraid any other teachers are going pale in comparison.
His teaching style is so open and sharing, interesting, about life and turning, he seems to cover it all. I feel very lucky.
Can't wait for my new tools to arrive. I've all ready done a 12" mesquite HF, with purple heart collar. Still need to refinish the outside, got some black streaking in my finish (2000 grit sandpaper must of been dirty?) small black steaks. Than thin out and smooth the inside. I can really see a big difference between my pre- Wally days and the last couple of projects.

[Jim Becker]

Time with Wally is undoubtedly a wonderful experience! 'Glad you had a good time and the work is great!