Best YouTube to learn woodturning?

[Luis Reyes]

Hi All,

I have access to a woodworking studio that includes a lathe. I got a quick intro on it but not much more than that. Is there a YouTuber anyone recommends with good videos on getting started with woodturning? I’m thinking safety and technique to start.

I’ll do a quick search as well but figure if there are some good known videos I’d love to know!

Thanks

Luis

[Tom Levy]

Woodturning: A foundation course by Keith Rowley

used copies on amazon are less than a kids meal at mcdonalds

[Reed Gray]

Well, of course I will suggest my videos, under robo hippy. Most is about bowl turning. I like Mike Waldt, who is from Wales. Not so much technique, but lots of interesting projects. Stuart Batty is another. Woodturner 21 is a spindle turning master, and his videos, as he states, are more to show how things are done, but not how to do them. Stuart Batty is good. Depending on where you are, look up the nearest club, which you can probably just google. They have mentors. The AAW has a listing of clubs. Monthly demos, and you can ask questions. Turning is addicting....

robo hippy

[Kevin Jenness]

Reed's suggestions are good. I would add Brian Havens, Lyle Jamieson, Al Hockenberry and John Lucas. You can pick up a lot from videos but there is no substitute for hands-on mentoring. It's easy to start out on the wrong foot and as someone said, "Practice makes permanent."

[Randall J Cox]

I've been watching "turnawoodbowl" with Kent. Great comprehensive group of videos. No shortcuts. Videos to cover every aspect of turning. Randy

[Richard Coers]

Not the answer to your question, but I've done a lot of teaching. Finding a mentor at a local AAW chapter will cut 6 months of learning time by having the mentor looking over your shoulder. It's incredibly hard to understand the nuances of turning, but no comparison of watching on a computer monitor compared to learning in real time on a lathe. Woodturning is NEVER as simple as it looks on a monitor. I know I'm biased since I learned my trade before computers, but when I look at beginners work on the internet, there is little to been seen that could change my mind.

[Thomas Wilson80]

Brian Havens was the most helpful for me as a new turner. Since then I've watched a lot of others but always go back to Brian's videos if I'm having issues or need to review.
For the skew, I watched Alan Lacer and learned the skew from his vids.

GL,
tom

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

when I got back into turning after 40 years, lathe accesrories and tool had changed so much. I watched and watched, all kinds of videos. Using the skew never made sense until I watched a German guy. Even without being able to follow the German, what he showed and the way he demonstrated made things much clearer.

The American Assoc of Wood Turners had a list of videos that were juried for proper technique and safety. For a while they had a free beginner partial membership which gave access to the videos. Don't know if they still do.

There a goofy poem about jumping into a bramble bush and scratching out your eyes, and then jumping into the bush again and scratching the eyes back in. Learning from videos is a lot like that. So much information hitting you all at one time seems bewildering and leaves you confused for a while. Keep at it and eventually things start to click. I know I have watched a couple of Alan Lacer's videos 3 or 4 times.

[Randy Heinemann]

While there are good videos online and for purchase, a 3-day hands-on course with a good teacher would push you quickly toward good technique. They can be expensive, with the class and travel expenses, but if you want to get a good start that's the way. The problem is picking one that is compatible with you and how you learn, you can afford, and works in your schedule. The suggestion of a club member in a local club is a great one. Most are willing to spend time teaching you the basics.

[Luis Reyes]

Thanks for all the responses! I hadn’t thought about books so I’ll see what my library has.

interesting to see many suggest a local club. I met a retired wood turner at Home Depot who invited me to a wood turning club he was a part of. It’s a little far but maybe worth it, I’ll also look at some of the videos mentioned above!

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

FREE FREEE The AAW has a FREE three month affiliate membership, with access to a great deal of beginner information that has been screened for proper content and safety

https://www.woodturner.org/Woodturne...embership.aspx

[mike calabrese]

I've been watching "turnawoodbowl" with Kent. Great comprehensive group of videos. No shortcuts. Videos to cover every aspect of turning. Randy

I have seen some of Kent's vids "turnawoodbowl" . He does an excellent job with the finer details but not in an overbearing or painful way.

Also to the Lt Colonel, USAF (ret.) Thank You...I get to be free here because you were there !
calabrese55

[Bernie Kopfer]

[QUOTE=Luis Reyes;3247901]Hi All,

I have access to a woodworking studio that includes a lathe. I got a quick intro on it but not much more than that. Is there a YouTuber anyone recommends with good videos on getting started with woodturning? I’m thinking safety and technique to start.

I’ll do a quick search as well but figure if there are some good known videos I’d love to know

Luis, before you spend a lot of time learning to turn ask yourself what your long term objectives are. If you are planning on turning to become a long term doing-it-frequently hobby or for profit, by all means learn the traditional tool methods
But if not don’t want to waste your time, learn how to use the carbide tool system and with one hour of mentoring you will be turning and actually having fun and very safely too. I know the traditionalist will start screaming at this point, but if you want satisfaction and results quickly without the hassle of learning sharpening and the body and mind contortions needed for traditional tools, start turning with carbide. But it all depends on your long term objectives.

[Brian Deakin]

The link below is the best current link for Stuart Batty and includes a link to his 34 videos on Vimeo

https://www.dmwoodturners.com/?page_id=642

Stuart also has a number of videos on YouTube which are worth watching

[Earl McLain]

Craft Supplies USA has a series named Woodturning 101 (Kirk DeHeer) that does a good job of skill building. Would be best used by taking at least a few weeks with episode to gain some experience before moving on to the next one. DeHeer does a fair job of demonstrating what can go wrong.

Agree on Kent at Turn a Wood Bowl is good as well. He does a very good job of WHY things go wrong--learning "why" helped me stop some of my mistakes.

Best of all is some personal time with other turners--i.e. finding a club and/or mentor. I learned a lot about turning from good videos, but there is no YouTube channel that provide feedback on my stance, presentation and rhythm that will really help me get better. Better to get some coaching early, so your foundation is solid--that would have made my turning so much easier!! The club i'm active in is a 90 minute drive each way and worth every minute. There are several members that have skill sets that could be a marketable as many "name" turners, but they kept their day jobs--and all are willing to help in coaching.

Best wishes moving forward!!