2-Day Bowl Turning Course

Develop Your Skills and Create Beautiful Handmade Bowls

I highly recommend my 2-Day Bowl Turning Course if you’re passionate about learning new skills. It’s an excellent opportunity to learn traditional techniques and develop your skills while creating beautiful handmade bowls.

Suitable for participants over 16 years old, the course is physically demanding and requires reasonable fitness and flexibility.

Here are the key details you need to know:

Venue and Dates

I offer this course at several venues across Cambridgeshire, and I can also offer it at your location if it is mutually convenient. Please get in touch with me to discuss options.

How many people can attend?

Generally, this is a 1-2-1 course. However, if you would like to bring a guest, I have additional pole-lathes and tools they can use. There is a surcharge of £50 for a second person.

What You’ll Learn

Over two days of coaching on a traditional pole-lathe, I’ll guide you through the following key aspects of bowl turning:

2-Day Bowl Turning Course Day One:

  • Turning a Wooden Mandrel: First, you’ll select a suitable piece of wood for your mandrel. Then you’ll use a carving axe and chopping block to create a cylindrical blank. This blank is then mounted onto the pole-lathe, where you’ll use specialist hook tools to turn a mandrel.
  • Preparing a Bowl Blank: Once the mandrel has been completed, you’ll select another piece of wood or log to make a bowl blank. You’ll build on skills learned earlier to split out and axe your log into a bowl blank.
  • Mounting the Bowl Blank onto the Pole-lathe: To mount the bowl blank, you must drill a hole to accommodate the mandrel. Once the mandrel has been attached to the bowl blank, you’ll mount it between the centres on the pole-lathe.
  • Turning a Wooden Bowl: The remaining part of the course is dedicated to producing bowls using a traditional pole-lathe and tools.

2-Day Bowl Turning Course Day Two:

  • Turning a Wooden Bowl (Continued): There may be enough time for you to complete a second bowl.
  • Cleaning Up the Bowl: Once the core has been removed from the bowl, the final task is to remove the scars from where the mandrel and stock held the bowl.
  • Oiling and Aftercare for Your Bowl: Before you leave, I’ll provide information on drying and oiling your bowl.

    A Previous Attendee

    This is Rob. He joined me on a pole-lathe turning course in St Ives, Cambridgeshire.

    Rob on a bowl-turning course

    Booking Details

    The course costs £300, and bookings can be made using the form below. Please indicate the first day of the course when selecting the date, the course is always over two consecutive days. I will create a secure payment link so that you can confirm your preferred dates with a 25% deposit.

    Join me for an immersive and rewarding experience, and take your bowl turning skills to the next level with our 2-Day Bowl Turning Improvers Course. Book your spot today and discover the beauty and artistry of traditional bowl turning.


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