Learn to Turn Wood with Woodturner Phil Holtan

  • 2-Day Weekend Workshops
  • Sharpening techniques
  • Spindles and bowls
  • From a tree to a bowl
  • Try out tools and chucks
  • For beginners to advanced turners

Turning Workshops

Phil has been doing workshops for woodturners for over 20 years and has worked with over 750 turners in over 150 workshops, mostly just three turners at a time. He does his workship mostly from January to June and does art shows June to December. The workshop dates will be posted in the middle of December

Click here to download a printable registration form. Please return soon with a deposit of $100 to reserve a place. The total cost of a workshop is $225 for 2006, which includes all wood, the use of tools and chucks, two meals and a copy of "Phil's Turning Tips."

You'll work on one of three great lathes in my shop - an Australian Woodfast bowl lathe with 20-inch swing, an 8-foot bed Oliver Patternmaker's lathe and a swing-head Nova 3000. I have a full set of tools, including the Stewart system for hollowing, and the McNaughton system for coring multiple bowls and a variety of chucks for each of the four turners. You will work with great lathes and sharp tools and experience turning at its very best.

If you have your own tools, you should bring them to learn to sharpen and use them, but you don't need to bring anything.

Hear what Participants say:

  • "Just an absolutely great two days for me" - Duey M.
  • "Excellent job-you really know your stuff and you teach it very well. Couldn't be more pleased with what I learned and the bowl I produced." - Bob R.
  • "You're a good teacher-a fun time." - Al S.
  • "Can't believe time went by so fast; very informative, great hands on shop." - Keith B.

More Information

  • It works well to include advanced turners along with beginning turners in the same workshop.
  • Take home your own bowl, a copy of Phil's Turning Tips," and a list of turning resources.
  • Friday dinner and Saturday lunch and coffee treats are included. Great fellowship with other turners.
  • Overnight accomodations are your responsibility.
  • I will send directions to my home and studio.

Workshop Schedule

Friday 3 p.m. - 10 p.m.

  • Orient lathes, tools and safety
  • Sharpening, begin spindle turning skills
  • Roughing blanks
  • "Taming of the skew"
  • Coves and beads with gouge, beading tool, and skew chisel
  • "Keep it sharp" and "Ride the bevel" will ring in your ears

Saturday 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

  • Review spindle turning
  • Bowl turning with bowl gouges
  • Go from green wood to bowl blanks
  • Practice first and then turn your first bowl
  • Learn to harvest, dry and use green logs
  • Design, chucking, and tool handling
  • Sanding and finishing