E-Learning is Back
Learning From Your Own Workshop
An old recording shot from before I moved my studio to the school.
The e-Learning section of the website is back, and I wanted to take a moment to explain what's there and why it exists.
Not everyone can get to Hampshire. I know that. Some of you are too far away, some have commitments that make a full day impossible, and some just want to work through things at your own pace, pausing and rewinding when you need to. That's exactly what these video courses are for.
They're not a replacement for hands-on tuition. Nothing beats standing at a lathe with someone who can see what you're doing and nudge you in the right direction. But they're a solid way to learn a new technique, revisit something you've forgotten, or prepare for a project before you commit timber to the lathe.
What's Available Now
There are currently six courses in the e-Learning section:
Turn a Wooden Bowl takes you through the whole process from mounting a blank to applying a finish. It's the kind of thing you might watch before your first bowl, or revisit six months later when you want to tighten up your technique. This series is available as part of the Two Day Refresher Videos
Two Day Course Refresher Videos are specifically for people who've attended our Two Day Beginners Class. Nearly two hours of video covering what we taught in person, so you can watch it again when the details start to blur. Nobody else offers this, and it's one of the reasons people come back to us.
Contemporary Ring Box is a project I've taught many times. It's a lovely little piece that covers box-making fundamentals: fitting lids, back-hollowing, and getting a clean finish on something small and precise.
Les Thorne's Box Chronicles brings Les's classic DVD online. If you want to learn box-making from someone who's been turning professionally for over 25 years, this is where to start. The basic box and curly top box are both covered in detail.
Droplet Clock and Companion Mirror walks through turning these elegant spindle projects. Good for developing your eye for proportion and working on clean, flowing curves.
Improve Your Smartphone Photography might seem like an odd one for a woodturning school, but here's the thing: if you're making work you're proud of, you'll want to photograph it properly. This course covers everything you need to take decent photos of your turning with the phone you already own. No expensive camera required.
More Coming in 2026!
I'm planning to add more courses and micro lessons through the year. Some will be project-based, others will focus on specific techniques or tools. If there's something you'd like to see covered, let me know. The whole point of this is to be useful, and knowing what people actually want to learn makes that easier.
You can find all the e-Learning courses at www.thewoodturning.school/e-learning.