The School website holds an awful lot of information. There are beginner days and intermediate classes, guest tutors, one-to-one lessons, the waiting list, directions, what to wear on the day, and a blog that runs from sanding to proportion. It's all there, though finding the one answer you need can mean a fair bit of clicking about.
So we've added a chat assistant to help you find what you're after quickly. You'll see a small chat button in the corner of the page. Click it, ask whatever you like, and it will answer your question or point you to the right course.
It's especially handy if you're unsure which class suits you, because it asks a few questions about your turning before suggesting one.
What it knows
I've given it everything I'd want a student to know before booking: what each class covers, who it suits, prices, what's included, what to wear, how to find us, and how booking, date changes and the waiting list work. It knows which classes are for complete beginners and which expect some time at the lathe. If you're thinking about Introduction to Hollowing, for example, it will ask whether you're comfortable with a bowl gouge and holding work between centres before it suggests you book.
That questioning is the part I care about most. People are poor judges of their own level, and I include myself in that. Asking someone whether they're a beginner or an intermediate turner rarely gets a useful answer. Asking what they've made so far, and which tools they reach for without thinking, usually does. So that's what it asks.
What it can't do
It can't see the booking calendar, so it won't promise you a place on a particular date. It will send you to the class page, where the calendar shows what's left. It can't take a booking or a payment either.
If your question needs me, because it's about a booking you've already made or because it isn't sure of the answer, it will ask for your name and email and pass them on. I'll reply, usually within a couple of working days.
It's an AI assistant, and it will tell you so if you ask. It sounds a bit like me, because I wrote its instructions. I'd hate anyone to think they'd been chatting to me when they hadn't, so it says plainly what it is.
Why it helps
The website has grown over the years. It has beginner days, intermediate classes, guest tutors coming in 2027, one-to-one lessons, a waiting list, and a blog with posts on everything from sanding to proportion. That's a lot to wade through at ten o'clock at night when you're trying to work out what to do next. Ask one question and the assistant brings back the page you need.
It also means you get an answer at ten o'clock at night, when I'm long gone from the workshop.
Tell me if it gets something wrong
It's new, and I'm still teaching it. If it tells you something that doesn't sound right, I'd genuinely like to know. Drop me an email at hello@thewoodturning.school, or mention it in the chat and leave your details.
If you'd rather talk to a person, that's fine too. The workshop phone and email are on the website, the same as they've always been.
I hope it helps you find the right class, and I look forward to seeing you at the lathe.