Workshops at the Russ Fellows Woodturning Center
The Vermont Woodturners Guild offers a broad selection of single day workshops through the Russ Fellows Woodturning Center.
Here is a listing of our workshops. To register click on the “Sign me up” button below. Workshops are open to current Guild members. Consider becoming a member by clicking here.
| Live Edge Bowls (Sign up to be on waitlist) |  |  |  | May 22, 2024 6:00-9:00pm | Tom Dunne | This introduction to live edge bowl turning will focus on orienting and mounting green side grain blanks, and the techniques used to retain the natural edge while turning. Tool selection and safety considerations will also be discussed. All materials will be provided. | Full (Waitlist Available) | $25 |
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| Basic Bowls (Sign up to be on waitlist) |  |  |  | May 29. 2024 6:00-9:00pm | Andy Duling | This workshop will focus on skill development rather than the creation of a single finished piece. After an overview of wood selection and orientation, prepping blanks, and attachment to the lathe, participants will practice a series of tool techniques to advance their skills as a bowl turner. This workshop would be a good environment for turners to gain new perspective on their problem areas when making bowls. | Full (Waitlist Available) | $25 |
| Skewing A Round: Getting Comfortable with the Skew Chisel (Sign up to be on waitlist) |  |  |  | June 11, 2024 6:00-9:00pm | Brad Vietje | Let’s all get past our fears and dislike of the dreaded Skew chisel! Learn to love this most important tool for spindle turning. We’ll tackle practical uses and sharpening, so you can feel more confident using this fundamental spindle turning tool. Materials provided. BYOS: Bring Your Own Skew so we can make sure your grind and attitude are in good order. | Full (Waitlist Available) | $25 |
| Embellishments |  |  |  | June 25, 2024 6:00-9:00pm | Dave Buchholz | This workshop will cover several ways to enhance your turnings with color, carving and wood burning. Bring in a turning (or a few) you would like to embellish. All other materials will be provided. The photos show example using milk paint, wood burning, photosensitive dyes, and fabric reactive dyes. | 1 | $25 |
| Burning and Coloring with Shou Sugi Ban Technique and Pigments (Sign up to be on waitlist) |  |  |  | July 11, 2024 6:00-9:00pm | Ross Mitchel | Blacken the surface of turnings with the burning technique known as Shou Sugi Ban, and add color with liming wax and similar pigmented products. We will complete the process from burning through finishing. Ash is the wood of choice for this technique. Bring several Ash turnings up to 10” or so in diameter, (sanded smooth), or use pieces I will provide. If you want to use your own pieces but don’t have any Ash, pick up some Ash blanks at the May or June Sawdust sessions. All other tools and materials provided. | Full (Waitlist Available) | $25 |
| Intermediate Bowl Gouge Techniques (Sign up to be on waitlist) |  | July 23, 2024 6:00-9:00pm | Nick Rosato | Most turners can make a few basic cuts with their bowl gouge but are not using the full range of this versatile tool. This workshop will cover a broad range of useful cuts and their application to different forms. It will also include sharpening, bevel options, and techniques for achieving clean cuts and reducing sanding. All material provided. Tools also provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their favorite bowl gouge(s). | Full (Waitlist Available) | $25 | ||
| Platters (Sign up to be on waitlist) |  | July 25, 2024 6:00-9:00pm | Dave Buchholz | Making plates and platters from dimensioned dry lumber as thin as ¾”. This workshop will cover both functional and aesthetic design considerations, chucking, and techniques for minimizing sanding. All tools and materials provided. The photo shows a white oak platter with a wide rim enhanced with brown fiber reactive dye. | Full (Waitlist Available) | $25 | ||
| Pens |  | August 3, 2024 9:00-12:00pm | Gary Walz | This Workshop will cover the process of making a single barrel pen from start to finish. Students will learn how to prepare, turn and finish wood blanks. The student will leave with a pen they made themselves. $15 material fee. | 3 | $25 | ||
| Intermediate Bowl Gouge Techniques (Sign up to be on waitlist) | | August 20, 2024 6:00-9:00pm | Nick Rosato | Most turners can make a few basic cuts with their bowl gouge but are not using the full range of this versatile tool. This workshop will cover a broad range of useful cuts and their application to different forms. It will also include sharpening, bevel options, and techniques for achieving clean cuts and reducing sanding. All material provided. Tools also provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their favorite bowl gouge(s). | Full (Waitlist Available) | $25 | ||
| Skewing A Round: Getting Comfortable with the Skew Chisel (Sign up to be on waitlist) | | | | September 7, 2024 9:00-12:00pm | Brad Vietje | Let’s all get past our fears and dislike of the dreaded Skew chisel! Learn to love this most important tool for spindle turning. We’ll tackle practical uses and sharpening, so you can feel more confident using this fundamental spindle turning tool. Materials provided. BYOS: Bring Your Own Skew so we can make sure your grind and attitude are in good order. | Full (Waitlist Available) | $25 |
| Live Edge Bowls | | | | September 14, 2024 6:00-9:00pm | Tom Dunne | This introduction to live edge bowl turning will focus on orienting and mounting green side grain blanks, and the techniques used to retain the natural edge while turning. Tool selection and safety considerations will also be discussed. All materials will be provided. | 2 | $25 |
| Rolling Pins |  | September 17, 2024 6:00-9:00pm | Fred Walters | We’ll produce a classic rolling pin from start to finish. It’s a fairly straightforward spindle turning project and we’ll focus on turning technique, form, finish, and a sanding trick to get a flat, smooth surface. All material provided. Bring your skew if you have one. | 1 | $25 | ||
| Ultimate Ice Cream Bowl |  |  |  | September 25, 2024 6:00-9:00pm | Ted Fink | You will learn the history of the design and manufacture of the Ultimate Ice Cream Bowl. You will learn the step by step process of turning and finishing your own UICB and you will also leave with a dry turned UICB blank ready for finishing. And always remember: You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream. Please check out this link: https://youtu.be/BrVbX7WrtYE?si=45SUFErYfnq0gsZX | 3 | $25 |
| Bowl Turning for Beginners | October 10, 2024 | Elsa Oppenheimer & Ross Mitchel | This introductory workshop is for those with no turning experience, who would like to give it a try to see if it is something they would like to pursue. Our goal is to demystify the lathe and turning process. Our focus will be on learning techniques, and not on producing a finished piece. Workshop content includes: Safety, Parts of the lathe, Attachment methods, Choice of woods, Grain orientation, Tools and techniques for shaping both the inside and outside of the bowl. All tools and materials will be provided. Wear work clothes and close-toed shoes. | 2 | $25 | |||
| Twice Turned Bowls | January 23, 2025 | Ross Mitchel | Unlike “once turned” which is turning a green piece through to completion all at once, “twice turned” is the process of initially rough turning a piece, and leaving it thick to dry and warp for several month before returning it to the lathe for a second turning to true it up and finish it. Both approaches have their pros and cons, and they produce different results. This workshop is for those who can turn a basic bowl from green wood, but have not yet ventured into, or are not yet comfortable with, the more challenging second turning process. You can bring your own dry rough turned piece(s) if you like, or use ones I will provide. | 4 | $25 | |||
If you would like to register for one of these workshops please be sure you are available on this date and time, and can commit to this workshop. We take our if you sign up, show up policy very seriously. No-shows are discourteous to the volunteer instructor who has taken the time to develop and deliver this workshop, and they deprive another member of the learning opportunity.
Once your registration is confirmed, you will receive an email indicating if you are registered or waitlisted, with instructions for submitting payment. Any payment made is non-refundable.
