Introduction to Woodturning
Discover woodturning from scratch and learn to transform a rough blank using our brand-new professional lathes. A fully hands-on weekend guided by a visiting professional turner, designed to teach you the fundamental techniques, make your first pieces and discover why the lathe hooks you from the very first minute.
Your first weekend at the lathe.
Over two days you'll learn the foundations of woodturning from scratch, guided by a visiting professional turner. You'll work directly on our brand-new professional lathes, learning to control the tools, understand the direction of the cut and make your first pieces — both between centres and in a chuck. An intensive, fully hands-on course to start out with good technique, work safely and discover everything you can do with a lathe.
How you'll do it.
The course is structured so you progress step by step: first you'll learn to control the lathe and the tools, then you'll practise the fundamental techniques, and you'll finish by applying them to real pieces.
You'll learn its main components, how to set the machine up properly and the basic safety rules before you start working.
You'll practise using the main turning tools and learn how to position and move them to achieve clean, controlled cuts.
You'll learn to rough the wood down to a cylinder and practise techniques such as facing cuts, beads, coves and planing cuts.
You'll put what you've learned into practice by making a pestle, starting to control shapes, measurements and finishes.
You'll learn how grain direction matters, how to hold a piece in a chuck and how to work the outside properly.
You'll finish by turning and hollowing the inside of your piece, using gouges and scrapers and learning the basic finishing techniques.
Learn with professionals, in a real workshop.
Specialist guest teachers
Our intensives are taught by visiting professional turners, with real experience in the craft and a hands-on way of teaching from the very first minute.
You learn by doing
You'll spend most of the course working directly at the lathe. Less theory and more practice, with exercises designed so you truly understand each technique.
Professional equipment
You'll work in our Torno Corner, with professional lathes, specialist tools and all the equipment you need to learn in great conditions.
Small groups
We limit places so the teacher can watch your technique, correct you and stay close by throughout the whole weekend.
What comes off the lathe.
What you need to know.
Do I need any previous experience?
No. The course is designed for absolute beginners and we start from zero.
How is this different from the Torno Corner access course?
The access course is a short training session focused on learning the rules and procedures you need to use the Torno Corner later on with a membership. This is an intensive weekend course, focused on learning turning techniques in depth and making different exercises and pieces alongside a specialist professional.
Do I have to bring my own tools?
No. You'll have the lathe, the tools and all the equipment you need at your disposal throughout the course.
What will I make?
During the course you'll do spindle-turning exercises between centres, make a pestle and take your first steps into bowl turning.
Can I take my pieces home?
Yes. The pieces you make during the course are yours to keep.
Is it a mostly theoretical course?
No. It's a fully hands-on training. We'll cover the theory you need to understand each process, but you'll spend most of your time working directly at the lathe.
What if I want to keep turning afterwards?
After the course you can keep learning with new intensives — and if you want to use our Torno Corner regularly, take the specific membership access course.
If you need any adjustments to take part comfortably, let us know when you book and we'll have it ready.
Book your place
Pick the cohort that fits your week and book. Dates and places update in real time.
- Saturday, 12 September · 10:00–18:00
- Sunday, 13 September · 10:00–14:00
Cancellation & date-change policy
If you cancel
- More than 7 days before: 100% refund.
- Between 7 days and 24 h before: 50% refund.
- Less than 24 h before: no refund.
This reflects the time we need to find another student to fill the place.
If Made de Madera cancels
If we have to cancel the course, we refund you 100%. A course may be cancelled if it doesn't reach the minimum of 3 students enrolled.
Date changes
- More than 15 days before: no penalty.
- Within the 15 days before: 50 € penalty.
When you book, we hold your place; a last-minute change makes it harder to fill.
Want us to tell you about upcoming dates?
Leave us your email and we'll let you know when we open new woodturning dates and other workshop intensives.
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