18014 Collins Rd Woodstock
IL 60098
Stuart Batty is a third-generation woodturner, being a full-time production turner and teacher in his father Allan’s studio at age 16.
During the past 37 years, Stuart has taught more than 6,000 amateur and professional woodturners around the world, in 12 different countries and all 50 states in the USA.
Stuart’s style of work is greatly influenced by his background as a spindle turner with precise cuts and sharp detail. He uses very simple tools and tool shapes to create his pieces. An excellent instructor, Stuart believes we have only skimmed the surface of the potential of the wood lathe.
Important note from Bull Valley Hardwood:
For those of you who follow Ashley Harwood and have missed out on classes offered previously by Ashley, please be aware that this amazing artist is Ashley’s mentor. In attending this class, you would be learning from the master!
Class Description:
Stuart’s class is based on improving the understanding and application of the most effective way to cut wood on a lathe. It is for every level of woodturner from a novice to professional woodturner. There are six fundamental cuts in woodturning, almost identical for both spindle and bowl turning. The style of woodturning that is taught in this class is hundreds of years old and based on the European style of “Push Cut”. However, it has been simplified to work with less tools and simple grinds. Everyone who takes the class learns to cut any wood with zero torn grain and with very little physical effort. Every cut is broken down into comprehensive steps, so that anyone can learn and perfect these cuts. Each of the six cuts is practiced in a variety of both spindle and bowl turning shapes. Students learn to free hand grind, which is quicker and more accurate than jig grinding. Stuart also teaches his “Negative Rake Scraping” technique in the class, as a support technique to the “Push Cut”. Each student turns several pieces each day to correctly practice the techniques over and over, on average students turn 30 plus pieces in 5 days.
Key Points:
- Learn to cut without torn grain
- Use very little physical effort
- Significant practice of all spindle and bowl turning cuts
- Understand the difference between slicing, peeling and scraping wood
- Learn the 7-fundamental set up to eliminate variables
- Free hand platform sharpen all gouges and chisels
Day 1:
On the first day, the students learn the 7 fundamentals set ups and how to correctly sharpen gouges. Students practice all the spindle cuts using Stuart’s 40/40 grind for bowl gouges and when to use the spindle roughing gouge.
Day 2:
On the second day, students use the 40/40 bowl gouge grind for the majority of bowl cuts and the bottom bowl gouge for the last third inside the bowl. The students turn 6 plus bowls to the rough turned thickness or thinner. They will learn how to eliminate torn grain on any part of the bowl.
Day 3:
The third day is a repeat of the second day with the inclusion of Stuart’s negative rake scraping technique.
Day 4:
On the fourth day students will create several shallow bowls and platters. In this class, the students will start to understand that deep bowls and shallow bowls/platters require more of the bottom bowl gouge and less of the 40/40 bowl gouge due to the majority of the exposed grain being side grain.
Day 5:
On the fifth day students will make several natural edge bowls. This day covers the mounting methods for natural edge pieces. They will also learn to float the gouge through the natural edge surface to achieve the best possible surface to dramatically reduce sanding and therefore keep the edges of the piece very clean and
Stuart’s class is a 5-Day class – August 19th – August 23rd
Class Fees: $1,050.00
Material Fees: $80.00
This is a non-refundable, “pre-paid” class to hold your position for the event.
This class will be held at the new Bull Valley Hardwood woodturning classroom facility – August 19 – 23, 2019
Facility Location: 18014 Collins Rd, Woodstock, IL 60098