Kieth Rowley :Woodturning A Foundation Course - Book and Video

Disclaimer: I do not have a direct or indirect financial or other interest in the product or the provider (including friendship).

This review posted following a suggestion in another thread.

As a newbie to turning I had no experience whatsoever with lathes.

Over the last few months I have borrowed many books about turning from the Victorian library system.

I found most of the books to be confusing, sometimes daunting, due to complicated descriptions or trying to pack too much information into one diagram.

For me the Keith Rowley book and associated video was just right for a newbie.

Easy to understand text and diagrams.

The "guts" of the business for me was ....."How do I make my first turning - How do I start my first cut" where is the section of the book that takes me through this ?

This question was covered very well by both the book and the video in the following way

1. 2 methods of holding the tool were discussed (as opposed to 5 in another beginners book)

2. Simple explanation and method of sharpening the tools was given

3. A set of 6 "Laws" was defined and explained - these laws are simple and make sense to me. Over the last week whenever I've used the lathe I've gone over them before picking up the tool. A quick google shows that this site Woodturning Design - Ask Dale has the rules listed.

The video is 1.5 hours, the part of the video that showed me how to do my first cut and basic use of the various tools is approx 1/2 hour.

I read the book, watched the relevant part of the video a few times, went up to the shed and turned a cylinder from a rectangular block - was a bit nervous but everything worked fine - constantly keeping in mind what I'd seen on the video and the 6 rules. So I didn't have a "live" teacher showing me what to do but the book and video seem to have got me started.

The only disappointment that I had was a section of the book titled "Acceptable Degree of Sharpness". I was expecting a definition or a test to help me decide whether or not the blade was sharpened properly and there wasnt one - he simply says that using the electric grinding wheel, 80 grit stone and the jig will give an adequately sharp blade, there is no need for further work with finer stones or leather belts etc. This was a little confusing for Newbie Bill because the turning chisels dont have sharp pointed wedged ends edges like my ordinary chisels - but it looks like I've got them sharpened properly by following the sharpening instruction.

I haven't yet tried faceplate turning so cannot comment on those parts of the book and video.


More reviews of the book are here - most of them give it 4 or 5 stars - I'd give it 5.

Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Woodturning: A Foundation Course (New Edition)


Regards
Bill

Have to agree - coincidentally I just purchased the book (through Fishpond). Not sure if I need the video as well.

Very clear and easy to understand, providing just the essential information to complete a task without making things too complicated. Prior to this I had been trying to learn from the Darlow books, but just got bogged down in all the theory and coloured diagrams he uses. I'm sure I'll come back to Darlow in due course, but only when I have gained sufficient basic experience to benefit from his writings.

Yes, the Late Keith Rowley has certainly left a legacy including the " A Foundation Course" publication. In the UK he influenced many of the now top woodturners.

When I got back into turning it was one of the books suggested to me and I still have it.

Thanks to Russel I will soon be playing with some timber. I will definitely get this book as a guide. Thanks

I got the book along with my first secondhand lathe. It got me turning and sharpening in fairly quick time. I guess my methods are all based on that book. I did not know about a video. I have read a whole lot of others mostly with good advice but none were as easy to follow. I would rate it as THE book for the wannabe turner.
Regards
John