Woodturning Courses in Berkshire

Learn to turn

Do you know someone who loves wood or is interested in woodturning? Would you like to give someone the gift of a unique experience and a new skill and maybe even come along yourself? Then woodturning sessions are for you.

I run beginner’s courses in Burghfield Common, West Berkshire. Join me in my garden workshop for a 2 hour session or the whole day. I’ll teach you the basics in a fun, informal wood turning lesson and by the end you’ll have something you’ve made to take home with you. All materials and safety equipment are provided as well as refreshments throughout the day.

If after reading this page, you have further questions please email admin@loveheartwood.co.uk

Liz Pearson turning a wooden bowl on a lathe.

Woodturning lessons

Woodturning course options

1. A 2 hour taster session

Choose a 2-hour morning or afternoon session for £90 or bring along a friend for £160, meaning you pay just £80 per person.

What’s included?

  • A short session between either 9.30-11.30am or 1-3pm
  • Safety information
  • An overview of the basic tools
  • Get a taste of wood turning (spindle turning)

Take home a couple of simple items made by you on the lathe. e.g. a mushroom or a spinning top

2. A turning day

Come for a whole day for £190 or invite a friend along for £342.

What’s included?

  • a day of wood turning starting at 9.30am and finishing at 4.30pm
  • a light lunch is included. please advise of any dietary requirements or allergies when completing the reservation form. You’re very welcome to bring your own if you prefer.
  • safety information
  • a look at the basic tools and how to sharpen them
  • learning basic wood turning skills (spindle and faceplate turning)

Take home 2-3 simple items, including a bowl, made by you on the lathe

Further resources

Once you’ve had your session you will be sent a follow up e-mail full of useful information and resources to help continue your woodturning journey.

Book a woodturning lesson

Always wanted to try woodturning but weren’t sure how to go about it? Come and learn the basics with Liz in a relaxed, low-pressure session at her home workshop. You can choose to learn alone or bring a friend. Choose between the short and sweet 2-hour session or a more thorough day of turning.

Prices: £90.00 – £342.00

Check the woodturning course availability calendar

Gift vouchers

Give a lesson as a gift

If you’re buying the session as a gift and aren’t sure which dates to book then why not buy an e-voucher or gift card? This allows your recipient the flexibility to book a date that suits them.

The eco friendly cards are a real life card that can be posted to yourself or directly to your giftee.

The e-card is a great instant option which is emailed immediately to the email address you specify.

Alternatively, if you need it to arrive on a certain date you can schedule it for that date.

Previous students…

…and what they’ve said

A very insightful 2 hour session with Liz was great! She was very accommodating to a complete novice. This introduction has given me even more enthusiasm to take the leap forward and get tooled up. Thanks Liz.
Luke Chambers
Luke Chambers
November 29, 2023.
A very good experience. Liz is a great teacher and in the one day course, you get to take away a few pieces of completed turning. Highly recommend this and would like to continue this new activity.
Martin Dean
Martin Dean
November 20, 2023.
Liz was great. I just had a beginners lesson and went in asking to make some egg cups. In hindsight, this was a bit too adventurous for a complete novice. However, Liz accommodated my request and I was very happy with the finished articles. She listened, answered my novice questions and explained more than I was expecting. Highly recommended for others wishing to have a beginners lesson.
Nigel Bell
Nigel Bell
November 14, 2023.
A very enjoyable day learning the basics of woodturning. Liz gave very good and clear demonstrations and provided help and guidance throughout the day. Overall an excellent introduction to woodturning.
steve atkin
steve atkin
October 13, 2023.
We had a great day wooturning. Liz provided great tution and guidence during our day there. She was very patient and gave good demonstrations. We were both very pleased with the results we turned from the wooden blanks. This is a great introductory course if you want to see what wood turning is all about and try your hand.
Lee Young
Lee Young
October 10, 2023.
I had a great 1 day course with Liz that really helped me get to grips with the essentials of wood turning. Using the various techniques on the day, I ended up making a mushroom, tea light holder and a bowl, all of which turned out very nicely. Since then I've been busy on my hobby lathe at home making some great pieces that all the family will getting for Christmas this year !
C Rossiter
C Rossiter
September 18, 2023.
Myself and my partner had a days woodturning with Liz. It was a fantastic experience. Neither of us had ever done any wood turning but Liz is a great teacher, guiding you professionally but gently through all the steps you need to know to start your wood turning journey and putting you at ease throughout the experience. We made two items and have been telling all our friends about the day. The follow up information provided is really helpful too to give you ideas of how to continue on the right track. Thanks again. Teresa and Doug.
PlayTaiko
PlayTaiko
August 30, 2023.
Liz is a fantastic teacher and I had a great introduction into the world of wood turning. I learned a lot about the tools, about wood and I was able to make something on the wood lathe after just a 2 hour lesson. Liz is very knowledgeable and patient and I would certainly recommend this introductory course.
Frank Van Oeffelen
Frank Van Oeffelen
August 4, 2023.
Never having done any turning but seduced by online videos of gorgeous looking bowls, I wanted to have a full day's practical experience before considering woodturning as a hobby - and, as a result of the hands-on, no nonsense tuition, patience and passion that Liz brought to the day as well as enthusiastically answering my millions of questions - I am now the proud owner of my own lathe, tools, safety gear and (very important) sharpening jig and grinder! What a brilliant introduction to a craft that will undoubtedly take many years to master but so very rewarding. Thank you Liz!
Carolyn Wickens
Carolyn Wickens
July 13, 2023.
Liz was wonderfully welcoming, and the workshop is thankfully (due to be being a scorchingly hot day) sheltered amongst some beautiful silver birches... ...and yes guided by Liz one of the pieces I made from a small branch of birch made a lovely turned wooden mushroom!) Liz takes time to understand what you want to get out of the day, which in my case was tool sharpening and angle of approach to the work piece. Demonstrating various techniques from use of roughing out, to spindle turning and then on to bowls with finishing cuts and then on to scraping and sheer cuts, it was a fantastic way to progress in a single day. If you are tempted to learn by watching YouTube my advice is DON'T. If you are close enough to Love Heartwood to take a course you'll learn in a few hours and more importantly be guided into performing the cuts yourself, then you could learn by watching online videos for weeks! Final tip: If you already have some wood turning tools, take them with you and Liz will show how to get the best out of the investment you have already made.
Chris Dawson
Chris Dawson
June 17, 2023.

Woodturning Session F.A.Q.s

Will I be part of a group?

No, sessions are 1:1 so that the lesson can progress at a pace and experience level that’s tailored to you. If you wish you may bring 1 other person to share your woodturning experience. Just make your booking for 2 people instead of 1.

Do I need to bring anything with me? What should I wear?

Turning generates a lot of wood shavings and sawdust so please wear old clothes and sensible footwear. No hooded tops with dangly drawstrings or ties please. Also remove watches, rings, or any other jewellery.

I haven’t received a booking confirmation what should I do?

If you book via the onine system or email you should receive a confirmation email. Check it hasn’t gone into your spam/junk folder and if it hasn’t please email admin@loveheartwood.co.uk for your confirmation.

What should I do if I need to postpone or cancel my session?

If you are unable to make your session please email admin@loveheartwood.co.uk to let us know. We are happy to reshedule it for a more convenient time.

 

Where it all happens

woodturning lathe

The Love HeartWood workshop contains one large and one small lathe.

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