What has been your experience in teaching and in turning wood? Just an
outrageous ploy to get you to start sharing the things you know ...or
as with many of us here the things you think you know.

Arch,

I think there are a lot of similarities in wood turning and teaching.
I see a lot of freshmen walk into my classroom the first time and
after a few days with them, I feel like I know which ones are going to
make it and which ones aren't. More often than not, I'm surprised at
the end of the semester when I find my assumptions were totally wrong,
those I thought were good to go, partied their way out of college.
Those who I thought would never make it, knuckle down and get the job
done (with a little encouragement and a firm push). Turning wood is
similar because there has been several times when I selected a piece
of wood from the pile knowing it was going to be the best I've ever
turned, only to see it turn into some horrible creation that I
couldn't get the dog to eat from. Other times, I feel I'm wasting my
time finishing a turning because the wood just doesn't seem to have
the right shape, figure, grain, etc. only to find out when completed
and a nice finish applied that it was actually a very beautiful piece
to behold.

I guess the hardest part about teaching, and wood turning, is that you
have to face the reality that you can't get it right every time. I've
been crushed when a bowl cracked while on the lathe and I've been
crushed when a student I've worked hard to get excited about gaining
an education decides to walk away from it and quit. All you can do is
chuck another piece of wood in the lathe and look forward to the start
of the next semester.

JD