New to wood turning

[Grey Mountain]

How stupid of me. I humbly bow to your assumed superior intelligence.

GM

[EdW]

Arlin:
I turn more hollow forms than bowls, but I use the bowl gouge to get a green log into a cylinder before shaping it.

[Arlin Eastman]

Don't "chip," slice.  Until you do, you're not using the tools properly.  Slices fall, they don't fly.  It's the wood's way of telling you how it wishes to be cut.  If your instructor is worth the hire, s/he will teach you to cut and peel, not "chip."

MM

I am pretty sure he was saying "Let the chips fly" in a different way and having fun doing it. 

Don

That is one thing I am learning to do is hollowing.  I have done two so far and the first one was a battle just learning the but, it was like a squashed vase where the base was 10.5" wide and 3" long neck and had to try to hollow that out. 
   Yep the almost impossible dumb way and should not have tried it.  But I did get within 1/2" of the sides.

[MichaelMouse]

MM

I am pretty sure he was saying "Let the chips fly" in a different way and having fun doing it. 

Actually, not.  It's Newton III on flying, whether its particles or parts, or the whole piece.  Action and reaction.  The wood is reacting in a direction opposite the chip.  

Got to remember Newton.

[pgriff]

Thanks for all the suggestions. It is supposed to be a small class so I hope all my questions get answered. I am planning to bring my batch of tools along with me to get the teachers comments on their condition and usefulness. Then I have to get the lathe cleaned off for a few pictures before it gets covered in chips.

It turned out to be a class of 2 students. In the morning we got a discussion of the lathe and tools. We then turned a pen from one of their kits. We made a bowl from a 6x6x2" blank in the afternoon.
I am proud of the results and will try to post pictures of my projects shortly. My only complaint is that the classes were taught using 3 carbide tools - a square rougher, round finisher, and a diamond shaped detailer. They worked well and do not require sharpening during the class. But I have a set of basic HSS tools at home and still have no idea how to sharpen or use them. When I asked, I was told that those tools were covered in a full day spindle turning class, and not in the bowl or pen classes.

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

My advice:

Run away.

Run far, far away.

It's fun, addictive, and expensive. It's also expensive.

[MidwestMan]

How did the class go for you? Do you like it?

Tell us how it's going... any pictures to share, of your work?

[Cian]

My advice:

Run away.

Run far, far away.

It's fun, addictive, and expensive.  It's also expensive.

[FrankAtl]

My advice:

Run away.

Run far, far away.

It's fun, addictive, and expensive.  It's also expensive.

Why didn't you mention it's expensive?  

[badwhiskey]

Have fun in the class.

Turning is all about how the tool is presented to the blank.  Pay attention to how high the tool rest is set, how far it is from the work piece, how the tool is first engaged with the work piece and how you move to adjust the cut.  Both hands and your torso will all be used in a synchronized fashion.  It's a lot of fun and a lot to learn.