Turn a bowl on a lathe
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
Woodturning shapes a block of wood with hand-held tools while it spins on a lathe, and a bowl is one of the classic things to make. The Association of Woodturners of Great Britain and the American Association of Woodturners both work through local clubs, where a beginner can learn alongside experienced turners.
Moderate£100 to £500 / $130 to $650A few weeksIndoorsAlone or with othersUK and US
How to start
- Find a club through the Association of Woodturners of Great Britain's club list and map, or the American Association of Woodturners' Find a Chapter page.
- Read the American Association of Woodturners' Woodturning 101 and safety pages before you touch a lathe.
- Visit a club meeting and ask about training courses, tutors or a supervised first turn.
Where to go
- Association of Woodturners of Great Britain, welcome page with club list and tutor map links UK
- American Association of Woodturners home page (Find a Chapter, Woodturning 101) US
We opened these links on 8 October 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
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