🪵 Proper Sanding Techniques for Woodturners – One to One
Woodturning Follow-On Skills Clinic (2 Hours)
 
 
⚠️ A Note About These New Sessions
These shorter skills clinics are a new addition to my tuition programme and I’m continuing to refine them as they develop.
 
To get the most from the session, participants are encouraged to bring along a few of their own pieces if possible. This could include pieces you are happy with as well as pieces where the sanding or surface preparation didn’t quite work out as expected.
 
Looking at real examples makes it much easier to demonstrate sanding techniques and explain how different problems can be corrected.
 
The more examples you can bring along, the more useful and practical the session will be.
 
❓ Why You Might Need This Class
Sanding is one of the most time-consuming parts of woodturning, and it’s also where many pieces lose their potential.
 
Even well-turned work can be let down by visible sanding marks, uneven surfaces, or scratches that only appear once the finish is applied.
 
Often the problem isn’t effort — it’s technique, grit progression, or sanding at the wrong speed.
 
Once sanding is done correctly it becomes faster, more predictable, and produces far better results before finishing begins.
 
This session focuses on improving sanding technique so your work is properly prepared for polishing, oils, or wax finishes.
 
🧰 Why Choose This Class?
In this relaxed one-to-one session we’ll look at the sanding methods I use in my own workshop and how they apply to bowls, spindles, and small turned pieces.
 
We’ll cover how to remove tool marks efficiently, progress through abrasives correctly, and avoid common sanding mistakes that waste time and affect the final finish.
 
Participants are encouraged to bring a few of their own pieces to the session — ideally something you’re happy with and something that didn’t quite turn out as expected. Looking at real examples together makes it much easier to demonstrate better sanding techniques and explain where improvements can be made.
 
Most of the session will be spent working on practice pieces where different sanding techniques can be demonstrated and tried.
 
⚡ Quickfire Skills Session
These are fast-paced, focused classes designed to make the most of your time without wasting a minute. You’ll leave with solid practical knowledge and real improvements in your sanding results — and if you'd like to go deeper, additional sessions can easily be arranged.
 
🔧 What We’ll Cover:
• Correct sanding speeds on the lathe
• Efficient grit progression and when to move on
• Avoiding radial scratches and sanding marks
• Choosing the right abrasives for different woods
• Sanding bowls versus spindle work
• Removing tool marks effectively
• Dealing with difficult grain patterns
• Preparing surfaces properly for finishing
• Common sanding mistakes and how to correct them
 
💳 Tuition Pricing
Weekday Only (cash / online):
• 2 hours – €100 / €110
 
Price is per person. A maximum of two participants may attend together so that both receive equal attention during the session (€200 for two people). If two people attend, a little extra time is added so both participants receive proper guidance.
 
💳 Save money by paying cash on the day!
 
🎁 Gift Vouchers
⚠️ Please note: this workshop is for existing or recently trained woodturners and focuses only on sanding techniques and surface preparation. There is no turning involved, so it is not suitable as a gift voucher option.
 
If you're looking for a gift or a beginner-friendly experience, please see my Private Woodturning Tuition or Ornament-Making Classes instead.
 
☕ Breaks & Catering
• Short coffee break included halfway.
If possible, bring a few of your own pieces — both successful ones and pieces that didn’t quite turn out as expected — so we can examine sanding techniques together.
The coffee machine is always on.
 
✅ Summary of Benefits:
• Learn efficient sanding techniques used in a professional workshop
• Reduce sanding time while improving surface quality
• Avoid common sanding mistakes
• Understand abrasives and grit progression properly
• Prepare your work correctly for finishing
• One-to-one guidance in a relaxed environment
 
🔨 A focused session designed to help you achieve smoother surfaces and better finishing results.
 
📞 Contacting Me for Bookings 
📋 Use the Contact Page for all enquiries — it’s the most reliable way to reach me.
📧 I reply within 2 hours (check your spam folder too).
📝 Why not phone? Calls disrupt work and details can get lost.
The form helps me respond thoroughly and stay organised.
Thanks for understanding — I look forward to hearing from you! 😊