Hi from another IT refugee.
My best advice to anyone starting out, is don’t try to learn in exclusion. You are booked in for some tuition, which is great. Now find the turning club nearest to you, and join that. In the vast majority of cases, established turners will be more than happy to help with your turning and sharpening. You will always find the odd twunt who will try to put you off, but ignore them.
Buy a copy of the Keith Rowley book. (I think the new one comes with a DVD) Most of all, practice, practice, practice. Don’t be afraid to give it a try before your tuition. If you get it wrong, whomever you are learning with will give you a steer in the right direction.
There are lots of very good tuition videos on YouTube, plus a load of bad ones. The rule of thumb is to never try anything that makes you feel uncomfortable/unsafe. My first experience of YouTube turning was Bob Hamilton, followed by Cap’n Eddie Castelin. Since then I have discovered a huge amount of turners who are excellent at their craft, if maybe not the best at presenting.
Look out for Chris Fisher too, “The Blind Woodturner,” who never ceases to amaze me.
Good luck
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