Jerry Kermode School of Woodturning
Teaching the Art of Non-violent Woodturning

We finally made the decision to fully retire from our business. The Jerry Kermode School of Woodturning in Sebastopol, where we taught The Art of Non-violent Woodturning™ is closed. We are maintaining our website that we may still be able to share our story, as connection to our loyal customers, and as a way to still support galleries that have our work.

We enjoy visitors and invite you to visit our home studio by appointment and with proper protocols. Jerry is available and enjoys talking woodturning and answering questions. Our listed galleries have pieces for sale, so please visit them either in person or online.

We sincerely hope that you are staying safe and maintaining your physical and mental health, and that you are protecting yourself and others with all the necessary means, as frustrating and sad as it is. Find a beach or a forest to walk. Make contact with nature as a salve for the soul.

Take care,

Jerry & Deborah

Below are our class descriptions for reference. You can find resources for learning and more through The American Association of Woodturners

Beginning Woodturning

Overview

• Covers the essential elements of woodturning:

  • Spindle & faceplate turning

  • Non-violent woodturning

  • Each student provided with a lathe and a set of tools to use in class

  • Wood, sandpaper and finishes provided for basic projects

• Lathe Possibilities: Advanced techniques shown through demonstration

Program

Day One: The Basics of Between Center Turning

1. Tool selection

2. Tool sharpening

3. Wood selection

4. Lathe set-up

5. Proper speeds

6. Basic safety

7. The cuts: beads & coves, coves & beads

8. Project possibilities:
   – carving mallet
   – weed pot
   – mushrooms
   – oil lamp
   – lots of quality shavings

2. Day Two: The Basics of Faceplate Turning

   1. Review Day 1

3. Finding the bowl within the tree

4. Mounting techniques-chuck types

5. The bowl gouge: riding the bevel

6. Nonviolent woodturning

7. Projects:
   – A green wood bowl
   – A dry wood bowl

8. Sanding and finishing

9. Reverse chucking to finish the bottom

10. Questions & answers & lots of congratulations all around

Lathes

Student lathes, with a 9" swing and 12" between centers, are lathes small in size only. Jerry uses one daily for small projects and high-speed turning. This perfect beginning lathe will see you through two days of challenging and satisfying turning. You will also get hands-on experience of Jerry’s VL300 and custom bowl lathe.

Advancing Woodturning

Program

Advanced Turning Projects
- Demonstration and hands-on*

• Natural edge bowls

• Multi-axis spindles

• Balls

• and more (except hollow turning)