Pete Moncrieff-Jury considers the progression of turning over the last 34 years
The 400th edition of this magazine brings home just how much has changed. The first edition came out in the autumn of 1990 and featured such articles as ‘Make your own chuck’ and a test report of the Myford Mystro. There were some curious articles such as ‘The last testament of a true amateur woodturner’, as well as projects including making a salad bowl.
Looking back personally at how things have changed, I find it staggering just how much woodturning has become a major influence in the crafting scene in the 34 years since that first issue. Clubs abound, major seminars and exhibitions are staged throughout the world and many people now take the craft up as a hobby, some going on to professional status.
What hasn’t changed that much is the attitude of the general public. Especially in the UK. Compared to other crafts such as ceramics, jewellery, glass work, it still remains by and large a second-class craft.
I base this observation on my experience of doing shows and exhibitions over the past decade or so. One of the most frequent comments from the public has been ‘I didn’t know you could do this’. If you look at many of the works now being created compared to those of 34 years ago, the decorative and artistic aspect has blossomed. I would say that the artistic side of the craft now far outweighs the more practical work being made. Production turners are few and far between and the skills that they have are fast becoming scarce.
“Have things got better for the craft? In general, I personally think they have”
I obviously don’t know for sure, but I suspect that there are many more people woodturning now than there were when that first edition came out, but is that a good thing? In some ways yes, if it means that the craft is being promoted and encouraged. But does it also mean, as some believe, that the value of the craft becomes less as it becomes more hobby based and less professional?
All things evolve. One area that I suspect is more negative is the expansion of gimmicks. ‘Buy our special chucks and you too can make these amazing shapes.’ ‘Buy our super quality steel hollowing tools and you can make these incredible forms.’ I am a firm believer in starting with the basics and working your way up. Going back to those days in the early 1990s, there were some incredible turners making top-quality work but few needed specialist tools.
They learned their craft by practising, paying heed to those who had gone before. Many had done an apprenticeship or learned in school when teenagers. I have met people who fancied taking up woodturning, spent a lot of money on tools and equipment and given up because they couldn’t match the work of those who had been turning for many years. To be honest I don’t think this is exclusively a problem with woodturning but a general problem in our society. People have come to want results now and expect to be able to achieve things overnight that in the past took many years. I have said in previous articles that we all need to start with the basics and work our way up the ladder of experience, not expect to suddenly be experts.
Have things got better for the craft? In general, I personally think they have. In those days of yore, it was not really seen as a hobby so much, though it was developing. Now I suspect the vast majority of woodturners are doing it for fun, not as a living. Some things have definitely improved. Equipment and materials such as the chuck and gouges illustrated are now much improved and HSS steel is the norm rather than carbon steel, contributing to better quality tools and indeed safety. It’ll be interesting for those of us still around in another 34 years to look back and see what, if any, other changes have occurred.