Cindy Drozda has earned a worldwide - and very well-deserved - reputation for the excellence and elegance of the finial lids with which her turnings are adorned.  In these two productions, Cindy lets we lesser mortals into the secrets not only of how she produces such marvels but also the design ideas and inspirations which lead her to make the key decisions in the turning process.

In this, the 2nd edition of "Elegant Finials", Cindy starts with a hollow form and takes us step by careful step through the process of first deciding the style and proportions of the finial lid and then through the actual making, supported by hints and tips on sharpening the tools and achieving each of the required cuts, including an analysis of the causes - and cures - of commonly-made turning errors.  The key elements covered are:

• Fitting the lid onto a vessel
• A detailed explanation of the cuts used in the finial turning
• Turning the finial
• Sharpening the tools used in turning the finial

Cindy's excellence at explaining not only "how" but "why" she turns as she does is again well to the fore in her second production "Fabulous Finial Box".  Two cameras are used in this DVD to give a comprehensive view of the turning process.  The audio commentary is done using voice-over techniques with the benefit of more complete explanations than is often the case with turning productions and without the distractions of external noises from elsewhere in the workshop: a very professional approach.  The DVD includes:

• Turning the finial box step by step
• Detailing the inside of the lid
• Contrasting wood inlay and foot
• Jam-fitting and box hollowing techniques

- and a gallery of images of Cindy's lidded boxes.  Again the video material is backed up by further information, in this case a booklet "Turned Boxes - A Formula for Success" written by Cindy, scaled working drawings of the finished box to help you create your own masterpiece, step-by-step written instructions and a comprehensive tool list for completing such a project.

These DVDs, created by a skilled, professional TV producer show how turned wooden objects, or artefacts, can easily rise to the status of high art.  What really strikes me about these DVDs is that they are inspirational as distinct from instructional.  For sure, these are not the DVDs to tell you "blow by blow" with detailed explanations and processes measurements how to create the objects featured, but what they do tell, with great thoroughness and respect, is what motivates, inspires, drives and even defines the "artists" featured.  Here you can see the environment in which these superb turners of international repute live, work and play and they share in words and pictures their influences, development, hopes and ambitions.  If you are looking for something beyond all other woodturning video productions, then I would highly recommend these.

For the avid woodturner the "Beyond Wood - The Fine Art of Turned and Sculpted Wood" DVD is a real bargain: the set comprises six DVDs and features the work of David Ellsworth, Giles Gilson, Rude Osolnik, Frank E Cummings, Jean-Francois Escoulen, Gianfranco Angelino, Christian Burchard, Hans Weissflog and Ron Kent as well as features on The Emma Lake Event, visits to the Lipton, Bohlen and Wornick collections and a series of exclusive interviews under the title "Perfection in Form".

The ardent admirer of segmented work will find much to appreciate and admire in the work exposed in the production entitled "Ray Allen - Master of Segmented Bowl and Vessels".

William Hunter is described in the third DVD as a Wood Sculptor but as you will see in this enlightening DVD, the basis of most of his work is turning - it is simply that having turned a fabulous article, he has only just started to develop its final form in his artist's eye

If you have ever been privileged - and I use that word quite knowingly and deliberately - to see a demonstration by Mike Mahoney, then you will know what the word "accomplished" truly means.  Not only is Mike a superb and skilled (and left-handed) turner but is also an excellent presenter whose easy, friendly, supportive attitude shines through ever scene of these DVDs.

For anyone who owns or is thinking of buying a McNaughton Centre Saver, Mike's production showing its safe and efficient use is a revelation.  If you own the tool, you really need the video: I thought I had been using the McNaughton system for long enough to know how to use it but Mike gave me so much food for thought and improved my use of the tool out of all recognition - as well as taking all of the fear and trepidation out of the process!.

Mike is, above all, a bowl turner: indeed his email address is bowlturner@ ... ... so I guess we shouldn't be too surprised to find two excellent presentations of bowl-maker's skills included in this series.  In "Bowl Basics", Mike covers all that one might need to know to create beautiful and functional vessels from wood.  He does so with the eloquent skill of someone who turns bowls by the thousand, for Mike Mahoney is a production bowl turner and truly makes his living by creating beautifully turned objects that the public clamour to buy and does so at a rate and in a manner that supports himself and family.

"From the Tree to the Table" could be seen as a lesson in turning treen.  In fact it is a very thorough exposition of not only the methods but also the reasons and design considerations that make a piece of functional tableware a thing of beauty as well as one of utility.  If you eat off wood - and why shouldn't you - then Mike will show you how to make the tableware you need.

There are turners who make their living by turning hollow forms - and some of them seem to go out of their way to make it look difficult so that you are less tempted to challenge their skill one might suppose.  Mike Mahoney's approach is very different and in this DVD Mike reveals all of his tricks and trade secrets, enabling you to aspire to become a great turner of hollow forms too.

Finally and maybe on a lighter note, Mike goes "head to head" with Stuart Batty in an entertaining presentation filmed at one of the recent AAW symposia.  Working side by side on two lathes with almost identical workpieces mounted we are able to contrast and compare the styles of the two turners, their tools their approaches and to get an insight into the differences in turning method experienced by right- and left-handed turners, for we have one of each "persuasion" here!  An entertaining piece with much to teach us all.

Watching Jimmy Clewes turn is always a pleasure.  Undoubtedly possessed of consummate skill and artistry, he is also a very relaxed and fluent communicator and all-round Good Guy. His style can get exciting too when he indulges in a little pyromania on the lathe.

Now you may re-create the atmosphere and excitement of a Jimmy Clewes demo through these excellent DVDs.  Details of the individual programs on his  latest production, the 'Turn It Up' boxed set of three DVDs, are shown below .  These programs take the foundation work shown in his earlier videos a step further with ever-more interesting, demanding - and stunning - work.

The 'Turn It On' boxed set again comprises three DVDs, each complete in itself, with a range of sections covering both projects and techniques as well as an insight into the broader aspects of a professional turner's life.

The Turnaround presentation covers spindle work, tool sharpening, end grain work, box-making and a superb demonstration of creating a stunning large-diameter platter which he then colours beautifully.

For those who wonder, I have Jimmy's word that the impressive, apparently-endless ribbon-like shaving pictured flying off his gouge on the front cover of the Turnaround DVD is entirely genuine.  Having many times worked alongside Jimmy and watched his demonstrations 'in the flesh' I have every reason to believe it is true!   Of course, if he was a real turner, he would have made it fly across the room in the shape of his signature: obviously he was not concentrating that day!!  (Oh, oh: sorry Jimmy, I've just realised - that IS your signature!)

For my own part, I like the fact that Jimmy uses WivaMac lathes and does an excellent job of showing what superb machines these are for serious turners - and those with serious ambition. And just to show that we can all fall prey to conceit, I am most enthusiastic about Volume 1 of Turn It On because it includes footage of your truly at the WivaMac "Open Doors" event where Jimmy and I worked together.  Bask in the glow!

Gary Rance is not of the genre of woodturners who have made their name as demonstrators of the practice of woodturning: he is a far more rare animal - a genuine working woodturner who also demonstrates - brilliantly.  In fact Gary is reckoned to be the most accomplished production turner in the UK and he is held in very high esteem by his peers in the woodturning world.  After watching this video, it will be very clear to you why this is the case.

Gary is perhaps not the most verbally eloquent of turners, but in his hands you will see the truest expression of eloquence you could ever wish to behold.  In fact, it is no disrespect to Gary to say that if you watch this production without the audio switched on you will still be totally absorbed in the skill and artistry of this brilliant turner.  As the old song has it, this is truly 'poetry in motion'  (OK, I can't help it if you're too young to remember!).

Rarely do we mention value when reviewing woodturning videos, yet it must be mentioned that this has to be the best value production on the market, with a running time in the order of three full hours: this is a very comprehensive review of turning.  The production covers Health & Safety; tool sharpening (an excellent demonstration of how easy this can be); basic faceplate work and basic spindle turning techniques before launching into three projects: an inlaid box, a long-thin-stemmed goblet and a candlestick, complete with flame: the project that has become Gary's signature piece.

And if you are looking at lathes, you'll find that Gary, like Jimmy Clewes, uses a WivaMac lathe in this production (in this case a DB801) so you can also get a good insight into the performance of these excellent lathes - for which The ToolPost are UK distributors.

A superbly shot and produced video which takes away the fears and prejudices that surround the noble art of sharpening turning tools.  I always advocate, when asked, that any budding turner should take a course of instruction, but should do so only after having ascertained that a major feature of such a course will be tool sharpening.  It is an absolute truism that once the tools are properly sharpened - and are kept that way - turning itself is no real problem.

Unfortunately many would-be turners cannot take instruction, for a variety of reasons, and so suffer many trials and tribulations, completely unnecessarily, in their development as turners.  I like to think that it is partly as a result of my nagging (let's call it encouragement!) that Mick has produced this excellent demonstration of sharpening on video - and has priced it very fairly too so that no-one has any excuse not to know how to sharpen their turning tools.

Whilst sharing a title with the companion book, I would suggest that these are not alternative forms of the same material.  Some of the project work shown on the video is explained in the book, but the book also includes information on the structure and drying of wood that I have never seen better - or even equally - presented elsewhere.

The video contains what I  consider to be the finest action shots of turning available in this format today.  The opportunity to see those shots again in static close-up shots in the book is an unequalled triumph of production. Whether you intend to practise green turning or not becomes academic when videos of this quality are available: buy it for the joy of watching a master at work, sharing his knowledge without reservation.

Many have struggled to master the use of the O'Donnell swept-back grind gouge: struggle no more.  Both book and the video show as clearly as anyone could want exactly how to handle the gouge.  Maybe we should expect Mick O'Donnell to be able to explain the grind he "invented": expect it or not, he most certainly can.  Simply superb.

©1997-2006 P. Hemsley.  The information on this website is the copyright property of Peter Hemsley.  Coeur du Bois and The ToolPost are trading styles of Peter Hemsley.  Whilst reasonable efforts are made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, no liability can be accepted for errors in this information nor for contingencies arising therefrom.  If you are inexperienced in any aspect of woodworking, we would strongly counsel that you take a course of formal instruction before commencing to practice