Woodturning Classes in Michigan
Woodturning at a Glance
Location: Adrian, Michigan
Formats: Weekend workshops and multi-day classes
Levels: Beginner through experienced; check each listing
Projects: Bowls, mallets, hollow vessels, and turned stools
Skills: Lathe safety, tool control, spindle and bowl turning, sharpening, design, and finishing
Tools and materials: Included in the listed classes; personal turning tools are welcome where noted
Enrollment: Take a class on its own without enrolling in a full-time program
Discover what you can make with a spinning piece of wood and a sharp tool. At Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian, Michigan, hands-on woodturning classes help you turn rough blanks into bowls, mallets, vessels, stools, and objects of your own design.
Start with a beginner lathe class or explore new forms, color, and surface details with an experienced woodturner. Weekend workshops and longer classes give you time to practice, ask questions, and build confidence at the lathe.
Learn to Shape Wood at the Lathe
Woodturning is woodworking in motion. Rather than moving a tool around a stationary board, you shape wood as it rotates on a lathe. Small adjustments reveal new curves, clean surfaces, and the character of the grain.
Beginner classes introduce safe setup, tool selection, and controlled cuts. Bowl-turning workshops explore wood preparation and form, while specialty classes offer hollow vessels, painted surfaces, and decorative details. Choose the project and experience level that fit where you want to go next.
What to Expect
Hands-on practice, instructor demonstrations, and time to explore shape, grain, and surface details in a supportive shop. Your class description explains the project you’ll take home and what to bring.
Questions before enrolling? Email admissions@sbwi.edu or call 517-759-3070.
Learn from Practicing Woodturners
Current classes feature Greg Gallegos, Kimberly Winkle, Mark Gardner, Peter Densmore, and Shane Mooney. Their workshops range from the first safe cuts at a lathe to expressive bowls, vessels, and painted work. Each listing identifies the instructor and the experience level.
Woodturning Class FAQs
Choose a question below for details about experience levels, tools, and projects.
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Yes. Introduction to Woodturning and introductory bowl-turning classes welcome beginners. Specialty workshops may require experience, so check the level in each listing before enrolling.
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Depending on the course, projects include bowls, mallets, lidded boxes, hollow vessels, and turned stools. The class description explains the project and techniques you will practice.
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The current woodturning listings include tools and materials. You do not need to own a lathe to attend. Some instructors welcome personal turning tools; check your class listing for what to bring.
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Yes. SBWI offers weekend woodturning and bowl-turning workshops as well as longer classes. See the upcoming listings for current dates, tuition, and experience levels.
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Spindle turning usually shapes wood with the grain running along the lathe axis, as in a mallet or furniture leg. Bowl turning often shapes wood across the grain and introduces different mounting and cutting techniques.
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Classes take place in person at Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian, Michigan. Students traveling to the area can explore our lodging information or contact admissions for help.