Workshop Overview.  Our spindle turning workshop is a three-day intensive workshop taught by world-renowned woodturner, Kip Christensen, assisted by Rob Cosman.  Designed for beginner through intermediate woodturners, this workshop focuses on all aspects of spindle turning (see the detailed description below).  The workshop is held at Rob Cosman’s Workshop located in Grand Bay, New Brunswick, Canada.   If, after reading through the information below, you have any questions about this spindle turning workshop, please email your questions to support@robcosman.com.

Kip Christensen — Biographical Sketch

Kip Christensen is a well-known woodturner who has been engaged in the woodturning community for over forty years. In 2022 he received the Honorary Lifetime Member award from the American Association of Woodturners. He has a particular interest in woodturning education and has been invited to give over 400 national and international presentations at workshops and symposia.

Kip has co-authored five books and co-produced eight instructional DVDs about woodturning. His work has been published in over three dozen books. He has also authored several articles regarding woodworking and technology education. His turnings have been pictured in a variety of magazines and displayed in many galleries and international juried exhibitions. His work is also housed in numerous collections, both public and private. Kip’s work is characterized by enduring form, clean lines, and fine details.

Cost:  This turning workshop costs $899 (USD) which covers all instruction, project lumber, lathes, all required tools, and three lunch meals.  Upon payment, students receive a 10% discount code valid for any full price tool purchases on RobCosman.com, valid though the date of the workshop.

Workshop Detailed Description:  

Participants in this workshop will learn several principles involved in producing a clean cut while turning wood as well as simple yet effective techniques for developing muscle memory for making the basic turning cut.  They will also learn the basics of sharpening turning tools. In addition, Kip will cover the importance of form in the design of turned objects. Participants will learn how to use a simple, quick, and effective method to produce several forms, evaluate them, and select the best option.  This workshop will help beginning turners jump-start their skills and help intermediate turners move to the next level more efficiently.  It will also contain useful information for those interested in teaching others how to turn wood.  The workshop will include information from Kip’s articles published in the American Woodturner, Ten Principles of Clean Cutting, (February 2016); and The Scales and Chords of Spindle Turning (February 2017).

Student Projects:

·        “Scales and chords”

·        Eggs

·        Bud vases

·        Sphere chuck and spheres

·        Tree ornament

      Spaces Available / Minimum Students. We have 8 seats available for this workshop.   We must have a minimum of 8 students signed up within 45 days of the scheduled workshop start date to hold this workshop.  If 8 students are not signed up within 60 days of the start date we will cancel the class and refund 100% of your paid fees.

Required Tools: None.  Each student is assigned to their own full-size General 260 lathe and all required tools.

Cancellation & Refund Policy.  $250 (USD) of your tuition is NON-REFUNDABLE (unless we cancel the workshop). Any remaining balance paid (less the $250) is fully refundable, if you cancel no later than 45 days before your scheduled workshop begins.  Cancellations made within 44 days of the workshop start date ARE NOT refundable.  To cancel a previously reserved workshop please email us at robswebmaster@robcosman.com or by using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of any page of this website.

Registration. At checkout, there is a registration form to fill out.  This form is automatically sent to the class registrar.  Within 72 hours of checkout, you will receive an email welcoming you to the workshop and giving you additional detailed information.  If you do not receive this email in 72 hours, please email robswebmaster@robcosman.com

Workshop Schedule.  This workshop runs daily from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.  Please have breakfast before you arrive at the workshop. We serve a hearty lunch meal around noon.  Bring your own meal for supper or dine out at the end of the day.

Workshop Location.  This workshop is held in Rob's personal workshop which is located at 275 River Valley Drive, Grand Bay, New Brunswick, E5K 1A7, Canada. The nearest large city is Saint John, New Brunswick Canada, approximately 15 minutes east of Rob's workshop. The nearest large U.S. city is Bangor, Maine, located approximately three hours south of Rob's workshop.

Initial Meet-and-Greet.  We have an initial meet-and-greet and BBQ at Rob's Workshop for all students who can make it on Sunday, September 1st from 7:00 – 9:00 pm (Atlantic Time). This is so you can see the facility, claim your lathe, eat some "Frick'n Good BBQ," and meet everybody. If you cannot make the meet-and-greet please let us know by emailing robswebmaster@robcosman.com and we will see you at 9:00 am on 2 September.

Travel and Transportation.  If traveling by air, we recommend you do not purchase airline tickets until after the cancellation announcement date (45 days prior to the workshop) has passed.

We recommend arriving the day prior to the start of your workshop and departing the day after the workshop ends. Click the red button below for more detailed information on nearby airports and local transportation.

Lodging.  Rob Cosman has several short-term rentals located on the workshop premises that are available to workshop students through Airbnb.  Please visit our Airbnb site to reserve, look at pictures, or find out more information about these accommodations. Click the red button below to learn about other lodging accommodations near Rob's Workshop.

Medical Coverage.  Students are responsible for arranging and paying for any medical services required while attending the workshop. While the risk of injury or illness at our workshop is very low, injuries and illness have and do occur. While we can handle minor cuts and scrapes, we highly recommend non-Canadians purchase short-term visitor / tourist insurance for their visit to Canada. There are numerous companies that offer this coverage. We do not provide any recommendations. We recommend doing an internet search for, "Tourist medical coverage in Canada." This search will return numerous results.

Basic Requirements to Enter Canada. Entry into Canada is solely determined by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officials in accordance with Canadian law. We recommend you click on the red button below and carefully read the requirements for entry into Canada.