Small-class hollowing course launches after successful trial run

The Woodturning School in Hampshire completed a trial run of a new Introduction to Hollowing class on 12 January 2026 and confirmed the first full session will run on 13 February 2026. The short course is designed to move turners from basic bowl work into controlled hollow forms, and the school is pitching it as a close, hands-on option for small groups.

Students in the trial completed a small practice hollowing piece and then a larger hollow form roughly 4 x 5 inches, hollowed through an opening of about 30 mm. The structure is deliberately compact: the practice piece teaches the entry and positioning, then the larger blank builds the skills needed to manage wall thickness and internal shape. The school supplies specialist hollowing tools, including straight and swan-neck shafts fitted with carbide cutters, so participants can try industry-standard kit without buying tools up front.

Class size is strictly limited to four students to keep instruction tactile and immediate. Instructors emphasise the sensory skills hollowing relies on - listening for sound changes, feeling vibration through the tool and lathe, and checking wall thickness as you go - rather than relying solely on measuring instruments. That focus aims to help turners develop the instincts that make hollowing reliable and repeatable in the workshop.

The instructor made adjustments after the trial to sharpen pacing and refine the two-piece lesson flow, reflecting real-time feedback from participants. The course is aimed at turners who are already comfortable with basic bowl turning and gouge use; novices should ensure they can control a bowl gouge before booking. Providing tools, small-group coaching and a defined practice sequence makes this course a practical next step for makers ready to tackle closed forms such as lidded vessels or hollow decorative pieces.

Practical details and booking are available online at thewoodturning.school/blog/introducing-our-new-hollowing-class. Spaces are limited by design, so booking early will be important for anyone wanting hands-on time with the specialist hollowing shafts and carbide cutters.

The takeaway? If you can turn a basic bowl and handle a gouge, this short, focused class is a good way to get to the heart of hollow form work with expert eyes on your technique. Our two cents? Go in ready to listen and feel your way through the walls - that tactile work is where hollowing confidence is earned.