Teaching an Introduction to Turning.... In your shop?

[Leviblue]

I was asked recently if I would give turning lessons. I don't count myself as an expert, but I do know how to blow up a blank and why it happens. :biggrin:
I'm not looking to have this setup as a long drawn out project that students would do for months. Pen turning and bowls with a few other items tossed in to create a variety for lessons.

So my question(s) to ya'll:

• Would you do it? I know there are waivers needed for protection of both parties.
• For those that have done this, did you use a waiver of liability? If so, where can a good one be found?
• How long would a lesson be?

Thanks for the input, comments and your time.

 

[flyitfast]

Kevin, if you are a member of AAW, check out their website. They have a couple of teaching outlines for general woodturning and teaching youth. Not a lot about penturning but great info on general turning.

http://www.woodturner.org/sym/sym2005/handouts/youth_training_program.pdf

http://woodturner.org/Member/TeachingGuide_a.pdf

There are some other websites with teaching turning.

Good luck and tons of patience.

gordon

 

[flyitfast]

BTW Kevin, if you are a member of AAW, you may have insurance to cover you while you are teaching or demonstrating.
gordon

 

[Jim Burr]

BTW Kevin, if you are a member of AAW, you may have insurance to cover you while you are teaching or demonstrating.
gordon

Yup!!
I do mine in 1 hour sessions. 20 minutes of blah blah and 40 making shavings. We cover equipment and safe use...sharpening and actually turn with a dull gouge the sharpen it...they love that part!! Also a little design/form stuff.

 

[ed4copies]

BTW Kevin, if you are a member of AAW, you may have insurance to cover you while you are teaching or demonstrating.
gordon

Yup!!
I do mine in 1 hour sessions. 20 minutes of blah blah and 40 making shavings. We cover equipment and safe use...sharpening and actually turn with a dull gouge the sharpen it...they love that part!! Also a little design/form stuff.

.
I'd CHECK that, if I were you. I BELIEVE it only covers you when you are in "AAW sponsored events".

Even then, let's face it---if there is someone who gets hurt and wants to sue, they WILL!

 

[MDWine]

I've had several friends over for 'new turner' lessons, strictly for pens. I didn't worry about insurance, it was each man for himself. I told them to reserve two hours, and if we finished earlier, or decided to stay later, it was up to them. I have a guy in our carving club talking about turning, and will probably invite him over when we meet next week.

I suppose if you were to have strangers in for "formal" lessons, it would be a much different kind of thing. You certainly would consider waivers and insurance. Develop a curriculum and lesson plans for each step of the way. (keeps YOU on track, and helps them process the information!)

For me, it was very casual.
I've done this with three friends, and they still turn, if on occasionally!

 

[BRobbins629]

Insurance needs may be different if you are charging for lessons than if not. If its for profit, you could perhaps limit liability by running it as a business but that may require some additional paperwork.

 

[Leviblue]

I've given lessons to friends and had no worries about it. They knew they were on their own if they got injured. But this is for others that I'm not familiar with. I would be running this through my business and I'll have to check with my insurance provider if there's a rider that I need to add to keep me personally out of hot water.
Thanks for the advise here. Keep the ideas flowing as you have them as I can use all the help I can get.

 

[Hexhead]

I feel like ed4copies, most insurance companies go for 100 grand settlement, but people today sue for millions. I love to teach others and have done so, but it's unnerving to me. But if you get insured well I would go for it, but beware many times a pupil becomes better than the teacher.

 

[MesquiteMan]

I do it on a regular basis and have not worried about insurance. Here is my plan...if someone gets hurt in my shop, I am going to drag them out to the road and run over them with my truck, that way my truck insurance will pay!:biggrin:

For the sensitive type, I am just kidding, of course!

 

[Leviblue]

I can relate to that thought Curtis!

 

[low_48]

BTW Kevin, if you are a member of AAW, you may have insurance to cover you while you are teaching or demonstrating.
gordon

Yup!!
I do mine in 1 hour sessions. 20 minutes of blah blah and 40 making shavings. We cover equipment and safe use...sharpening and actually turn with a dull gouge the sharpen it...they love that part!! Also a little design/form stuff.

.
I'd CHECK that, if I were you. I BELIEVE it only covers you when you are in "AAW sponsored events".

Even then, let's face it---if there is someone who gets hurt and wants to sue, they WILL!

You have to be an AAW member, and it has to be an AAW or official local AAW chapter sponsored event to have the insurance coverage from the AAW.

 

[flyitfast]

BTW Kevin, if you are a member of AAW, you may have insurance to cover you while you are teaching or demonstrating.
gordon

Kevin, I'm sorry if I mislead on the above statement. I should have known that it was for AAW sanctioned (or AAW chapter) events. However, the teaching outlines I mentioned in the other post still are a pretty good start for presenting turning to students.
gordon

Thanks Ed for pointing out my mistake.