What do you like to see demonstrated

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Hi all,
      On taking bookings from various clubs to demonstrate I always ask what would they like to see demonstrated. I do have a few "standard" type demos that I do but do like to pitch the demo to what the audience wants. Just out of interest, what do you/what would you like to see demonstrated?
regards
John BHT

[john taylor]

Competence and good practise both in the actual turning and in safety.

John

[woody]

Just a good honest demo no matter what the demo is with no showing of and no lectures on things that the person doing the demo so obviously knows nothing about

[Philip Green]

From a professional, I would hope for an entertaining and instructive demo using safe techniques. Whilst it is nice to see something I have not seen before, often it is good to see how others do aspects of turning that I am familiar with. I, like most of us, have a favourite technique for say hollowing out a bowl, but I am open to different ideas and that is one way that I progress.

Club demos are different because they are shorter and need to cater for novice as well as experienced members. At one of my clubs, we get asked each year what we would like to see but usually, only one or two respond. Our training officer produces a programme with mixed basic and more advanced topics with one or two unusual ones thrown in.

It is almost the second anniversary of my attending my first club demo and next month, I am giving my first club demo on a subject that I learned at a John Lancaster demo last year and have since been successful with. I have no plans to do loads of demos, certainly not at a professional level, but it seems only fair to give a break to the very small number of club members who get lumbered with doing nearly all the club demos. I belong to two clubs and both have the same problem.

[Doug Barratt]

I don`t think its a matter of what is turned, I would like to be better informed of differing ways to achieve the same result.

EG.
If it`s a box, how it could be turned without a chuck.
If it`s a carved piece, what could I use instead of a power carver.
I`m not saying the differing techniques need to be demonstrated fully but a few pre-made props would be good to explain alternative methods.

Quite often a piece is turned with little thought of what tools & equipment the bloke in the audience has got.
I`m not saying new techniques & tools shouldn`t be shown, of course they should we all like to see the latest gear, but I`ve seen  grinders, power carvers & air brushes all used in the same demo & these are beyond the reach of a lot of hobbyists.
 

The best demo`s are the ones that teach & inspire me to better use the equipment I have, the worse are ones that show me how to make a piece with equipment I will never afford & there is no alternative to achieve the same result.


Cheers.    

[thebowlerhattedturner]

For those of you like Statsman who are thinking of doing a club level demo the AWGB demonstrator training courses are excellent just contact your regional rep or Brian Hensby for details.
I agree with all of the above especially George's comment. (Although what George needs even more money for beats me  ).
  I normally demonstrate with those on a budget in mind purely because when I started I was and still am on a budget. It is always said that turning can be achieved with only 5 tools, if that is the case why have I got so many? (Don't forget he who dies with the most tools wins)
I will comment further as this thread progresses.
Regards
John BHT

[Bryan Milham]

John, I'm going to tell you no more than you already know.

Because of the varied levels of turning ability in any club you can't please everybody. Personally my pet hate is an instructor who says, this is what I'm going to turn - and does so!

It's not what you turn, it's the interaction with the audience, and they can sometimes be hard to get going but if you can, you've won. If they don't ask questions, you've got to ask questions force the two-way banter, find the one or two members who interact and build on it. Stories and Anecdotes help but don't make them too long or too rambling.

As for the turning, yes turn what your currently practised at, bowl, hollowform, spindle something, or techniques for finishing or colouring. What we want to see techniques and explanations, hear about the tricks you've learnt, why you do some of the things you do. We want to learn from the demonstrator not feel like we're at a show where everything is choreographed and we have no say in the production.

Regards,

Bryan

[bodrighywood]

I was at Yandles once and  well known turner was there demonstrating. I asked him about something he did and his response was "if you come to one of my classes I will show you" which didn't amuse me a lot. As said, demonstrating should be informative and entertaining, it takes more than a good turner to be a good demonstrator. Whether a show or a club, I want to see someone who shows clearly how they do something and to leave feeling that I have been both taught and entertained. Even the basics can be done differently and the only turner who can't learn something new is a dead one.

Pete

[Richard Findley]

Hi all

I have been, and will continue to follow this thread with interest. I do a lot of demo's (about 30 a year) and so am fairly well practiced but I am always on the look out for new subjects and any feedback is always welcome.

Every demo I watch I try to learn from, whether it be the content or the style or whatever. The things I have learned are that there is nothing worse than just watching someone turn, so I make sure that throughout the demo I am talking, sometimes stating the blindingly obvious I'm sure, but always chatting and so (trying) to keep the audiences attention.

I don't particularly like it when turners tell jokes during demos, usually because the jokes are poor and/or old. If I wanted to hear jokes I would watch a standup. That said, I try to add humour to the demo and if I get a few little laughs from the audience during a demo I am usually pleased.

If I think of anything else I  will add to the post.

Cheers

Richard

[John D Smith]

I like most Demonstrations whether it is spindle work or faceplate work I like a demonstrator who explains what tool he is using and takes questions as he is going along. I do however have a few pet hates.

      A Demonstrator who sands through all the grades.

      One who continually tells jokes (as Richard Said a little bit of humour is fine)

      Also Members of our Club who insist on talking while a Demo is going on.

                                         Regards (Grumpy) John   

[Bryan Milham]

I would like to see a Demo on how to make money

George,

perhaps I should arrange a visit to the Royal Mint in  Wales then!