Mark Hancock reviews

12 Sep 18'

Mark Hardy reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"What a fantastic day and what a fantastic teacher. Like many of the reviewers I was given a one-on-one day with Mark as a present. I am a reasonably seasoned 'flat' wood worker but knew nothing about the 'round' wood disciplines and techniques. Mark changed all that! In a (long!) day he was able to distil and impart over 30 years of knowledge and experience that the rest of us can only admire and dream of. This is a master craftsman, talented artist and exceptional teacher at the top of his game. My day spent with Mark was a fascinating, empowering, exciting and joyful voyage of discovery. Mark's enthusiasm for his art and his craft and his ability to both express and funnel this into his teaching is both infectious and inspiring. Thank you Mark for a wonderful experience that has decided me to further explore the 'round' wood skills that I know will enable me also to be a better 'flat' wood worker."

10 Sep 18'

David Roberts reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"The day with Mark was a present from my mum after mentioning wanting to give it a go on passing a few months before. Having not been on a lathe for 30 years since my A Levels, I was a little bit apprehensive to say the least about my level of skill and how I would fare throughout the day. I needn't have worried though. I soon discovered that my memory of working with wood was was a little patchy at best and it was a quick decision to start at the beginning and cover the condensed course. From the start, Mark put me at ease and was very clear about what we hoped to achieve during the day. His experience and knowledge was immense and his relaxed manner made learning easy. Even with an obviously sore throat, he explained, hinted, and corrected patiently and concisely with a good balance of demonstration and verbal instruction. As his advert suggests, there was also an ample amount of tea and coffee at hand! The day was superb and I cannot wait to get power up to my shed, fire up my lathe and put what I learnt into practice. It is certainly something I will be continuing with and I would definitely consider booking another day with Mark. Oh, and big thanks for the shopping list and advice - a huge help as it is a bit of a minefield out there!"

10 Sep 18'

Nicholas Rogers reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"Many thanks to Mark for a really good day. Mark's patience and knowledge for wood and woodturning make him a perfect teacher. Plenty of tea and coffee throughout the day and Mark's teaching abilities are second to none. I didn’t really know what to expect because I had only been turning for a few months and maybe had some bad habits but Mark takes his time to make sure that you are fully comfortable with the course material, rather than rushing through to meet a pre-determined finish time. At the end of the day I was able to take home my very first oak bowl and other exercise pieces with plenty of reference material and a knowledge to carry on turning as a hobby. Since the course, Mark has been more than happy to answer any questions I have regarding technique and equipment. He is a very nice person, and clearly has a passion for teaching, and I would not hesitate to recommend his wood turning course to anyone. I will be joining a club soon and look forward to seeing him teaching again."

9 Sep 18'

Sue Cramb reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"I was given a one day course with Mark as a wedding anniversary present. I'd wanted to have go at woodturning for a few years but have little experience with woodwork in general & was nervous that this lack of experience would hinder my progress. I needn't have worried, Mark was very patient & encouraging. He has a wealth of knowledge & experience & like all good teachers makes you feel you can succeed. I produced a beautiful bowl & he has made me feel that I should carry on improving this new skill. I will, but hopefully attending one of his longer courses first. Thank you Mark for giving me the confidence to pursue a new hobby."

8 Sep 18'

Clare Smith reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"This course was a present from my husband for my 55th birthday. I had done a tiny bit of woodturning over 30 years ago, but nothing since, and was keen to "have a go" again. The day was fantastic. So much was covered. Mark was incredibly patient and thorough in his explanations. He was unfazed by all my questions and endlessly encouraging and reassuring when I couldn't seem to do what I was trying to do. I learned so much, but am keen to go back for another 1 day course once I have practiced all I have learned so far. Mark's "shopping list" is great for beginners looking to get started with all the equipment necessary and his hand-out is an invaluable aide memoir of everything covered in the day."

25 Aug 18'

Chris West reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"My wife and children had bought me a wood lathe to occupy me in my retirement. Having set my workshop up and having recently retired I felt now was the time to get a thorough grounding in the basic techniques from which I could develop my skills. The day with Mark was one of the most enjoyable days training I have had for a long time and suited the way I learn perfectly. The day was full of anecdotes, explanations of theory and practical side of the tools and turning, as well as an appropriate level of hands on work on the tooling and lathe. The extensive information provided verbally was complimented with a full set of notes that will form a great aide memoir for the future. Mark is extremely knowledgeable, patient and personable: the day flew by. Following the course, Mark has provided an e-mail summarising the various points of interest from the day, and detail on where specific items of tooling, in which I showed interest, could be purchased. The course was extremely good value. Mark – many thanks"

22 Aug 18'

Chris Powell reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"Part of my 60th birthday present was two excellent days with Mark. As a novice Mark gave me plenty of hands on guidance. A well balanced mix of instruction and actually doing some turning myself. Must have found the hardest piece of oak for my bowl which meant I got plenty of practise sharpening too. Mark has a very sensible approach which cuts through a lot of the jargon and demystifies the subject. Comprehensive set of notes and great guidance on what to buy and where. Fully intended to go back for a further day when I have advanced a bit."

15 Aug 18'

Raymond Sancroft-Baker reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"Not having done much wood turning for a few years I thought I would do a refresher course and Mark introduced me to many new tools and techniques that I can now turn with much more confidence. A most enjoyable experience and Mark took endless trouble and we certainly had a very full day of tuition. He also provided comprehensive notes and links to suppliers. The only problem is that now I think I will have to buy a new lathe!"

13 Aug 18'

Andy reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"I had a thoroughly enjoyable day woodturning! Mark was such a fantastic teacher, extremely patient with me! The day was a birthday gift from my wife. I had not done anything remotely similar since my days in woodwork class at school 30 years ago and Mark made me feel very welcome and at ease. Mark would explain, demonstrate then watch or be nearby whilst I 'turned'. I can see why he is internationally renowned and respected as an expert woodturner/teacher. I came away with a lovely bowl which takes pride of place in our home, love it!"

8 Aug 18'

Keith Manvell reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"So in a moment of madness late last year, I purchased a wood lathe on eBay! I then had to decide what on earth to do with it! Having recently joined a local and well renowned Woodturning Club, I spoke to several long standing members who all agreed I should book a day's tuition with Mark. I have just had a most enjoyable day with Mark and cannot praise him enough. Although I had spent a short time on my lathe I would still class myself as a beginner. Mark quickly ascertained what level I was at in the woodturning world by viewing my own tools and a few pieces of work I brought along with me, this enabled Mark to suggest what areas needed the most concentration - quite a lot I should add. Mark is not only a brilliant and professional woodturner, he is also a fantastic tutor and is extremely patient - fortunately for me. Mark dispels with jargon but does explain all aspects of the craft calmly, logically and at a suitable pace, that I suspect is tailored for each individual depending on their level of proficiency. If you are thinking of a woodturning day's course then I can highly recommend Mark."

2 Aug 18'

Justin Miller reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"I am a keen woodworker at home and some friends kindly gifted me a one day course with Mark for my 50th birthday. I had no real preconceptions going in to this, but I have to say that I had a really brilliant day with Mark and felt that I learnt enough to enable me to pursue woodturning on my father in law’s lathe with a fair degree of enthusiasm. Mark is a patient tutor who explained things clearly and in a manner that made it easy to understand and put the techniques in to practice. His skills and knowledge of his craft and the wood itself were evident throughout the day. The day spent with Mark has enjoyable and has given me the drive to take woodturning up as a hobbyist. Following the course Mark emailed me a a large amount of information about the tools that I will need, where these can be purchased and details on some local woodturning clubs. The course was really worthwhile and good value."

30 Jul 18'

Laura Stylianou reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"I had been on a long search to find a wood turning tutor that ticked all the boxes. After two years of making enquiries and speaking to various other professionals I realised that I had to find a tutor that would give me detailed explanations, be patient and give me quality time. Being a designer I have a good eye for detail and design but I needed to learn how to start and where to finish. So I came across Marks name and Googled him, I read about him and I was impressed, so I called Mark straight away. We had a lengthy chat, he explained what he covers and agreed that a one to one tuition was most beneficial for me and I signed up, even thought it was a 2.5 hour drive. Mark definitely ticked all the boxes, we covered so much in a day, I learned a lot and took home a fantastic bowl which is what I wanted to make. He is knowledgeable, patient, thorough, calm, enthusiastic, and has a sense of humour. The day exceeded my expectations and I would recommend him without any hesitation. Thank you Mark for a great day,"

13 Jul 18'

Oliver Piepereit - OP Woodcraft reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"Being a flat worker (As Mark called me) I thought it time to learn the art of wood turning. Mark was a great tutor who has a wealth of knowledge and experience not to mention a great eye for design. I did two days learning numerous techniques which i'll take forward into the world of sculpture. Mark was really patient, could see I was a little nervous and by the end of the tuition I felt really comfortable at the lathe. I'll be back for more tuition without a doubt. Keep up the good work!!"

12 Jul 18'

Don sangster reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"Book two days with Mark, what a wonderful experience I had. Mark was very patience knowledgable teacher no doubt very talented man my confidence grew and grew as the time went bye. I would definitely be recommending Mark to anyone interested in all aspects of woodturning. I’ve taking away so many tips and tricks wonderful two days. Money will spend."

8 Jul 18'

Rosanna Blight reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"My husband booked this course as a gift to me for our 5th wedding anniversary (it’s wood so hence the off the wall gift). Both of us were complete novices (I had to google what wood turning was before the actual day!). However I had the most wonderful day. Mark tailored the day completely to our level. He is obviously a very skilled wood turner however he was able to break down the components of the tasks very clearly so that even my husband and I could understand what to do!! We left with two brilliant bowls which we have been showing off to anyone who will look at them. I throughly recommend this course to everyone and I hope to have another go at woodturning in the near future!!"

4 Jul 18'

Jeff Holtom reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"Mark is clearly very passionate and knowledgable about woodturning and manages to pass this onto his students in a very relaxed and informal way. As an absolute beginner, Mark provided me with a comprehensive introduction explaining in detail all aspects of woodturning and answering all my questions with ease. I would thoroughly recommend a course with Mark for anyone considering starting woodturning."

30 Jun 18'

Bob Douglas reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"I had an excellent days tuition from Mark. He is easygoing and encouraging. Due to the days tuition, I have decided to go ahead with taking up the hobby. Mark has sent me lots of valuable information on getting started and also on wood turning clubs in the Midlands. If you are thinking about taking up wood turning I think Mark is best placed for starting you off."

27 Jun 18'

Judy Luthman reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"A very full day of teaching with lots of hands on time covering everything one needs to get started. I came away inspired to get on and do more and can highly recommend Mark as a tutor. The day was followed up by a comprehensive list of where and what to look for to get started. Many thanks."

27 Jun 18'

Mark Newbold reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"I did this course yesterday - fantastic! Mark is clearly an expert, and a great teacher. He doesn't believe in 'rules' but in guidance, and he provides plenty of that. His artistic flair and his feel for wood comes through, and he is endlessly patient in explaining the basics of woodturning. He provides notes, and follows up with a very comprehensive email to help get started - it was definitely a good idea to hold off from buying kit until after the day with Mark as he offers loads of useful guidance on this. His philosophy of owning a few key tools struck a chord with me, and I'll definitely follow his advice rather than that of the salesman when I get to the buying stage. I can't believe there is a better introduction to woodturning - a really worthwhile and enjoyable day, and astonishing value for what was over 10hrs of his professional time. Highly recommended!"

21 Jun 18'

Graeme Reeves reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"Many thanks to Mark for a fantastic day's tuition. Mark's patience and enthusiasm for woodturning make him a perfect teacher. Plenty of tea and coffee throughout the day and Mark's teaching abilities are second to none. Mark takes his time to ensure that you are fully comfortable with the course material, rather than rushing through to meet a pre-determined finish time. At the end of the day I was able to take home my very first bowl, plenty of reference material and a fervent desire to carry on turning as a hobby. Since the course, Mark has been more than happy to answer any questions I have regarding technique and equipment. He clearly has a passion for helping others to learn and this shows in his tuition."

18 Jun 18'

Barrie Fisher reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"As I have reached that time in my life when it is time for retirement and also having started woodturning again after many years. It was a pleasure to have Mark guiding me in the right direction and correcting points in my techniques. I have already started using some of these new ways of turning and it has also made it more enjoyable, even down to holding the tools in my left hand. mark is easy to talk to and is enthusiastic in passing his knowledge on to others, he is relaxed when working with you. Well worth taking the course. The complete day went very fast with plenty of cups of coffee thrown in during the day. I would recommend taking a course with Mark to anyone who wants to improve themselves or even getting started, and it is well worth the five star rating. Mark has sent through information for various aspects of woodturning and supplied a comprehensive set of notes. Must thank Mark for the day and will be looking to take part in another course in the future, possibly on shapes with cut outs etc. Many Thanks Mark"

4 Jun 18'

Steven Churchill reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"As a self taught woodturner that was born of a desire to spend "useful" time in retirement, it was with great trepidation that I accepted the gift voucher from my wife to see a "real" woodturner in action and be shown how to do things properly I need not have worried. Mark's relaxed and supportive tutoring style reinforced my good turning traits and gentle corrected my horrors. The day rushed past and armed with probably the finest turned bowl of my short turning career the day concluded all too soon. I can't sing Mark's praises too highly. He unlocked the mysteries of tool sharpening, of sand paper free finishing and gave me a confidence to go home, practice, and turn some finely engraved fluting and beading on my bowls. Whether you are a starter or an old hand, Mark's teaching will enhance your skill and almost certainly put a smile on your face."

2 Jun 18'

Martin Wood reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"I was bought one of Mark’s day courses for my birthday and what a day! Mark guided me along to produce both a bowl and a honey dibber. I say guided as Mark used his vast experience to allow me to use the lathe whilst he showed me the best way to use the tools. His style is informal but very effective, I learnt a lot about the appreciation required of the wood before you start cutting. I was thoroughly engrossed during the day and along with copious mugs of coffee the time flew by. The lathe work was fun and one day I will get my own. Before that though I will be looking to gain more knowledge from Mark in how to wield the tools properly and better understand the nature of wood. I would highly recommend anyone thinking of wood turning to book onto one of Mark’s courses to sip at his cup of knowledge!"

10 May 18'

David Ingram reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"Many thanks to Mark for a great day. I had no experience as a wood turner, but had done a little joinery with a view to furniture making. Mark tailored the day to compliment this and gave me techniques and loads of advice on setting up that will help me in the future. I could not have asked for more from him; he's friendly, patient, very knowledgeable, accommodating and an excellent turner. I enjoyed finding out about his work also, which he was more than happy to show me. Many thanks again Mark for a great day and I hope to be back to learn some more soon. Dave"

10 May 18'

Aidan reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"A wonderful birthday gift. As an absolute beginner to woodworking, it was a very informative course. Mark is a great teacher and really helped me with the techniques and imparted his vast knowledge of woodturning. I cannot recommend this course enough. Whether you are just starting out or already have some experience, this is truly a great course."