This course in turning is intended to give elementary exercises only. Each model in Part I is given with a definite purpose and should not be omitted. There will be little need for class demonstration. Each pupil should have a book at his bench, and should take it home with him often enough to gain in advance a definite idea of each day's lesson.

Each piece should be turned with care and in the order given, and the exercise should not be repeated. No matter what the plans of the pupils may be, much time will be saved by making each of the twenty models before attempting any fancy turning. If the first eight or sixteen pieces have been made, and the work is very poor, it is better to return to the first piece and begin again. Thus continuing the study of principles, rather than acquiring skill to do the work by mere repetition.

Always keep in mind that turning cannot be done with dull tools. Do not resort to scraping the pieces where they should be turned. Do not use any sandpaper until the fifteenth exercise, and then use only No. 1/2. Although this set may appear to consist of too large a number of pieces, a proper use of them will demonstrate that they are a much shorter and quicker road to successful turning than the less numerous exercises given by others.

The methods of using tools in turning on modern lathes and with modern tools vary somewhat from the methods used when lathes were more cumbersome and tools not so easily obtained. In the school shop such tools and methods should be employed as will tend most to an active mental direction of the process, and give as little occasion as possible for the acquiring of skill.

The work must be carried on in such a manner that there is a continuous increase in power of attention and ability to do a given amount of work in a definite period of time. The pupil must learn to keep up with the lathe, and this by developing power to think more quickly and accurately, rather than by acquiring skill. If the work is planned to develop skill, the result will be injurious rather than helpful.

The material for the first exercises should be of pine, because it is easy to work, when the tools are used properly; and because any attempt to scrape the piece to shape is easily detected.

One of the first things to decide in learning to use the lathe is whether one shall turn right-handed or left-handed. Either way is easily learned, whether one is right-handed or not. But, when the decision is once made, do not change. The right-hand position is probably the better for a large proportion of work, although the left-hand position seems to be easier in some of the first exercises.

As a large part of the time is necessarily taken up in learning the use of the tools, you will have but little time for fancy turning, unless you are very careful to learn the correct use of your tools. You should be especially careful in turning the first pieces, for the more nearly correct you use your tools in the beginning, the more rapid will be the progress and the better will be your work.

The first exercises are so designed that, if properly used, they will readily give a freedom and certainty which is not the result of skill, but of an exact understanding of the process. After this knowledge has been acquired, a great variety of articles may be made in a short space of time.

If you learn the correct use of each turning tool, you will be able to turn fancy articles of knotty, hard, or cross-grained wood. Such wood is often much more beautiful than that which is plain and straight-grained. This ability to use the tools will not be lost, even though you do no turning for a considerable length of time.