Make your own bowl in a day.
One-on-one woodturning in Kāneʻohe, on windward Oʻahu. Pick the wood, turn it and take the bowl home the same day.
- Price
- $400 per person
- Length
- About 6 hours
- Who
- One, or two for $800
- Included
- Wood, tools & gear
- You leave with
- Your bowl
How the day goes.
Safety & the tools
First, Kaleb walks you around the lathe, shows you what each tool does and goes over the few rules that keep you safe. Face shield on, sleeves up, closed shoes.
Choose your wood
Pick a blank off the rack. Mango, monkeypod, Norfolk Island pine and milo are the usual ones, and Kaleb will tell you how each one cuts and how it’ll look once the oil goes on.
Turn the bowl
You shape the outside, then hollow out the inside, with Kaleb at your shoulder for every cut. The shavings fly and the tools stay in your hands the whole time.
Sand, oil & take it home
Sand it smooth, rub in the oil and watch the grain come up. Then it goes home with you, still smelling of the shop.
Coming as two.
There are two lathes, so you each turn your own bowl while Kaleb moves between you. The day is $800 for the two of you.
Visiting Oʻahu?
A day on the lathe is a souvenir you make yourself, on the side of the island most visitors drive past.
Nothing needs firing, as it would at a pottery class. Your bowl is finished, oiled and in your hands the same afternoon.
Finished wood is allowed out of Hawaiʻi after the USDA agricultural inspection at the airport. Show it to the inspector.
The windward side is the rainy side, and the work happens under cover in the shop.
Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden and the Byodo-In Temple are both in Kāneʻohe, over the Koʻolau from Honolulu.
Give a day on the lathe.
Buy it here as a gift and Kaleb sends you a note to pass on, so whoever gets it can choose their own date. It’s a present they get to do, and at the end of it there’s a bowl they made.
The details.
$400 per person for the day. It covers the wood, the tools, the safety gear, the finish and the bowl, which goes home with you.
About six hours, usually starting in the morning, with a break for lunch.
By appointment, most days of the week. Weekends book up first; weekdays can often happen sooner.
One person on one lathe with Kaleb, or two of you on two lathes. Adults, and teens with a parent or guardian there.
Kaleb’s shop in Kāneʻohe, on the windward side of Oʻahu. The address comes with your booking.
A face shield, closed shoes and Kaleb beside you the whole time. Before the lathe starts, everyone who turns signs the class waiver (PDF).
A bowl is the usual first piece and the most forgiving. A platter or a small dish is possible too; say what you have in mind.
Pay when you book, here on the site, and Kaleb confirms one of your dates. If none of them work, you get it all back. If a blank cracks, the next one is on Kaleb.
Book a class.
Give a few dates that could work, then book and pay. Kaleb confirms one, usually within a day or two.
Before you book.
How much does the class cost?
$400 per person for the day. The wood, the tools, the safety gear and the finish are included, and so is the bowl, which goes home with you. Two of you on two lathes is $800.
Do I need any woodworking experience?
No. Most people who come have never used a lathe. You learn one cut at a time, on your own bowl, with Kaleb at your shoulder.
Is woodturning dangerous?
A lathe deserves respect, which is why the day starts with safety and never leaves it. You wear a face shield, keep sleeves, hair and jewelry out of the way and follow a few firm rules, and Kaleb is beside you for every cut.
What should I wear?
Closed-toe shoes and clothes you don’t mind getting dusty, with sleeves you can roll up. Tie back long hair and leave rings, bracelets and anything that dangles at home. The face shield and the rest of the safety gear are provided.
How long does it take to turn a bowl?
The day is about six hours. Most of it goes into turning the bowl itself; sanding and oiling come at the end, and it goes home with you that day.
Can two of us come together?
Yes. There are two lathes, so you each turn your own bowl, and it’s $800 for the two of you. Choose “Two of us” when you book.
How old do you have to be?
Adults, and teens with a parent or guardian there for the day.
Which woods can I choose? Can I turn koa?
Whatever is on the rack that day, usually mango, monkeypod, Norfolk Island pine and milo. Koa comes through now and then; ask when you book.
Can I take my bowl on the plane?
Yes. Finished wood is allowed out of Hawaiʻi after the USDA agricultural inspection at the airport, so show it to the inspector. Some countries, New Zealand and Australia among them, ask you to declare wooden items when you land.
Is the bowl food-safe?
Yes. It’s finished with a food-safe oil, so it’s ready for salad or fruit. The care guide covers washing and oiling.
What if it rains?
Nothing changes. The windward side is the rainy side, and the work happens under cover in the shop.
What if I need to move my day?
Tell Kaleb as early as you can and he’ll offer another date. What you paid moves to the new day.
Can I give the class as a gift?
Yes. Choose “It’s a gift for someone” when you book and pay, and Kaleb sends you a note to pass on, so whoever gets it can choose their own date.
I already turn. Is it worth it?
Yes, if there’s something you want to work on: a cut, a shape, sharpening or a finish. Tell Kaleb when you book and the day is built around it.