Some of what I’m talking about here might be a bit controversial, but it’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while and I feel it’s worth saying openly.

A student once told me she'd been thinking about taking a woodturning course for three years before she finally signed up. Three years of imagining, researching, watching videos, collecting mental notes.

In this episode of Turner’s Journey, I’m deep into end-of-year prep and getting everything ready for 2026. Teaching has finished for 2025, so I’m using this quieter period to restructure the lessons, rebuild the website from the ground up, and add extra value to the student experience.

I need to tell you something that might seem contradictory coming from someone who's invested thousands of hours in online content: YouTube is a brilliant starting point, but it's a terrible finishing school.

The Bite-Size Workshop is my new library of focused woodturning video lessons. Most are under 10 minutes, with a few project videos extending to a maximum of thirty minutes but still short enough to watch with a coffee, long enough to actually teach you something.

In this episode of Turner’s Journey, Martin heads up to the Harrogate show with Les. Instead of going as a full-on trader with a van and a ton of stock, he travels light, sets up a small corner on Emma’s stand, does a couple of demos, and soaks up the show from a different perspective.

There's always a moment at the beginning of a new piece, just before the first cut, when hesitation creeps in. The blank sits on the lathe, raw and silent, and you stand there with the gouge poised, wondering if you're about to make something beautiful or destroy something that could have been.

Just a quick video to round off the year by saying a big THANK YOU to you for watching this new series of Turner's Journey.

In this week’s Turner’s Journey, Martin takes a breath after a few busy weeks of travel and filming. Back in the workshop, the focus shifts to teaching, making, and a bit of reflection on how far things have come since the start of the series.

There's a moment in every good demonstration when the starts for the first time and the tool lands on the rest, and the audience go quiet in anticipation. The tool has found its line. The shavings are curling off in that satisfying ribbon. The form is emerging from the blank, and everyone can see where it's going.

In this week’s Turner’s Journey, Martin leaves the workshop behind for a day in London — trading shavings and sanding dust for city noise, art, and inspiration.

In this week’s Turner’s Journey, Martin’s back in the workshop after being knocked flat by a heavy cold. Between recovering, preparing for the Yandles book launch, and getting ready for multiple demos and shows,

In this week’s Turner’s Journey, Martin takes a slower pace after a hectic few weeks of book deliveries and classes. He opens up about struggling with motivation, teaches a one-to-one lesson.

Episode 17 is a celebration of hard work meeting reality — the moment the books finally arrive! From signing stacks of copies to teaching and packing boxes late into the evening, it’s a busy but joyful snapshot of a dream becoming tangible.

Episode 16 is both emotional and inspiring. After ten years, Hampshire Sheen’s final trading day marks the end of one era and the start of another.

In this episode of Turner’s Journey, Martin takes us through a full-on week in the workshop.

In this week’s Turner’s Journey, Martin celebrates a huge milestone as the proof copies of his book arrive, shares the excitement of pre-orders, and turns his attention to remodeling the school.

This week’s episode of Turner’s Journey is a little different – shorter, but still full of important updates

In this episode of Turner’s Journey, Martin works through multiple attempts at the Fibonacci bowl for the book

In this episode of Turner’s Journey, Martin takes us through a packed week in the workshop.