I received my copy of Bill's instructional DVD last week and thought I'd pass along my impressions.
First, understand that I am a neophyte turner. I've been woodworking for quite a few years, but never got around to turning until recently. I've purchased Raffan's turning wood video from Taunton and have several other woodworking videos from them as well.
Regarding turning, there are several things I didn't understand about the process, especially having to do with the use of green wood and how to get it successfully to a dry blank ready for finish turning.
Bill's video starts with him, chainsaw in hand, cutting a cherry log for future life as a bowl. He explains not only how, but why he's cutting it the way he is. He continues telling how and why throughout the video, which is in my opinion far better than just telling how. He proceeds to go through every step needed to turn that log into a beautiful bowl. He presents each new step with a good explanation of why he's doing it as well as how he's doing it. His use of the tools is somewhat different from Raffan's, but after watching Bill, I can understand the difference and for the first time understand Raffan's usage better as well.
I'll spare you the play by play and just say that the video really filled in a lot of blanks (mental, not wood) for me. I wish I had purchased this DVD to start with, I'd have saved some nice wood from the horrible fate I subjected it to.
The production was pretty good too; better than I expected. Every Taunton video I own has at least one section where the sound level drops so low that you think the presenter is at the end of a long tunnel. Bill's video had good sound quality throughout. There were a couple of instances in which the camera operator moved the camera and bonked into something, but aside from being slightly comical it didn't really detract from the video. Bill illustrates a couple of points on a white board by drawing. I felt that a prepared graphic would have made better use of the time and medium, but that's a minor point.
For the beginning bowl turner, this is definitely worth the asking price. I would have saved more than the video price in butchered wood had I gotten it sooner.
Great video Bill, thanks. And by the way, the bluegrass music you used was great.