Being a self-taught wood turner, starting at the age of 15 when I brought an old cast iron Hobby's treadle flat belt drive wood lathe, a bit like a pole lathe but slightly more modern, brought for 30 shillings (that's £1.50 for those of you not old enough to remember real money). I’m also a self-taught wood carver from the age of 20, my first carving being of a John Fowler & Co traction engine smoke box door. 
In 1997 I was approached by a number of local joinery companies for the possibility of me doing wood turning and carving for their customer’s needs, some of this work over the past 19 years has included reproductions of turned and carved items for the National Trust buildings, as well as listed buildings to the specification & approval of English Heritage.

Whether I am turning one spindle for a stair case,a small number of items or a large batch of 100 plus they're all enjoyable to do. I do not possess a copying attachment or a copy lathe, everything I turn is done free hand. Other aspects of turning I really enjoy are serving bowls, dishes, plates, platters, kitchen & tableware including the segmented range of salt and pepper mills /shakers. As well as Scandinavian two handled tankards, Viking beakers, mugs, deep, plates & bowls for Viking re-enactments. As well as segmented old English style wooden buckets, walking stick stands & a selections of treasure chests with segment arched lid in various sizes, plus special pieces like hand cut Barley twists, Involute turning. Plus, the more unusual art of Therming, for those unaware this is turning a square patterned spindle on a rotating wood lathe.

At the moment (June 2016) in any spare time I get. I am building a new treadle lather with about a 9 inch (230mm) center height & about 4 feet (1220mm) between centers. Using and old Union Jubilee grinder casting. Union graduate headstock spindle, Colchester bow top engineers center lathe tail stock (modified of course) & a few bits of 6" x3" rolled steel channel, hollow box plus bits of plate. Being an engineer through the first 20 years of my working life has helped me to be able to do such things as this, I enjoyed my time in the engineering trade and learn't a terrific amount.

I can still read a blue print or engineers drawing, a tape measure, imperial micrometers & verniers, but now I get more enjoyment as every day brings something different.