Hi guys, been checking the place out for a while and I had figured you could all help. I was thinking about trying to do some segmented turning but I hadn't taken into consideration how many pieces I should be using to complete the circle. I've got some mahogany sitting around and I was thinking about making a bowl maybe 5 inches or so in diameter. I had originally planned for 6 pieces but then I was reading elsewhere that in some cases less pieces will affect the end result, any help is appreciated.
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First Time Trying Segmented Turning
- Thread starter M Diehl
- Start date
M Diehi,
For your first attempt at assembling segmented rings, I recommend that you use a minumum of 8 segments per ring (10 or 12 or 16 would even be better). It might seem like unnecessary work to cut all those additional segments, but the end result will be worth it. Your "turning" will also be much easier; you will have much less exposed end-grain as the number of segments increases - you'll have less chip-out.
But for your first project, you have many other decisions such as: "how to cut" (table saw of chop saw), whether or not to sand the segment ends, how to create flat surface between the stacked rings, and so forth. You are entering a very complex style of woodturning and there is a long learning curve. Good luck.
For your first attempt at assembling segmented rings, I recommend that you use a minumum of 8 segments per ring (10 or 12 or 16 would even be better). It might seem like unnecessary work to cut all those additional segments, but the end result will be worth it. Your "turning" will also be much easier; you will have much less exposed end-grain as the number of segments increases - you'll have less chip-out.
But for your first project, you have many other decisions such as: "how to cut" (table saw of chop saw), whether or not to sand the segment ends, how to create flat surface between the stacked rings, and so forth. You are entering a very complex style of woodturning and there is a long learning curve. Good luck.
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
I also recommend doing an even number of sides. This lets you correct somewhat if your cuts aren't perfect. With 16 sides for example you can glue up 4 sides and check for 90 degrees and then 8 sides and check for 180. Obviously the best thing is to get accurate cuts and glue them up in one stage but when I first started doing segmented work I had a mediocre table saw with cheap blades and my skills weren't very good either so I figured out ways around the inaccuracy's.
Malcolm is too nice to recommend his own book but I will. I have almost all the segmented books and his is the best and easiest to understand.
Malcolm is too nice to recommend his own book but I will. I have almost all the segmented books and his is the best and easiest to understand.
Good point Malcom, I was thinking about how to figure that problem out.
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Segmented/stave turning
I have created two segmented bowls using built up rings and have been very successful. I have been trying to make something using staves. I built a jig for my chop saw. The staves are about 7 inches long and the jig allows me to cut both sides, but I can't get an absolutely smooth cut. I even wait for the saw to stop before pulling the saw back up. I have been unable to find or devise a STAVE jig for the table saw. Can anyone help with a STAVE jig for either the chop saw or table saw?
I have created two segmented bowls using built up rings and have been very successful. I have been trying to make something using staves. I built a jig for my chop saw. The staves are about 7 inches long and the jig allows me to cut both sides, but I can't get an absolutely smooth cut. I even wait for the saw to stop before pulling the saw back up. I have been unable to find or devise a STAVE jig for the table saw. Can anyone help with a STAVE jig for either the chop saw or table saw?
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Richard Baker
RIP
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
I use a pencil also. I've been wanting to make up some other way to hold the little pieces because I did 36 sided rings for my last project and my fingers sure got sore.
Richard Baker
RIP
John, Here's one with a spring loaded clamp "finger", made some time ago. A poor picture due to the cheap camera I had at the time. Think I got it out of a cereal box. The pivot pin sticking out of top of clamp finger could be set in any of several holes in the sled depending upon length of segments being cut. Can barely see the piece of 1/4" thick stock being cut. I think that was for an open segment piece several years ago called "Maple Spaces", posted on the old Wood Mag forum.
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Can't really do much about my table saw, but I could upgrade the blade, any recommendations for a blade for segmented turning?
Richard Baker
RIP
EB,
Suggest 80-tooth carbide, best you can afford. That said, there are many blades available that will make smooth cuts. I recently bought an 80-tooth carbide blade from HF for about $10 that is surprisingly close (considering the huge price difference) to the Freud blade I use to cut segments.
Suggest 80-tooth carbide, best you can afford. That said, there are many blades available that will make smooth cuts. I recently bought an 80-tooth carbide blade from HF for about $10 that is surprisingly close (considering the huge price difference) to the Freud blade I use to cut segments.
EB,
Most people keep a "rip" blade on their table saw, because "ripping" is the most commonly done task. For cross-cutting segments, almost any blade will work IF you use a disc sanding jig on the segments before gluing. If you want to avoid the disc sanding step, then a good quality cross-cut blade is a must; that usually means at least 80-teeth.
Most people keep a "rip" blade on their table saw, because "ripping" is the most commonly done task. For cross-cutting segments, almost any blade will work IF you use a disc sanding jig on the segments before gluing. If you want to avoid the disc sanding step, then a good quality cross-cut blade is a must; that usually means at least 80-teeth.
Richard Baker
RIP
Malcolm,
Thanks for adding that. I completely forgot since I do not sand individual segments. I think there is some test data showing that sanded surfaces do indeed make stronger joints.
Thanks for adding that. I completely forgot since I do not sand individual segments. I think there is some test data showing that sanded surfaces do indeed make stronger joints.
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chop saw jig.
I built a jig to cut staves on my chop saw, but I cannot get smooth cuts. I guess the blade vibration is my problem, but I do not know how to correct it. It is not a cheap chop saw.
I built a jig to cut staves on my chop saw, but I cannot get smooth cuts. I guess the blade vibration is my problem, but I do not know how to correct it. It is not a cheap chop saw.
M, I cut almost all my segments with a chop saw. I also sand most of my segment ends.
Skip, I also cut small staves on my 12" chop saw, but I limit the length to about 5"; longer than that, I use a sled on a table saw.
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- Montgomery, TX
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Table Saw Blade
Go with Forresst Woodworker II on the table saw. See it at http://www.forrestblades.com/woodworker_2.htm. Cuts so smooth that sanding not required.
Go with Forresst Woodworker II on the table saw. See it at http://www.forrestblades.com/woodworker_2.htm. Cuts so smooth that sanding not required.
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Segmented Bowls
I would like to comment on the above use of a table saw to make segmented bowls. I'm only an amateur having done segmented work for about 4 years (with my best tips from Malcolm Tibbetts' book). However, I use a radial-arm saw to do the segmented cutting with a variation of a tool I designed called the Eze-Angleguide. By using a special setup with an 11.25 angle jig and sawing carefully with an 80 tooth blade I've usually been able to assemble the 16 pieces in a perfect circle WITHOUT doing any sanding to correct the parts. As for assembling the layers, I use Malcom's method of a sanding block to smooth the surfaces on the lathe. The point I want to make is that I feel the radial-arm is much safer to use with the smaller pieces--and more accurate. I wouldn't think of putting my fingers near my table-saw blade which is necessary when you use a cradle.
I would like to comment on the above use of a table saw to make segmented bowls. I'm only an amateur having done segmented work for about 4 years (with my best tips from Malcolm Tibbetts' book). However, I use a radial-arm saw to do the segmented cutting with a variation of a tool I designed called the Eze-Angleguide. By using a special setup with an 11.25 angle jig and sawing carefully with an 80 tooth blade I've usually been able to assemble the 16 pieces in a perfect circle WITHOUT doing any sanding to correct the parts. As for assembling the layers, I use Malcom's method of a sanding block to smooth the surfaces on the lathe. The point I want to make is that I feel the radial-arm is much safer to use with the smaller pieces--and more accurate. I wouldn't think of putting my fingers near my table-saw blade which is necessary when you use a cradle.
Richard Baker
RIP
Richard, not sure what you mean by a "cradle", but if you study the pictures of my cutting sleds for the table saw you can see that my fingers are quite some inches from the saw blade at all times.
I agree that a good quality chop saw should give more accurate cuts than the sled and table saw method, but my Craftsman RAS most assuredly would not. No doubt a top quality RAS would do better.
I agree that a good quality chop saw should give more accurate cuts than the sled and table saw method, but my Craftsman RAS most assuredly would not. No doubt a top quality RAS would do better.