mike calabrese
Member
- Messages
- 221
- Location
- Finger Lakes region New York State
I contemplated for some time not posting something like the following simply because I did not want to come off as a know it all, I truly am not. While I have been woodworking for a long time I discovered segmented bowls by chance 3 years ago, I didn't even own a lathe then. At first blush it looked very complex and it took me a bunch of digging and reading to get the process in my head as I was shopping for a lathe. What I am trying to accomplish here is to share how I have stumbled my way through the process of building and sometimes destroying segmented bowls and vases without some of the complexity that can creep into this process.
What I have worked out for myself is, for me, a simple and quick way of designing and detailing a segmented bowl or vase . I am sure it will be repetition and known detail to some but may give some insight of another way of getting a project from concept to spinning on your lathe.
The chart below is the way I try to envision and detail the segment bowls and vases I try to build. The design portion is basically sketched out by hand on a grid on a white board. The segments are recorded form any of the segment calculators available on line and from Google Playstore. I have included some of the calculator links here.
https://www.blocklayer.com/woodturning-segmentseng#google_vignette
www.omnicalculator.com
That detail is not in the drawing detail as I often decide on the feature ring design at some point after the basic design is drawn out. That was the case here. Anyway hopefully the details here will be of some help to anyone contemplating jumping into segment turning but hesitate because of some of the fog that can surround the process. Please ask any question about any part of the process.
calabrese55
NOTE looking at the finished vase picture the feature ring detail at rings number 7 & 8 are shown outlined in darker wood. I decided to merge rings 7 & 8 into one taller feature ring not detailed in the plan sketch and not in the drawing. I often decide on a feature ring design at some point after the basic design is drawn out. That was the case here.
calabrese55
What I have worked out for myself is, for me, a simple and quick way of designing and detailing a segmented bowl or vase . I am sure it will be repetition and known detail to some but may give some insight of another way of getting a project from concept to spinning on your lathe.
The chart below is the way I try to envision and detail the segment bowls and vases I try to build. The design portion is basically sketched out by hand on a grid on a white board. The segments are recorded form any of the segment calculators available on line and from Google Playstore. I have included some of the calculator links here.
https://www.blocklayer.com/woodturning-segmentseng#google_vignette
Bowl Segment Calculator
Use this bowl segment calculator to confidently measure and cut your precious wood pieces to their correct sizes to create perfectly fitting segments.
www.omnicalculator.com
That detail is not in the drawing detail as I often decide on the feature ring design at some point after the basic design is drawn out. That was the case here. Anyway hopefully the details here will be of some help to anyone contemplating jumping into segment turning but hesitate because of some of the fog that can surround the process. Please ask any question about any part of the process.
calabrese55
NOTE looking at the finished vase picture the feature ring detail at rings number 7 & 8 are shown outlined in darker wood. I decided to merge rings 7 & 8 into one taller feature ring not detailed in the plan sketch and not in the drawing. I often decide on a feature ring design at some point after the basic design is drawn out. That was the case here.
calabrese55
