As I mentioned before in the "Jigs to make jigs" thread, I am going to start making segmented 'things' (like vessels, bowls, and platters), to turn on my lathe. Here is my first attempt.

First of course is cutting the segments and making rings. The vase is 13" tall, has 18 rings, (17 of cherry and one of Paulinia, (one spelling)), and each ring has 12 segments. Max diameter is 8 inches. This is a practice one to see how to interpret what I read on "how to" from the 'experts'. In other words, if the expert says "Make SURE your joints are all PERFECT", do I need to take him seriously, and how "perfect" is "perfect"? I need to build one myself so I can gauge the nature of the instructions.

To start with, it's mostly just math. 12 Segments in a ring means 12 segments of a circle, and there are 360 degrees in a circle, so each segment will subtend 30 degrees. (360/12 = 30.) Cutting the wedges needs to be precise as possible, hence the jig in http://www.thehunterslife.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20666.

After the rings are assembled, one has to prepare them to be glued together one on top of the other to create the object - vessel, bowl, platter, etc. The glue joint between rings (horizontal joints) needs to be as  'perfect' as the joints between the segments (vertical joints), for the same reason. When making a bowl or platter, one can glue all the rings together before you start turning. However, for a vessel, assembly is usually in sections, with some turning done before assembling the major pieces into the final vessel.

So, below is a modest photo essay of the process with a brief (7 second) video of the finished vessel at the end.

Here are the rings stacked up but not glued together:


Looking down from the top.


There were three sub-assemblies: A base, a mid-section, and a mouth.


Here's the glued-up bottom


The middle:


Once the sub-assemblies were assembled, each was rough-turned both inside and out.
First the mouth:



Then the middle:


Then the bottom:




Once the sub-assemblies were rough-turned, they were glued together and turned again to take up the 'slop' of remounting on the lathe. The mouth and mid-section were glued up and trued first.


Then the bottom was glued on and the whole was turned to final shape.


And then sanding and finishing:




And the video while still on the lathe:
https://youtu.be/-K2yDU5LBI0

Parted off and sitting on base:




So...
I learned some of the 'ins and outs' of segmented turning. My jigs were 'good', as I didn't have to sand any segment joints. I trued up the faces of the rings on the lathe instead of the recommended sanding. I think that works better for me because of my experience with metal lathes and facing everything off. Lots of work! Took the better part of a week. Of course I was slow because this was my first. Nevertheless, it is a very labor intensive and tedious process. The next one I build is going to be 4 inches high and 4 inches in max diameter. However, it will also have 24-segment rings that are only 3/8th inch thick and at least some of them will be "open". I'm going to get started on that one tomorrow. News at ll.

Paul

     


That gets a WOW! from me.


That's awesome.

Thanks, Jamie.270!

Paul

What Jamie said again. Absolutely beautiful. to you. I no longer have the patience. Don't like turning wood anyway. Rather whittle, grind or chisel & mallet it. .....Paul H ....