Knowledge You Can Build On — Est. 1998
segmented pieces
papa
The length of pieces is in proportion to the diameter of the turning Ok I get that but how about the width of the pieces I have been cutting them about 3/4 of an inch.it doesn't always work sometime the walls are to scary thin any advice would be appretiated thanks. papa
Re: segmented pieces
Dale Jablonski
Your width will depend on several factors, how well you've aligned the segment stacks, your increase in subsequent diameters, etc. I would strongly recommend you pick up Malcolm Tibbetts book "The Art of Segmented Wood Turning" there is discussion of this very topic.
Re: segmented pieces
john lucas
Not being a computer person I just draw a circle the size I need. Divide it into the number of segments I want. Then I draw some straight lines across the triangles to give me enough wood on both sides of my circles for waste and simply measure them. Slow but it works every time.
Re: segmented pieces
Doc Green
Here is a crude sketch showing a low-tech way to do it.
Sketch the profile of your piece on a sheet of paper. Mark off the thickness you plan to use for each layer (ring). Choose the width of each ring so that it encloses the profile of the piece at that level, giving a bit of room to spare.
Measure the width and radius directly from the sketch.
Good Luck! ~Doc
Re: segmented pieces
Dick Coers
I don't like some segmented work when the "height" of the segment rings overpower a smaller bowl or vessel. No idea how to calculate that proportion, but I sure can tell when it's visually out of scale!
Re: segmented pieces
Steve Carey
I do as Doc Green described, but I use graph paper and will include 1/4" for width just so I have enough material. In case there is a mistake when aligning the rings. Yes get Malcolm Tibbets book. Great reference guide.
Re: segmented pieces
Justin Stephen
Same with me. I know there are more technological ways of doing things (and I actually own a copy of SPP), but when it comes to closed segmented work, I still just use a drawing on graph paper. I have a whole graph paper notebook full of them, at this point.
Typically, I waste a little wood and make my segment width a little on the generous side so that I can make shape revisions as I go and still have the "wiggle room" to do so. So, you are basically making a segmented version of a roughed out blank, but hopefully without all the warping.
