Segments take time...

Part I.

I first talked about segment turnings back when I started this blog, here.

Given my absence, it has been quite some time since I did any segment work. As I looked for my last segment project, I quickly realized that it’s been over three years! So I can’t really blame it on the deployment as that doesn’t cut it with the timeline. It is funny how that happens. One day we try something new, then next thing we know its’ been a few years since we did the old stuff. Well as I sat in the barracks each night looking for something to do, I realized that this would be the perfect time to work on segment projects! So, during my weekend time, I pulled out the cross cut sled and proceeded to spend about an hour at the table saw running just over 100 cuts. The results were several bags of segments.

Back at the barracks, each night I would take out a bag of segments and begin the process of building rings. The first run involved 3 full rings. Each ring consisted of 18 individual segments.

A single segment. 18 segments make 1 ring

Pair glued together and "clamped" with rubber bands

Pairs of segments are glued together to make quarter rings (or close to it).
The two in the back are half rings

Before the full ring could be assembled, all pieces went to the disk sander for final shaping. As I currently do not own a planer, thickness adjustments were also accomplished on the disk sander. Individual rings were then assembled with glue and rubber bands. I then waited 24 hours for the glue to cure.

Set time vs cure time. The instructions on Tightbond II state to allow 24 hours before "stressing" the joint. However the product fully sets in 4 hours. So basically, if the next step was to just add another section, I waited 4 hours. If the piece were to go to the disk sander, I waited 24 hours, as the torque from the sander would "stress" the joints.

Full ring after clamps

With three rings completed it was time to begin stacking them

Three rings stacked.

With all three rings completed, it was time to return to the table saw to start over. The second set would include 72 segments (enough for 4 rings). Unlike the first set, in which all rings were the same diameter, the second set diameters will reduce by half an inch with each ring. So we will have an 8", 7.5", 7.0", and 6.5". The base was also cut and prepped.

As this is more or less a practice piece, I wasn't as concerned with the visual appearance of the wood used. Therefore, I used what was in stock which is primarily Cherry and Walnut with a Bubinga base.

For part 2, I will stack all rings and mount to the lathe. I may even experiment with my first video for the turning part...no promises though. :)

Until then,

Kevin