My biggest Segmented Vessel to date

[Tim Boger]

Hey Everyone,

I finished this piece today, been working on it off and on for 4-5 weekends.

It contains 336 pieces of Walnut, Maple and Purpleheart. It sits about 12" tall and 13.5 in diameter.

The shape is not quite as I drew it .... please do offer critique and suggestions.

Thanks,
Tim

[Dewey Torres]

Nice piece Tim...how many segmented works does this one make for you?

[alex carey]

Nicely done, you may not have intended the shape but it sure did turn out nice.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Tim - this is a real nice looking hollow form! Got a lot of the southwest pottery style to it - my personal favorite! Nice combination of woods, good joinery and a real nice finish! I think you should be very pleased with your efforts here! Very nice work! Keep it up!

[Jeff Nicol]

Tim, Since I have not gotten up the nerve or have enough free time yet to start a segmented piece (Mostly just plain fear!!) I am impressed with your segmented turnings no matter what! I guess I will get it together some day before I die!!

Great job and keep at it and you shall achieve perfection!

Jeff

[Tim Boger]

Nice piece Tim...how many segmented works does this one make for you?

Hi Dewey,

I figure about 25 pieces prior to this one, thanks for the compliment.

[Tim Boger]

Tim - this is a real nice looking hollow form! Got a lot of the southwest pottery style to it - my personal favorite! Nice combination of woods, good joinery and a real nice finish! I think you should be very pleased with your efforts here! Very nice work! Keep it up!

Thanks Steve .... I've studied your gallery several times to help me understand shape and proportion, your hollow forms are very nicely done.
Tim

[Tim Boger]

Tim, Since I have not gotten up the nerve or have enough free time yet to start a segmented piece (Mostly just plain fear!!) I am impressed with your segmented turnings no matter what! I guess I will get it together some day before I die!!

Great job and keep at it and you shall achieve perfection!

Jeff

Thanks Jeff !!

Appreciate your feedback.

Tim

[Jarrod McGehee]

Nice job Tim and it looks real swell. There sure is a lot of little pieces on that puppy.

[Dave Bureau]

very nice job Tim. I'm almost done one that is 12 wide by 20 high. Im about to finish it. what do you use for a finish?

[Tim Boger]

very nice job Tim. I'm almost done one that is 12 wide by 20 high. Im about to finish it. what do you use for a finish?



Hey Dave,

I put on a couple of coats using Deft Gloss spray lacquer then Beall buffed it.

Quick, easy and looks pretty darn good.

Thanks,
Tim

[Scott Conners]

I like the segment design, but the curve of the outside breaks at the center band. It doesn't have the "flow" that I look for when refining shape on my work. I'd have cut away more right where the maple bands are in the middle, making the curve smooth and continuous.

[Tim Boger]

I like the segment design, but the curve of the outside breaks at the center band. It doesn't have the "flow" that I look for when refining shape on my work. I'd have cut away more right where the maple bands are in the middle, making the curve smooth and continuous.

Hey Scott ... I tend to agree with your observation, I assembled the piece in 3 parts which is what led to the lack of flow.

A learning process to be sure.

Thanks for your comments.
Tim

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

Tim, your "imperfect" curve is probably the result of being limited by the thickness (inside to outside) of your zig-zag feature ring. This is a common problem that all segmenters occasionally have trouble with (me included). The top portion curve looks fine. The lower curve seems to be a little too straight; it rushes to the base. The base is plenty small enough, but a fuller curve from the feature ring to the base would have produced a nicer curve. Your joinery and finish look very good. Be aware that over time, the purpleheart will probably darken into a “brownheart”. This will likely alter your intended contrast and perhaps spoil your intended appearance. Maintaining long-term contrast is just one of the many challenges we face in segmented work.

[Richard Madison]

A very nice piece Tim, but must agree with Scott that the sides get very straight below the feature ring. A smooth curvature all the way to the base would be better. Also appears to be some pattern misalignment both from the feature ring upward and downward. Easy to lose focus and have this happen. Been there. Suggest attention to details of pattern alignment and shape (form, if we must). Not sure which famous person said it first, but something to the effect that "form is everything". Hope you receive this as intended, to be helpful, not just critical. You are doing some very nice work.

Edit: Yawl type faster than I do. Well, I think slowly too.

[Tim Boger]

Tim, your "imperfect" curve is probably the result of being limited by the thickness (inside to outside) of your zig-zag feature ring. This is a common problem that all segmenters occasionally have trouble with (me included). The top portion curve looks fine. The lower curve seems to be a little too straight; it rushes to the base. The base is plenty small enough, but a fuller curve from the feature ring to the base would have produced a nicer curve. Your joinery and finish look very good. Be aware that over time, the purpleheart will probably darken into a “brownheart”. This will likely alter your intended contrast and perhaps spoil your intended appearance. Maintaining long-term contrast is just one of the many challenges we face in segmented work.

You are exactly right Malcolm, I ended up cutting the thickness of the feature ring down on the band saw as required (before installing it) after having turned the bottom third of the piece to an almost finish dimension. I did this to avoid having to "turn" almost a half inch off the feature ring. The by product of this was not having enough thickness to allow a properly curved transition between the ring and the bottom third of the piece.

Thank you for your input.

Tim

[Tim Boger]

A very nice piece Tim, but must agree with Scott that the sides get very straight below the feature ring. A smooth curvature all the way to the base would be better. Also appears to be some pattern misalignment both from the feature ring upward and downward. Easy to lose focus and have this happen. Been there. Suggest attention to details of pattern alignment and shape (form, if we must). Not sure which famous person said it first, but something to the effect that "form is everything". Hope you receive this as intended, to be helpful, not just critical. You are doing some very nice work.

Edit: Yawl type faster than I do. Well, I think slowly too.

Hey Richard,

All the comments I've received are helpful, your critique is on the money.

Thanks for being so specific, it will help me on the next effort.

Tim

[Bernie Weishapl]

Beautiful piece. I like the form and finish.

[Jim Swift]

As a beginning segmenter, I look at your work and others on this forum in awe at some of the work that has turned out.
Great job.

[Mark Placek]

Tim,

Great looking bowl. Very well done!

I like all of its elements, keep up the good work.

[Tim Boger]

Beautiful piece. I like the form and finish.

Thanks Bernie,

I learned a good bit during all the processes involved with this, I know for sure I'll be better equipped to avoid making the same mistakes in the future.

All in all, I'm very proud of it.
Tim

[Tim Boger]

Tim,

Great looking bowl. Very well done!

I like all of its elements, keep up the good work.

Hi Mark,

Nice to hear from you, your work has been very inspirational for me over the last couple of years.

Thank you very much for your review!

Tim

[Tim Boger]

As a beginning segmenter, I look at your work and others on this forum in awe at some of the work that has turned out.
Great job.

Thanks Jim .... Segmented work is very challenging, your sentiments are very gratifying.

Tim

[David Christopher]

That is a very nice segmented HF...I like it

[Jim Kountz]

Wow I dont know how you had it drawn but it came out fantastic!! Excellent job!!

[Tim Boger]

Good Morning Folks .... want to thank everyone for their kind comments and helpful suggestions.:)

Today marks the start of my work week, won't be until next Sunday before I have time to handle a tool again.:(

Tim

[Robert McGowen]

I know that I am late in the comments, but I just wanted to tell you that most people don't realize the effort that it takes to make a segmented piece this size. Very nice job. One of the reasons that I like segmented pieces is a lot of the time a bowl blank will tell you what shape you have to make because of cracks or grain, etc. At least with segmented pieces, you get to tell the wood what shape you want it to be!

[Dick Sowa]

Some really good comments, and I really can't add anything except that I have had exactly the same thing happen with some of my bowls. Getting that bottom curve to flow with the upper curve is tough to do.

One way that seems to work for me (sometimes) is to actually assemble the bowl in two halves, on two different faceplates. One attached to the base, the other attached to the rim. Then when all the rings are glued up, use the tailstock to center the rim faceplate and apply pressure, enough to hold the two halves together. I usually just dry fit them together, but you could put a layer of double stick tape too.

Then you can finish turn the entire outside in one operation, making your smooth curve from top to bottom.

After that, separate the two halves and finish turn the inside to a uniform wall thickness. Finally glue the two halves together, and turning off the rim faceplate and finishing up the rim.

[Tim Boger]

Some really good comments, and I really can't add anything except that I have had exactly the same thing happen with some of my bowls. Getting that bottom curve to flow with the upper curve is tough to do.

One way that seems to work for me (sometimes) is to actually assemble the bowl in two halves, on two different faceplates. One attached to the base, the other attached to the rim. Then when all the rings are glued up, use the tailstock to center the rim faceplate and apply pressure, enough to hold the two halves together. I usually just dry fit them together, but you could put a layer of double stick tape too.

Then you can finish turn the entire outside in one operation, making your smooth curve from top to bottom.

After that, separate the two halves and finish turn the inside to a uniform wall thickness. Finally glue the two halves together, and turning off the rim faceplate and finishing up the rim.

Hey Dick,

You've got great suggestions here, I appreciate the feedback and will check it out on my next piece.

Thanks,
Tim

[Tim Boger]

I know that I am late in the comments, but I just wanted to tell you that most people don't realize the effort that it takes to make a segmented piece this size. Very nice job. One of the reasons that I like segmented pieces is a lot of the time a bowl blank will tell you what shape you have to make because of cracks or grain, etc. At least with segmented pieces, you get to tell the wood what shape you want it to be!

Hi Robert,

You are most certainly correct with regards to the design aspects, the design and cut list is in it's self a tremendous challenge.

Thanks you for the kind comments and review,
Tim

[Bill Wyko]

Tim, your "imperfect" curve is probably the result of being limited by the thickness (inside to outside) of your zig-zag feature ring. This is a common problem that all segmenters occasionally have trouble with (me included). The top portion curve looks fine. The lower curve seems to be a little too straight; it rushes to the base. The base is plenty small enough, but a fuller curve from the feature ring to the base would have produced a nicer curve. Your joinery and finish look very good. Be aware that over time, the purpleheart will probably darken into a “brownheart”. This will likely alter your intended contrast and perhaps spoil your intended appearance. Maintaining long-term contrast is just one of the many challenges we face in segmented work.


Hi Malcolm and Tim. I was thinking the same thing. I will say though, your work is looking very nice so far. I've found when in doubt about the transitional areas, go thicker to be safe. Are you gluing up and turning as you go or are you turning as a hollow form? I was also wondering if you start from the bottom and go up or do you start with the feature ring and build from there? Very nice job on this one.:)

[Tim Boger]

Hi Malcolm and Tim. I was thinking the same thing. I will say though, your work is looking very nice so far. I've found when in doubt about the transitional areas, go thicker to be safe. Are you gluing up and turning as you go or are you turning as a hollow form? I was also wondering if you start from the bottom and go up or do you start with the feature ring and build from there? Very nice job on this one.:)

Hi Bill ... Very pertinent questions, I actually built the feature ring first. Once I had that dimension I assembled the bottom half. Where I went wrong was by turning the bottom half to an almost finish diameter before gluing on the feature ring. By the time I realized how abrupt the transition had become I did not have enough material left in the top two rings of the bottom section to develop a more gentle transition.

The challenge is immense, I should acknowledge Malcolm's book and DVDs, his style of teaching seems to work well with my style of learning.

Thanks again for the kind comments and questions,
Tim