segmented turning

[Phil Labowski]

Okay let me start with WOW! Have any of you experts done this? I'd love to see some pics of your projects. I just watched a movie on Marley's site and couldn't believe my eyes at the planing and complexity involved, but the rewards are huge! This is way beyond my noobie butt! Like I said I would love to see pics of some of your projects.
Also, is pen turning really as easy as Marley makes it look?

[Jeff Nicol]

Okay let me start with WOW! Have any of you experts done this? I'd love to see some pics of your projects. I just watched a movie on Marley's site and couldn't believe my eyes at the planing and complexity involved, but the rewards are huge! This is way beyond my noobie butt! Like I said I would love to see pics of some of your projects.
Also, is pen turning really as easy as Marley makes it look?
Phil, Segmenting is not for the faint of heart! It takes patience, persistence, and a great eye for design and fitting the pieces near perfectly! That is why I do not do it yet! There are many very advanced segmented turners out there, the first to come to mind if Malcom Tibbetts. The others will chime in and get you more info than I can. Turning pens is as easy as you want it to be, a slimline pen can be turned in 10 minutes if you want, or you can take hours to get the finish perfect and some of the other kits take a little more time to get every thing to fit together correctly. So start slow and work your way to the top, which gets higher and higher every day!

Jeff

[Ryan Baker]

Phil,

You should start out by going to Malcolm Tibbetts' web site, http://www.tahoeturner.com/, and spend a while in his gallery (maybe pickup his book/DVDs while you are there?). Malcolm is a member here and one of the top segmented turners in the world. There are quite a few good posts about segmented works right here as well. Segmenting is an exercise in planning and precision execution as much as anything. It requires patience, but provides big rewards as you pointed out.

BTW, I see you are a local! Welcome.

[Joe Van Norman]

Phil,

My very first turning as a segmented turning. Unlike my experience, I would recommend learning the difference between a skew and scraper before attempting a segmented turning.

As Jeff said, "start slow and work your way to the top." Don't put it off because it's a bit intimidating.

[Mike Golka]

Phil, segmented turning is what got me started. I'm not saying my first turning was segmented just that that is what realy inspired me to get into turning. Start slow and get the hang of the tools on free wood and work your way up. Segmenting does not have to be complex or difficult as demonstrated by Malcolm Tibbetts. Sometimes simple laminations can result in eye popping turnings. As you gain experience you can do more complex designs. The key is don't rush, take the time to get good glue joints.

[Dick Sowa]

I agree with the others...segmented turning can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. It really isn't that hard. I got started with segmented vessels when I didn't have any blanks to turn. But I had plenty of flat stock left over from other projects. Also, if you have a hunk or unusual, or expensive wood, you can slice it up into strips, and make a segmented bowl out of it that is much larger than the blank would permit.

The biggest advantage of segmented vessels, in my opinion, is that you can make them any shape you want. You aren't governed by the blank you happen to have.

I don't know about others, but as a retired engineer, I am almost purely a left brain kinda guy. So angles and pieces fitting together, are a perfect fit for my creatively challenged brain :)

I've never sold anything, but I do enjoy filling my house with bowls...in spite of my wife's standard complaint..."Oh, another bowl?" :)

Some of my turnings http://www.digitalwinners.com/woodworking/bowls/gallery.htm