segmented potpourri bowl

[Robert McGowen]

I made a new 15 degree segment sled for the table saw last week and just had to make something with it. I incorporated several ideas into the sled that I felt were lacking on previous sleds. I had a couple of potpourri tops left over from Christmas projects, so I made a quick 5 ring bowl to test things out.

I used a new saw blade and all of the pieces were glued together right off of the saw using the half-ring glue-up technique. I used light colored wood for the main body so I could more easily see any gaps in the segments so that I could check how well the new sled was performing. I was surprised how fast things went together when I did not sand the individual segments.

6" wide by 3.5" tall. 61 pieces of curly maple and walnut with floating walnut panel in the bottom. Can't decide if I like the colors or not with the potpourri top. Have to go see what the purpleheart I have looks like now. :)

Critique as you see fit, good or bad. Thanks.

[gary butcher]

Very nicely done. You seem to have very close fitting joints in the segments.
How is it turning segmented stuff?

[Steve Schlumpf]

Robert - that's one heck of a sled you built if you can get joints like this without sanding! Very impressive! What blade are you using?

Nice potpourri bowl! Really like the curly! Glad to see you are able to spend some time in the shop!

[Bill Bulloch]

It's hard to tell that the Walnut is segmented -- the joints are so tight. And, them maple joints -- wow.

You souldn't be posting pictures like this, with the way I am struggling with my segments , it's just not right --- SHAME ON YOU FOR 30 DAYS.

[Baxter Smith]

Very pretty bowl and combination of woods. I like that I am not overwhelmed by many different colors when I look at it. Joints look great. How about a picture of the sled?:D

[David E Keller]

Looks great... Agree with the purpleheart but the walnut looks nice.

How much ritalin do you guys have to take to do this segmenting? The thought of that much flat work to get to one round piece makes me jittery.:D

[Bernie Weishapl]

Great looking piece Robert. Joints look awesome.

[Steve Mawson]

Robert,
Very nice, well put together. Would you want to share the secrets of the sled-picts etc? I for one would be interested.

[Robert McGowen]

How much ritalin do you guys have to take to do this segmenting? The thought of that much flat work to get to one round piece makes me jittery.:D

I find segmenting easier on the nerves.

You know how everyone talks about the wood letting them know what it wants to be, how the shape just emerged from nowhere, the wood spoke to me and this shape appeared, I was making this but the wood wanted to be something else, etc?

I prefer to just tell the wood what I want it to do and not have to listen to what IT wants to do! ;)

[Roland Martin]

Really clean joints and great figure in the maple. I think the walnut blends in quite well. Very good job on your sled if you can glue up right off the blade. Do you care to share?

[Brian Effinger]

Really well done Robert. Do you have a photo of the profile?

[Richard Madison]

Robert,
Using the new Incra device? Joints look damn good without sanding (except halves of course). Profile?

[Robert McGowen]

Using the new Incra device?

Richard, As far as cutting segments, I hate the Incra 5000. There really is no way to hold down the cut segments, it is hard to get a consistent length due to the way the segments have to be cut, and it is just a pain in every way in my opinion. It would be great at picture frames and such, just not for segments. I did use the Incra miter bar runner for the sled that I built. I will post the sled later today.

[Tony De Masi]

Very nice work Robert. Super tight joints there. Care to share what improvements you made to your new sled vs. the old one?

Tony