Segmented bowls andl methods of cutting segmented pieces

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Hi All,

I've made a few segmented pieces in the past and used my table saw with a jig to cut the pieces. Now I am without my saw but do have a miter saw. Is there a good way to cut segments on a miter saw? I do have a small cheap table saw that I could use. Would you use the miter saw or try to make a jig for this table saw. I don't have a lot of tools in this shop. Any suggestions much appreciated. Alan

[Michael Mason]

In Malcolm Tibbets book, The Art of Segmented Woodturning, he shows how he uses a miter saw to cut the segments. It has pictures on how he does it.
I have tried the miter saw, but I definately like the table saw the best. I feel I have more control while cutting the segments. Either way, if you do not have his book, I recommend getting it. You are sure to learn lots of new ideas from it. Good Luck.

[Robert McGowen]

I have a really nice miter saw and also a table saw. I tried cutting segments on the miter saw and never could get it to work like I thought it should. I made a jig for the table saw and it does everything I ask of it. I guess you know which way I would go. :)

[Bill Bulloch]

I use a table saw with a jig. The miter saw just seems to unfriendly to me when cutting small pieces. But, if your table saw is a piece of junk like most cheap ones are, then you just might be better off doing whatever is necessary to learn how to do it on the miter saw -- lots of people do.

[Bill Wyko]

I use an incra miter1000se sled. It has the ability to cut as close as 1/10 of a degree. Although today I bought a Beall tilt box. It has 2 digits past the decimal point. I'm going to try it and see it it works any better. I'll do a review on it once I get a chance to put it to the test.

[Tom Winship]

Bill,
Mine has two digits past the decimal point accuracy.................... the wrong side. LOL

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Thanks guys. I'll give the miter saw a try but I agree that the table saw seems like the way to go.

[Michelle Rich]

Alan, since you have a self described nasty tablesaw, I'd make sure it has a non-wobbling sawblade and then I'd make a jig for it. But, if you have an arm powered mitrebox, you can make segments very well on that. i did an 800 piece one on a mitrebox. it's not htat hard at all

[Bill Bulloch]

I use an incra miter1000se sled. It has the ability to cut as close as 1/10 of a degree. Although today I bought a Beall tilt box. It has 2 digits past the decimal point. I'm going to try it and see it it works any better. I'll do a review on it once I get a chance to put it to the test.

Bill, I have been eying the Beall Tilt Box too, but am concerned about it's stated accurace to within .2 of a degree. Lets us know how that works for segmenting. I haven't found any system as accurace as the Incra.

[John Terefenko]

I know and realize accuracy is the name of the game when it comes to segmenting. But I have read Malcolm Tibbetts books and like his approach to making rings. Do things in halfs. When you do this you can sand away any of those slight imperfections and no one will notice. I think we get way too critical with thousands past a decimal point. Just have a tad bit more glue between joints means another thousand and maybe you twitched when cutting segment. When you assemble a ring and do the corrections with a disc sander on half a ring you can't go wrong. Just an opinion.

[Michelle Rich]

John, I would agree if you are doing 12 seg rows with no design. When you get up to 24-36 piece rows & fancy designs, this 1/2 approach can ruin your design FAST. DAMHIKT

[Brian Tymchak]

Malcolm Tibbets DVD "Getting Started" (volume 1 of 6) has good instruction on how to build a zero clearance jig for the miter saw, a sled for a table saw, and also a sanding jig. In his early videos, he is a proponent of sanding segments to final dimension, so, if you end up sanding segments, I think that your choice of MS vs TS is your preference. The sanding jig is what will need to be very accurate. Note: Malcolm has more recently stated that with using a Kapex (Festool) MS, he rarely sands segements. If you are interested in his video, google up "Tahoe Turner".

[Barry Richardson]

I've done all my segmented work with a chopsaw. pretty easy really... I clamp a thin piece of ply against the fence for zero clearance support, then clamp a stop block at the desired length. I will admit it is not as accurate as a table saw jig, so it helps to have a good disc sander to true things up...

[Bill Bulloch]

John, Malcolm is talking about cutting your segments as accurace as possible before gluing them up in half rings and sanding the ends. The key point here is "as accurace as possible", if you settle for angles that are just "close enough" you will end up with oval rings. Try lining that up when you are dealing with a pattern. Best to be concerned about "thousands past a decimal point" as you say, and strive for segments as close to perfect as you can, then glue them up in half rings and square off with the sander.

[Bill Wyko]

As far as those table top saws, Be careful when picking one. Due to the motors being direct drive to the blade, I've found they all seem to have slight vibration. I would sugest asking to see one with a blade on it and turned on. Good luck though on your efforts.

[Kevin Lucas]

I do not like a miter saw for segments. I have had a few come flying off. I have seen a few holders or cams folks have made to hold the segments. My table saw is not the greatest and the miter slide is odd sized so jigs are a problem. I had an old band saw blade I sharpened and stoned the sides. It worked really well for segments. Sanded a little, made 1/2 rings and it worked out really nicely. An added bonus I wasn't losing an 1/8 kerf each time.

[John Terefenko]

John, I would agree if you are doing 12 seg rows with no design. When you get up to 24-36 piece rows & fancy designs, this 1/2 approach can ruin your design FAST. DAMHIKT


John, Malcolm is talking about cutting your segments as accurace as possible before gluing them up in half rings and sanding the ends. The key point here is "as accurace as possible", if you settle for angles that are just "close enough" you will end up with oval rings. Try lining that up when you are dealing with a pattern. Best to be concerned about "thousands past a decimal point" as you say, and strive for segments as close to perfect as you can, then glue them up in half rings and square off with the sander.


Bill and Michelle, you are probably right for I have never done anything that complicated. But to me if you are looking for accuracy using those tilt boxes I think look elsewhere. That was where I was going with my comments. I have one and the angle finder for the miter gauge. It gets you in the ball park but for dead on accuracy I do not trust it. I agree that you strive for the very best joints and angles needed to start with because you do not want to be taking alot off even when you have the two halfs done. That can throw seems off and design patterns. I believe that dead on accuracy can not be achieved as long as it is a tool doing the cutting and not a laser. Too many variables. But that is what makes woodworking of any kind fun.

[Bill Wyko]

what will happen with a miter sled is at one time or another, you will get lucky and get a ring almost perfect. When that happens, scribe a line on your sled all the way down the fence so you'll know exactly where it was its most accurate. That will be much easier in the future toreplicate the cut later.