Segmented Platter...............Maybe it worked

[Tom Winship]

I am not real proud to show this platter as my second segmented project, but I went ahead and signed it anyway.

It is cherry (don't waste mesquite while learning, correct) 11" in dia. about 1" high. I made it with a lot of collaboration on here and with my Hill Country buddy, Robert McGowen.

I cut and turned the center disc round, then made what we call ring #2 (the outer diameter of the plate) and tuned the bottom side of it to receive the disc (floated).
Glued in the disc (only 2 drops on end grain), then tuned bottom of platter and disc flat.
Made ring #1 and sanded flat to hold in disc and serve as platter bottom resting place. Glued in, keeping glue off disc.
Turned platter bottom entirely and finish sanded.
Glued glue block to bottom and reversed to finish inside of platter.

Major mistakes I made (confession is good for soul)

1. On outer ring I tried to join the 2 ring halves by flattening on my oscillating belt sander. Never succeded in getting it flat as evidenced by two obvious glue lines in top view. (Disc sander will be ordered while on vacation next week)

2. On bottom ring, I sanded flat after glueing 2 halves together. I then glued it on to ring #2 upside down (unsanded side). This is visual in bottom view.

I did write an Excel SS to calculate segment dimensions.

The other thing I will change when I make the next one is to finish the bottom ring with a dovetail in it so I can chuck there instead of having to part of the bottom after it is finished.

As I say, it was a learning experience.

I would appreciate your comments, especially from a design point of view (and technique as well)225865225866

[Bill Bolen]

Looks good for a second try Tom. Gotta say you are well ahead of me on this segmented stuff, and that is something taking up a big space on my to do list.

[Jim Burr]

It worked...good looking plate Tom!

[Doug Herzberg]

Not something I'm ready to try yet, but it looks good to me. Thanks for sharing your process. I'm also one for trying to do things I shouldn't with a belt sander. I love that cherry is your practice wood. It's so scarce in my shop that I save the warped and twisted boards, hoping I'll find a use for them.

[John Keeton]

Tom, sounds like you have a good mentor for segmentation! I can offer nothing there.

As for design, I think platters are difficult subjects for segmentation. For me, segmentation comes second to form and design, and that means that one needs to view this platter as if it were not segmented. In doing that, the proportions between the center section, the contoured inner ring, and the outer rim area do not seem correct. The "band" created between the two beads seems a bit wide, and the moulded area a bit wide, leaving the center/bottom too small. I think it would look better if the "rim" and the "moulded area" were each about 2/3 their present width. Of course, that is going to mean the center will be much larger and I am not sure how that plays into the segmentation - only one of the many reasons why I don't do segmented work!!

I think you did a nice job with the turning aspects, and simply by doing a segmented piece you are way ahead of me!

[Tom Winship]

Thanks, John. Just answered your PM with the same comments. Glad to know I came to the same conclusion as the "Kentucky Counselor".
Thanks again for your comments.

[Robert McGowen]

A quick review of Tom's segmented threads:

2/23 - My first segmented piece.

3/1 - Segmented platter with a post about improvements for his next piece and a post about ordering a disc sander.

Hook, line, and sinker! Sorry, Tom, but you have now moved to the dark side of turning!

It sounds like you know what improvements you need to make and that is half the battle. You may not realize it yet, but you are doing about the hardest style you can do. The wider the segments, the more glue line there is and the easier it is to get a bad cut off of the saw. Also, all of the glue lines are laid out for everyone to inspect with no place to hide a bad joint. On a vase, you only see the outside edges of the rings and only see the horizontal glue lines on the top ring, which often is the smallest ring on the vase and easy to do. All things considered, you did a pretty good job on your platter.