segmented turning question

[Dave Mcintire]

I'm wondering if anyone uses a miter trimmer - like the Lion trimmer - to trim the segments a little for final fit.

[Mark Pruitt]

I know Robert McGowen was looking into this (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=46747&highlight=trimmer) a few weeks ago but have no idea if he acquired one or not. I have the Woodtek Miter Trimmer. It's difficult for me to imagine using it to trim segmented pieces. I have not gotten into segmented work but I think when I do I will try using my Incra 1000SE miter gauge and a very fine tooth blade.

[Robert McGowen]

I checked all over and everything that I saw indicated that the final joining of the two "halves" of the segments was the most important part of the process, i.e. you kept joining pieces one at a time until you have a half circle, then join two half circles together to make a complete circle. You have to be really close with your angles to begin with though so you don't end up with an oval instead of a circle when you join the two halves together. For that reason, I ended up purchasing a 10" sanding plate from Woodcraft that goes on your table saw. ($16.99) Sandpaper was about $5 for a precut self-adhesive sheet. I used 180 grit and had no problems at all with it. Pencil a squiggly line on the end of each piece to be sanded and apply equal pressure so that the lines on each end are sanded off together.

The trimmers I checked out had preset marks for 90 and 45 degrees, but it appeared that everything in between was basically trial and error until you had it dialed in and then you started over if your angle changed for a different layer. I figured I would end up sanding the ends anyway. :D Also, you have to cut the pieces on a table saw as the trimmer just "trims" :rolleyes: You cut the pieces oversize and sneak up on them with the trimmer. I can see getting the angle just right after a few tries, but you have to have the same length pieces also or it won't fit no matter how good the angles are. I am sure that you could come up with a jig for this, but I never saw how you could get the pieces close enough to actually fit in the jig with enough tolerance so that they could just be "trimmed" instead of "cut" to length, which the trimmer won't do. If I was that close, in my opinion, I was probably doing okay on the miter saw or table saw sled already.

Also, you know once your wife finds out what you are supposed to REALLY use a miter trimmer for, you will be busy doing something besides turning!

Hopes this helps....... rambling ends here...... :):):):):)

[Andy Hoyt]

Nobody does segments better than Malcolm Tibbets (http://tahoeturner.com/). He demo'd for our club earlier this fall and I learned that he "cuts" all of his angles and cutting-to-exact length on a 20" disk sander. Numerous jigs, sneaking up on, and massive experience are the key ingredients.