More segmented fun

[Randy Rhine]

Here's another segmented sculptural piece. About 13.5" dia by 17" tall. Maple & walnut on a maple burl base. All rings swivel. I think I'll add a small ring of walnut around the base.

randy

[Christopher Hunter]

Great looking piece....!!!!
If I may ask ---
How do you make the rings rotate...?
I love how the form just runs together in a checkerboard pattern..
--Chris

[Bernie Weishapl]

All I can is WOW. That is beautiful. Someday I am going to have the patience to do one of those. Nice job.

[John Chandler]

That is very nice.

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

Randy, you've made another very nice piece. How do you feel about the fact that the rings are only held together with end-grain joints instead of the more traditional brick-laid construction? Did you use spring-loaded pins? Regarding the base, it's a beautiful piece of wood, but I think it might pull the eye away from the rings. Not a big deal, but I'm not sure about making the base even more distracting by adding more to it. Just my opinion. Fun stuff!

[Brett Baldwin]

Very well executed piece Randy. That definitely draws the eye right to it and then all over it.

I have to disagree with Malcolm about the base. It certainly is a beautiful burl and it would normally be a strong focal point but the very simple sphere shape subdues it quite a bit. It also has colors somewhere between the dark brown of the walnut and the light blond of the maple. I'd have to see it in person to really say for sure but in the pictures, it strikes me as a good choice for interesting but not overpowering.

[Randy Rhine]

Hi,

Thanls for the comments.

Malcoln, I'm not too concerned about the end-grain segments. That's why I did the ring in two layers, bricklaid Maybe you didn't see the other layer.

The rings are put together with 1/8" brass rod, going all the way through the outer ring and about 1/4" into the other. Where it goes into the inner ring, I drilled a 3/8" hole, then filled with a teflon plug, with a 1/8" hole down the middle. The outer and middle ring spin well, but the innner is a tad stiff. There is some slight misalignment somewhere. This was an experimental piece...I may pull it apart and try to do something with springs. I'd prefer that the end of the rods not show.

I'm mixed about the base. On the last one, i thought that maybe the base would draw the eye away from the ring/ball, so thought I'd try a non-segmented one. And had a this nice center-core from a bowl just sitting there...so...good candidate.

rr

[John Hart]

Randy....First off...Great Work!!! I love it and you segmented guys have my awe.;)

On the question of the base and asthetics, from the view of the casual observer who is awestruck by this stuff.....I'm not sure my eye is drawn to any particular point on these segmented works. There's so much going on, that I am in a different frame of mind than when I look at a regular turned piece. I tend to examine all aspects more closely and my eye looks in a more detailed way. With a regular turned piece, I sit back and take in the form....then the overall beauty of the wood. With the segmented pieces, engineering comes into play, along with color matching, overall form, intricacy....etc. Maybe it's just me....But I look at this stuff different. Adding a base of walnut, to me, would simply add one more thing to take in. Neither good, nor bad.:)

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

Randy, my mistake, I guess I didn't look closely enough. The two layer construction should be more than stable. Somehow I assumed that you had built the rings with one layer.

I have a piece in my website gallery at http://www.tahoeturner.com/gallery/17.html (http://www.tahoeturner.com/gallery/17.html) which is held together with spring-loaded pins. It’s a hassle to install such pins, but as you said, it eliminates the exterior disruption. If I recall correctly, I used 1/8” steel pins inside wooden shelves and then I concealed the pins by installing small beads on the pins that also acted as spacers.

[mike fuson]

What an awesome piece! Lots and lots of work and thought went into this piece.

[Bill Wyko]

Thats a beautiful piece. I really like the ability for movement. I'd love to try something like that but I'm still limited to JET MINI. I'm curious, what kind of lathe do you and Malcolm use? I'm looking at the NOVA 1624-44 (I think thats the model) I like that it goes down to 175 rpm and that it can be reversed. (i'm ambidextrious) Your work is quite an inspiration. Keep it up. Thank you for posting it.:D

[Randy Rhine]

Hi Bill,

I do most of my turning on a Oneway 2036. I also have a Jet mini and a Lawler ornamental lathe.

randy

[Dick Parr]

Hi Randy,

That is a really creative piece, like most everything you do. All I can say is WOW!

Wish I could say someday, but that day will never get here. But it's fun to dream. :rolleyes:

Again that is beautiful work Randy. ;)

[Mark Pruitt]

Randy, beautiful job! My reaction to it; I am so taken by the design and construction of the ring assemblies that I barely even pay attention to the base. However, Malcolm does have a point in that the piece of wood that the base is made from is beautiful enough to have center stage all by itself in a separate project.