Question for segment turners

[Mike A. Smith]

I've read many articles on segmented turning and I've learned a lot about creating the form. I didn't see anything on actually turning the form, so I assumed there would be no surprises. I put together something simple just to try things out. Turning the outside was pretty normal. The inside however was a chattering nightmare. I tried it several different ways and the only way that seemed to work was man-handling a bowl gouge. I would be interested in hearing how the experienced folks are doing the insides.

[Ralph Lindberg]

Mike
Are you turning a bowl or a hollow form (ie narrow opening). While I am certainly not one of the honestly experienced people, so far my (limited) segmented turning suggests that I use the same techniques for segmented turning that I use for regular turning.

[Robert McGowen]

Hi Mike. I use a round nose scraper for the outside and also the inside. I ground off the left side of the scraper so that the side of it will cut also. I can do the bottom and move up the side all in one motion. It will obviously chatter a lot when you get going or change to the next layer, but things smooth out fairly quickly. Two things that might also help are to turn the inside as much as you feel comfortable doing as you glue the rings on. That way the inside is almost finished by the time you get the top rings glued on. The other is to use more segments per ring. I started doing pieces with just 8 segments per ring as I thought that it would be easier than say 12 segments per ring, but I quickly found out that more segments per ring equals a more rounded starting point and less wood waste.
Just my opinion. Hope it helps.

[Richard Madison]

Mike,
Most folks would call the home made tools I use "scraper-type hollowing tools". Also call 'em "ugly", but very effective. The inside of each ring is a polygon (thumpity thump) within the circle (smooth cut) that you want. Make cuts from the initial round area into the polygonal area, thus advancing the round area in the axial direction, usually from the bottom (spindle end) toward the top. Another crude but effective method is to cut straight in with a parting tool, in the axial direction, with the tool cutting the circle in which the polygon is "inscribed". As Robert said, one often rough turns the first few rings round before adding the next few rings, turns these round (inside) before adding the next few rings. Also just my opinion & hope it helps.