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Closed Segment Project 1441

Now, you did this completely in Segment PRO correct.

You said you ended with a 5/16" wall, is that pretty consistent all the way?

Did you leave the wall thickness in Segment PRO at 3/8" or did you change it at all.

How did the diameter and height turn out compared the what Segment PRO reported.

I believe you are the first to build a bowl complete using Segment PRO.
I'm just trying to get a feel of of how design translates to finished product.

How about a little review / observations.
 
Now, you did this completely in Segment PRO correct.

You said you ended with a 5/16" wall, is that pretty consistent all the way?

Did you leave the wall thickness in Segment PRO at 3/8" or did you change it at all.

How did the diameter and height turn out compared the what Segment PRO reported.

I believe you are the first to build a bowl complete using Segment PRO.
I'm just trying to get a feel of of how design translates to finished product.

How about a little review / observations.

Bob, I will put this together tonight.
 
I have been asked to review Segment Pro and comment on the relationship between it and my finished bowl.

I did try to replicate my bowl in Woodturner PRO but had a few minor differences in dimensions. In the end I decided to go only with the new program.

Firstly my design would never have been conceived if it was not for Segment Pro software. I don’t recall the pre-release version that I was using when I designed my bowl but to say that from then until now (1.1.002) the advancements have been huge. I did initially have some doubts about the software but that was very quickly absolved mainly because of the support from Lloyd. There was definitely a will to make this the best software ever.

I started with the profile and designed what I had in mind. I did use specific criteria in terms of measurements that I was happy with. The ease of use and the ability to select diamonds outlined and filled as well as setting repeats or single paint tiles gives you the options you need to design your project. Once happy with the pattern I used the program scenarios to visualize my bowl on the dining table. Looked good to me.

I did print off the Ring View to use as an assembly guide. Being an early version it was OK but not the best. Now when you get a ring view it is the best! On each page of the Ring view i added a small line on each segment. #1 my line was on the outside edge, #2 was on the inside edge. I do this all the way around the ring so I can count which pieces and which colour comes from the forward fence or the aft fence of the segeasy sled. Some colours come from both fences and some only come from one fence depending on your pattern. The ones that came from only one fence I would have to re-trim the end slightly to be able to cut the correct orientation. This keeps all those complimentary angles in unison without wasting material. I wish the Ring View did this mark for me but now in the newer version the segments are numbered. You can use the odd numbers for the forward fence and even for the aft.

The ring height in my plan was .187. I milled my lumber to about .20 in thickness. This gave me a bit of material to use for flattening of the rings. Maybe not quite enough in hindsight!

To make a long story short I added and flattened all of my rings and ended up with a bowl that was 4.25 inches tall and 9 inches wide. The software was looking for 4.5 inches tall and about 9.5 inches wide. The difference all be it minor was probably my fault and not the programs fault. The height would have been due to the flattening of the rings. With 24 rings a little bit of extra sanding to get a ring flat could have chewed up .01 inches on each ring. That would easily make up the .25 inches in the difference.

The width I again accept the responsibility for being slightly smaller. When I was cutting segments once the required width was less than .75 I simply optimized and used the .75 material all the way to the top. I turned the inside as I went. When I got to the top I was very pleased with the size and the flow of the inside wall so I left it alone. I could have very easily taken a few more cuts to get it a bit wider. I had also specified in the program to build a .375 wall thickness. This gave me lots of material to play with. I chose to do the heaviest turning on the outside. My final wall thickness was at 5/16. I was very pleased with the look and the thickness so I decided not to make that one last cut.

So I guess I have gone off on a bit of a tangent here but the whole purpose was to rate the software. All I can say is WOW, what you see is what you get in terms of the design to the product. The software has also evolved substantially since I designed my bowl. It will also continue to get better. The overall accuracy is outstanding. I also understand that further work is being done on the Summary Page to specify how much of each material is required to build that ring rather than a total length.
 
Nice review Thanks Glenn..........Good to hear from someone who has used the program from beginning to end.

Thanks
 
This project 1441 was this years entry to our local Woodturning Guild competition that finished today. I am happy to report that my bowl was picked by the most people for the "People's Choice Award".

In the Open, Faceplate category it placed second.
 
This project 1441 was this years entry to our local Woodturning Guild competition that finished today. I am happy to report that my bowl was picked by the most people for the "People's Choice Award".

In the Open, Faceplate category it placed second.

Congratulations
 
Well deserved

In the Open Faceplate category two of the three judges commented that the solid centre circle was distracting. I take this critique as a reason why I have to up my game and start building some medallions for the centre. Like Tom Lohman does. I just need to figure out how to get the great detail and make it look like it belongs there. I do have a friend that has offered to help me with this as well as he was the inspiration as to why I even evolved to the segmented turning.
 
Glenn
I agree with the people. Nice work. I only wish I was that good. I have tried some different things for the bottoms of my bowls, both inside and outside. The simplest was to insert one of the new $1 coins. I put one on both the inside and out. Another thing you may want to consider is getting with one of your friends who has a CNC router and have them rout some designs or sayings in the bottom. I do this on most of the bowls I now do and it adds a little something. I use artcam express which has a lot of 3d designs to work with and also sign my work with the CNC. I have done a couple inlays but I'm not sure I like them as much as the CNC but it is different. Anyway great job. One final thought on the judges comment. I use a lot of cherry because I got a lot of it cheap. I personally don't like it for bottoms because my cherry has some fairly distinct grain and in large pieces (bottoms) it seems to distract from the bowl design unless most of the bowl is cherry. I read that somewhere in a book by one of the experts. I use a light colored maple ( I have a lot of that too) that has very little grain. It seems to disappear in the design. I think it depends on where you want the viewers eyes to go. I hope they look away from all the mistakes I made. Just my thoughts
 
Both of you are correct. I have seen some that put a kind of domed button in the bottom of their bowl, but to me this is even more distracting. The kind of thing that Tom does in his bowl I feel greatly enhances the beauty of the bowl.

I saw in the comments of his latest creation '4 Star' that Stuart made a comment asking Tom to do tutorial on his design:
Stuart - One day when you don't have anything else to do :) will you show the step by step process you use when making the bottoms?

But if you go thru some of the videos that he has all ready made you can pretty much patch together his process. I know that Malcolm Tibbetts talks about a floating base, but I'm not 100% sold on that look
 
Bob, I know the process for making a domed bottom and use designs in the bottoms of my pieces. When possible I try to use the same design as the feature ring but when that doesn't seem to work I'll make up a sold disk for the dome. I'll make what is in effect a thick piece of plywood by layering thin sheets of the same woods that are in the bowl. I might make the top and bottom layers accent strips. I then add a small block in the center to drill a hole for the stomper. Once half the piece is turned I'll turn off the stomper block and then turn the dome. I think it adds just a bit more and gives it a finished look.

I don't know how or if this would work well with open segments pieces.
 
Glenn
I agree with the people. Nice work. I only wish I was that good. I have tried some different things for the bottoms of my bowls, both inside and outside. The simplest was to insert one of the new $1 coins. I put one on both the inside and out. Another thing you may want to consider is getting with one of your friends who has a CNC router and have them rout some designs or sayings in the bottom. I do this on most of the bowls I now do and it adds a little something. I use artcam express which has a lot of 3d designs to work with and also sign my work with the CNC. I have done a couple inlays but I'm not sure I like them as much as the CNC but it is different. Anyway great job. One final thought on the judges comment. I use a lot of cherry because I got a lot of it cheap. I personally don't like it for bottoms because my cherry has some fairly distinct grain and in large pieces (bottoms) it seems to distract from the bowl design unless most of the bowl is cherry. I read that somewhere in a book by one of the experts. I use a light colored maple ( I have a lot of that too) that has very little grain. It seems to disappear in the design. I think it depends on where you want the viewers eyes to go. I hope they look away from all the mistakes I made. Just my thoughts

Thank you Bluemax for your thoughts. All good stuff.
 
hi Glenn I've been lost in my own turning recently and miss the end of this turning, just wanted to say what a excellent piece it turned out to be, i carnt imagine creating a turning with so many segments well done. amazing and inspirational
 
hi Glenn I've been lost in my own turning recently and miss the end of this turning, just wanted to say what a excellent piece it turned out to be, i carnt imagine creating a turning with so many segments well done. amazing and inspirational

Thanks Martyn, I still want to post some finished staged pictures and a picture for the gallery. May get that done later today. My only other open segment piece had 122 pieces counting the solid top and bottom. It just shows that anyone can do it.
 
not sure about that, you've done good i know it must have taken a lot of time patience and concentration managing all those pieces. i get alot of cramp in my hands and i am not sure i could do it thats for sure!
 
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