Open Segment Project "Interwoven"

[Glenn McCarron]

This will be my second open segment project and may seem a bit overzealous but I am going to give it a try.

My Jig is all set, the plan is in place (short of printing the Rings) and I have no lumber milled yet. I am thinking I will try the first few rows to see how it goes. My last project was a 60 segment per ring so I want to take a small step and go for 72. The first row S.E.L. is 0.125" and is maple and wenge. I'm thinking the wenge will be the wild card cutting that small.

This is the design that I came up with. It's about 9.5" wide and 5.5" Tall, 1945 pieces.



Any words of wisdom, do's or don't, suggestions or advise that you have would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Glenn McCarron]

I should mention that the project was fully designed using "Segment Pro". I did take a bit longer than 38 seconds fussing with the pattern and colours until it suited me. The software made that process very easy. Thanks Lloyd.

 

[Bob Beaupre]

Depending on the inside diameter of that bottom row, make sure you vertical alignment arm is thin enough. It only makes a difference on the last segment you are going to put on the row as your first piece comes around.
If the inside diameter is 1" diam the gap between segments is only 0.009"
If the inside diameter is 2" diam the gap between segments is only 0.018"

 

[Bob Beaupre]

By the way nice pattern, it's not a flower.

 

[Glenn McCarron]

Depending on the inside diameter of that bottom row, make sure you vertical alignment arm is thin enough. It only makes a difference on the last segment you are going to put on the row as your first piece comes around.
If the inside diameter is 1" diam the gap between segments is only 0.009"
If the inside diameter is 2" diam the gap between segments is only 0.018"

Thanks for the advice. My arm is a bit thicker than I wanted and I may look at that before I start.

 

[Bluemax]

I've run into this problem when I do open segment Christmas ornaments. I don't use the arm for the last segment . I put it in by eye. Since you have segments on both sides you can get it close. Great looking project. I don't have a chop saw. Does anyone use a table saw when cutting these very thin segments and does it work o.k.?

 

[Glenn McCarron]

I've run into this problem when I do open segment Christmas ornaments. I don't use the arm for the last segment . I put it in by eye. Since you have segments on both sides you can get it close. Great looking project. I don't have a chop saw. Does anyone use a table saw when cutting these very thin segments and does it work o.k.?

Thanks Bluemax for the comment. I do not have a chop saw either so I will try on the table saw first, failing that I will try the bandsaw.

 

[Lloyd Johnson]

I like how you used a repeating pattern of 9. I think it takes away from the symmetry that can make a design look predictable and repetitive. This is something that Jerry Bennett does with his sculptures and it has certainly served him well.

 

[Glenn McCarron]

I like how you used a repeating pattern of 9. I think it takes away from the symmetry that can make a design look predictable and repetitive. This is something that Jerry Bennett does with his sculptures and it has certainly served him well.

I can't wait to get started. Just got home from the wood store with a piece of Wenge that I need to get started.

 

[peter white]

The design looks very good hope your cutting small segments goes well.

 

[Glenn McCarron]

The design looks very good hope your cutting small segments goes well.

Thank you Peter. Hopefully I will get started milling tomorrow.

 

[Brent Dalrymple]

I've run into this problem when I do open segment Christmas ornaments. I don't use the arm for the last segment . I put it in by eye. Since you have segments on both sides you can get it close. Great looking project. I don't have a chop saw. Does anyone use a table saw when cutting these very thin segments and does it work o.k.?

I use my 10" table saw with a sled to cut segments as small as 0.120" (SEL) and it works fine. I use Tom Lohman's method of gluing the strips of wood together at one end so I can easily cut more than one at a time (typically I use 4 strips) and a single hold-down block that clamps both the strips and the segments being cut. If that doesn't make sense, I could send you a photo of the setup. I also use a 1/16" thick blade made by total Saw Solutions. They are expensive but are terrific blades and save a lot of wood when cutting thousands of segments. Hope this helps.

 

[Bluemax]

yes, thanks for the info. A picture would be helpful so I can see how it is clamped. I'm about to start a 48 segment bowl.

 

[Brent Dalrymple]

The first photo (P1000960) shows 4 strips of 1/8" walnut, glued together at the end that is away from the saw blade. The clamping block is just a single block of fir held down with the clamp on the right. The saw blade cuts through the clamping block and so the block holds down both the longer stock and the little segments. I use two stop blocks, each held down with its own clamp. That way you can unclamp one (which one depends on whether you want your next group of segments larger or smaller), insert a feeler gauge (photo 2, P1000961), reclamp that block and move the other one snug up to the first one. I find that I can get the SEL to within .001-.005 pretty easily. The stop blocks are cut at the appropriate angle for the segments. I hope this helps.
I also find that taking the "fuzzies" off of the uncut stock with some 320 sandpaper between cuts is beneficial otherwise they prevent getting the SEL exactly right and you can end up with some segments narrower than they should be.

 

[Glenn McCarron]

Thank you Brent for posting your process. This will be very helpful to me.

 

[Bob Beaupre]

Thanks for the advice. My arm is a bit thicker than I wanted and I may look at that before I start.

My arm is about 0.0625" thick, which is good up to about 48 segments as long as the bottom rows ID doen't get to small. After that I use double sided tap and a piece of brass shim stock. Actually I'll probable just leave the shim stock on for everything

 

[Glenn McCarron]

Once I get my first row almost done I will look at the spacing. I am contemplating using a stainless steel ruler and drilling some holes and mounting it along the front of my adjustable shelf. It is very thin and I think would be rigid enough when mounted. As long as it is about 1/2 inch below the shelf it should work. I would also cut the end back so the zero mark is right in the centre. This would also provide the measuring for the exterior diameter of the rings.

 

[Glenn McCarron]

I have a new found appreciation of segmenters that are making the high density type projects. I have just started cutting segments for the first row of my project. The S.E.L. is .122. I have the maple cut and now will try the wenge. This project may take a lot longer than I had envisioned.

 

[Brent Dalrymple]

I have a new found appreciation of segmenters that are making the high density type projects. I have just started cutting segments for the first row of my project. The S.E.L. is .122. I have the maple cut and now will try the wenge. This project may take a lot longer than I had envisioned.

It is time consuming. For a row of 96 segments, the cutting, "defuzzing", and gluing in place takes me about 2 hours. Two rows a day is about all I can manage, sometimes 1 and never more than 3. And that doesn't include the design, the milling of the stock, the turning, or the finishing. But I'm retired so......

And by the way, I've posted some photos and a description of my indexing/gluing fixture in "Open-Segment Turnings Forum>Open Segment Indexing Jig".

 

[Glenn McCarron]

It is time consuming. For a row of 96 segments, the cutting, "defuzzing", and gluing in place takes me about 2 hours. Two rows a day is about all I can manage, sometimes 1 and never more than 3. And that doesn't include the design, the milling of the stock, the turning, or the finishing. But I'm retired so......

And by the way, I've posted some photos and a description of my indexing/gluing fixture in "Open-Segment Turnings Forum>Open Segment Indexing Jig".

Thanks Brent, I did see the thread. You are right on with the time estimates. I did borrow your sled ideas for cutting the segments. Mine is a bit crude but it works and I will let it evolve as I go.