Segmented Bowls

Segmented bowl turning is great fun but can be very frustrating at times. A single bowl can
consist of as many 400 individual pieces. Some as small as 1x1-1/4x1/40th of an inch. Glued together in a specific ring pattern and stacked one upon another to form a blank the size and
rough form you are looking for. Then mounted on the lathe with a special device called
a " chuck " to hold the blank true and steady. These bowls and vases are all free hand
turned and every one is unique in size, color, shape and design.

I use no artificial color or wood stain to enhance the grain patterns. Only a lacquer sanding sealer and top coat is applied to intensify the natural beauty of the wood.

The Items pictured here were entered in The New York State Fair and took four ribbons, one was rejected. Two Blue, One Red and One Yellow. I was very surprised and honored.

Mary and I with my display at the
Wayne County Council of the Arts in Lyons

More To Come

This ornament and bowl was sent to my Daughter in Florida as
a gift to a good friend of hers. I hope she enjoys them

Below are a series of recent turnings.
( Click on them to view in larger format )

Wild Cherry wood and Walnut 7 ½ X 11 202 pcs.	Walnut and Maple 6 X 13 238 pcs.
Maple burl 5 X 6 16 pcs.	Maple and Walnut 5 X 5 ½ 86 pcs.
Walnut and Maple 6 3/4 X 7 192 pcs	Wild Cherry w/Turquoise Inlace 6 X 7 ½ 196 pcs.
Maple and Walnut (Wine Bottle) 5 ½ X 11 176 pcs.	Ash and Walnut 6 X 11 184 pcs.

This is a 7 ½ in. completely hallow Butternut wood ball or sphere
with side walls of only 1/4 to 3/8 thick and consist on 162 pcs.

Maple and Walnut
4 ½ X 6
173 pcs.

A verity of Pepper Grinders

I'll try to show you some steps in the making of a segmented bowl.

Click on any photo to enlarge it

	First I make a drawing of a piece I would like to make.		Than I make a full size drawing to determine the amount of rings and the size of the segments.
	Than I chouse type of wood I would like to use. In this piece I picked Maple and Walnut.		This shop made "GIG" helps me cut the 16 segments at precisely 11.25˚for each ring.
	For this unit each ring takes 16 segments and 16 accent pieces for the main body of the bowl.		The neck and bottom require 31 pieces.

	30 pieces needed for the decorative ring.		Gluing of segments.
	Finished glue up and now ready for rough turning.		Rough turned bottom and neck ready for final glue up and turning.
	Mounted on lathe and ready for final turning.		Turning

	Mounted on lathe and ready for final turning.		Turning
	This piece of equipment is called a "steady rest or center rest" it is used to hold the long neck so the inside can be turned and finished		Finish sanding and applying the sealer coat.
	Applying the finish coat of lacquer and wax

The finished project.

11½ In. H - 7½ In W

174 Pieces