Turning your 1st open segmented bowl
I remember the very first time We saw an open segmented bowl sitting on the display table at a local art fair. It appeared like a miracle trick made associated with wood and negative space. Unlike a traditional solid bowl or even a standard closed segmented piece, this point had tiny, intentional gaps between every single single block of wood. It appeared delicate, just like a woven basket, but it was rock solid. I invested a good ten minutes just staring at it, trying in order to figure out how one could possibly glue all those tiny items together without losing their mind.
If you're a woodturner, or actually just somebody who values the craft, the transition from strong wood to segmented work is the big leap. But moving from closed segments to an open segmented bowl ? That's an entire different ballgame. It's the test of persistence, precision, and your ability to stay calm when you're "turning air. "
Why bother along with the gaps?
You might become wondering why anyone would go by means of the extra trouble. A closed segmented bowl is already lots of work. A person have to cut the angles flawlessly so the band closes without any kind of visible glue lines. It's satisfying, certain, but the open style adds the layer of level and lightness you can't get some other way.
Whenever you build an open segmented bowl , you're playing with light. You will see through the walls of the vessel. It's less roughly the mass of the wood and more in regards to the silhouette plus the patterns developed by the voids. It turns a heavy piece of timber into something that will feels architectural. Plus, honestly, it's a bit of a flex. It shows you've mastered your own jigs as well as your lathe technique to a place where you aren't afraid of a little "interrupted cut. "
Obtaining the math right (without the headache)
I'm not a mathematics guy. If you start talking in order to me about complex trigonometry, my own eyes usually glaze over. However, you can't actually wing it when you're making a good open segmented bowl . Everything has to be calculated due to the fact if your gaps aren't uniform, the entire piece looks "off" once it begins spinning.
A lot of people use a "Wedgie Sled" or a few kind of precision miter fence. The key is the number of segments per ring. Let's say you're doing 18 segments. Within a closed bowl, those 18 pieces would touch plus form a strong circle. In an open bowl, you're essentially cutting those same pieces but leaving behind a space—usually regarding half the width of a segment—between them.
The key is using the specialized indexing plate in your lathe or even a dedicated gluing jig. You aren't just gluing a ring together upon the bench and after that stacking it. You're often gluing the particular segments one by one onto the particular previous layer. It sounds tedious because it is, but it's the only way to ensure those top to bottom columns of wood fall into line perfectly.
Choosing the right wood
Not all wood is usually created equal intended for this kind associated with work. Because the contact points between the segments are extremely small, you require wood that glues well and doesn't splinter easily. We usually tell individuals to start along with something stable like Walnut, Walnut, or Cherry .
Maple is excellent because it's vivid and shows off the gaps really well. Walnut provides that classic, rich look. If you want to get fancy, a person can mix all of them. A dark Pine segment followed simply by a bright Yellowheart or Bloodwood section can make some spectacular geometric patterns. Just be careful with oily exotic woods like Cocobolo or Teak; in case you don't wipe the joint parts with acetone very first, those tiny glue surfaces might fall short. And in an open segmented bowl , a failed stuff joint is a recipe for the very bad day at the lathe.
The "Sticking" point: Gluing it up
This is definitely where the real function happens. Most turners use a "segment stomper" or the specialized press. A person start having a solid base (the "feature ring" or simply a solid puck of wood) and after that you begin building up.
A person apply handful of stuff to the bottom part of a portion, put it down, and make use of a spacer to make sure the particular gap is exactly the same as the final one. Some guys use little plastic blocks; others make use of metal shims. It's a slow procedure. You're basically developing a brick wall structure in a group, however the bricks don't touch on the sides.
I've found that will using a fast-setting wood glue or perhaps a high-quality thick CA glue for positioning can save you hours. When you're using PVA stuff (the standard yellow stuff), you've obtained to give this time to tack upward. In case you rush this and the segments shift, your open segmented bowl may look like a leaning tower associated with Pisa once a person start turning this down.
Turning air: The scary part
Once the glue is dry and you've got this "wooden cage" mounted on the particular lathe, it's period for the second of truth. Switching an open segmented bowl is definitely nothing like turning a great bowl. When you turn a solid piece, the particular tool is constantly in touch with the wood. Here, the tool is hitting wooden, then air, after that wood, then air—maybe 24 or 36 times per rotator.
It can make a distinct whirr-whirr-whirr sound. It's intimidating. If you're not careful, the tool can catch in one of those gaps plus blow everything aside. The secret? Sharp equipment and high speed. You want your bowl gouge or scraper to be razor-sharp so it slices through the wood fibers rather than grabbing all of them. You also want the particular lathe spinning quick enough that the particular tool "floats" throughout the gaps instead of dropping into them.
I constantly wear a full face shield. Not really just safety glasses—a full shield. Every time a segment flies off at 1, 000 RPM, it doesn't just fall; it becomes a projectile. Yet don't let that will scare you. If your glue joints are solid and your own cuts are light, it's surprisingly soft.
Sanding and the finish collection
Sanding an open segmented bowl is, frankly, a bit associated with a nightmare. You can't just hold a piece of sandpaper against the particular spinning bowl like you normally would. If you perform, the edges associated with the segments may round over, or worse, the sandpaper will catch in the gap and yank your hand towards the spinning item.
Most associated with the time, We end up doing a lot of strength sanding with the small 2-inch disk while the lathe is definitely off or re-writing very slowly. You have to be meticulous. You also have to deal with the "inside" of the spaces. Some turners use small files as well as strips of sandpaper glued to popsicle sticks to get inside those very little windows. It's the "final 10%" associated with the work that will takes 50% associated with the time.
For your finish, I usually choose a spray-on lacquer or even a wipe-on poly. Trying to utilize a friction shine or a heavy wax is tough since the gunk gets trapped within the openings. A few light coats of spray give it a nice, even sheen without filling in these beautiful gaps you worked very hard to create.
The payoff
Once you finally take that will open segmented bowl off the chuck and keep it up to the particular light, all of that stress disappears. There's some thing so satisfying about the way the shadows fall through the piece. It's lighting, it's intricate, plus it's a discussion starter. People may pick it up and turn this over in their own hands, asking, "How did you get the holes in there? "
You may let them know it's almost all about the mathematics and the persistence, but mostly, it's just about the particular love of the particular craft. It's not the fastest method to make a bowl, but it might just end up being probably the most rewarding. If you've been sticking to solid wood, maybe it's time to provide the open design a shot. Just remember: maintain your equipment sharp and your glue joints clean. You'll do just fine.