How I make a segmented using a Churhill. Pictures

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MikePittman

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I made a segmented Churchill pen today and took pictures showing the process. Last time I made a segmented pen, I included one photo and many emailed me asking for pics of the entire process, so with the weather so bad out, I had the time to do it. I know the veteran pen turners here will find this boring, so please forgive me. This is for those of you who want to try it for yourself. I hope this helps.

Start out cutting your wood. For this pen, I cut slats about 1/8th inch thick.
20083524630_ch1.jpg


Use CA to glue the slats together and clamp them. After the blank is dry you drill the hole for the brass tube. Here you see the blank all glued and ready for drilling. Now you need to make the blank extra long, about 10 inches or so, because you waste some of the wood when cutting the segments. Mark and drill as close the the center as possible as it helps the put the segments in line on the tube. You won't be able to drill all the way through the blank, but you will continue drilling after cutting segments off the blank.
20083524723_ch2.jpg


Next, you cut the segments. I use a table saw, but if you don't have one, you can use a miter or band saw. The table saw is much easier as it cuts the segments nice and square, which is very important. Before cutting the blank, you should mark up two sides of the blank with a marker. This helps to put the segments back together with each side facing the right direction and with the side facing the top correctly. You decide how thick you want the segments. For this pen, I cut them about 1/4th inch thick.
20083525932_ch3.jpg


Have the brass tube near you so you can stack the cut squares up in the order you cut them. This helps to cut the right amount. Stack them with the marked sides matching.
2008353038_ch4.jpg


Lay the squares down in line, like the picture shows, with the bottom piece first in line. It goes on first.
2008353358_ch5.jpg


Start with the bottom piece, the one closest to you, and put CA around the inside of the drilled hole. DO NOT get any CA on top of the piece or on the tube above where the piece goes or you will have a difficult time putting the next one on. Next, one at a time, put CA on the top of the piece you just glued on and add the second piece. Push the piece down on top of the first, making sure all the sides match, (which is why you mark the blank!), and quickly turn it slightly in place before the glue sets up.
2008353846_ch6.jpg


Continue until you get both blanks done. They will look like this when done.
20083531050_ch7.jpg


After drying and getting both ends prepared so the brass is flush, I belt sand the spiral corners down some to help turning them on the lathe.
2008353139_ch8.jpg


Turn the blanks and finish them. I used a CA finish. Here is the finished pen. I hope this helps those of you who have wanted to try and make a pen like this. I'd be very interested in seeing your pens!

2008353158_ch9.jpg


20083531547_chsegmented.jpg
 
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Varinokid

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Aug 22, 2007
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Thanks for the very detailed step by step of on how to do that. You should just copy/paste what you just said and save it as pdf format and give it to Jeff so he can list it in the tutorial section. But thanks!!! I think I'm gonna try that sometime this weekend and see what I come up with.
 

alamocdc

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Originally posted by Varinokid

Thanks for the very detailed step by step of on how to do that. You should just copy/paste what you just said and save it as pdf format and give it to Jeff so he can list it in the tutorial section.

You mean like this one? The Library contains a wealth of information.;)
 

Varinokid

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Yeppers! Like that one. But from my eyes and my "understanding directions" Michael's seems to be more clear and direct. Just my opinion. Nothing wrong with having more than 1 tutorial of the concept.
 

Ligget

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Bonnybridge, Scotland.
Awesome segmenting which resulted in a top dollar pen, thanks for taking the time to explain the process Mike, it really is appreciated![:p]
 

kirkfranks

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Salisbury, MD, USA.
Nice tutorial Mike.
I would like to make one safety comment.
On table saw it is not good practice to cut with the miter guage and the fence in combination which will leave the cutoff peice trapped between the blade and fence.
Adding a piece of scrap wood clamped to the ripfence but set so that it is short of where the blade is will allow you to use the fence as a depth stop and still allow room between the blade and fence.
 

MikePittman

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Originally posted by kirkfranks

Nice tutorial Mike.
I would like to make one safety comment.
On table saw it is not good practice to cut with the miter guage and the fence in combination which will leave the cutoff peice trapped between the blade and fence.
Adding a piece of scrap wood clamped to the ripfence but set so that it is short of where the blade is will allow you to use the fence as a depth stop and still allow room between the blade and fence.

Thanks for the advise. You are right. The clamped wood to the is short and does not touch the blade, allowing the cut piece to kick out to the rear. The piece is small enough it doesn't cause a problem for me.
 

alphageek

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Nice idea Mike. The laminated blank makes for a bit of variation on the segmented idea. I like the different pattern that comes from this. Thanks for the details.
 

sbell111

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I like that you drilled your blank prior to cutting it in segments. This would appear to make it easier to glue it up, since it will be glued on the tube at the same time. It also stops it from blowing out at all when drilling.
 

Texatdurango

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I looked at the other turotial mentioned and think there are enough differences that both need to be in the library. One method uses four square pieces glued together while the other uses thin strips which gives a smoother spiral. Other than the photo showing the fence and the miter block being used together, I like the way this one is done up.

Michael, It looks like you have a Delta Unifence, is that correct? If so, loosen the fence and pull it back in front of the blade. That way, when the pieces cut off they simply peel off and don't get shot out anywhere.
 

alamocdc

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Originally posted by Texatdurango

Michael, It looks like you have a Delta Unifence, is that correct? If so, loosen the fence and pull it back in front of the blade. That way, when the pieces cut off they simply peel off and don't get shot out anywhere.

I guess I'm the contrarian today.[:I] George, my Uni-rip fence looks just like that too. Unlike the Unifence, mine will not slide forward. But the suggestion was good if it is a Unifence.;) However, Michael, you could use a short "sacrificial" fence and accomplish the same thing.:)
 

MarkHix

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Carrollton, Texas, USA.
Thanks for the tutorial. I have tried a couple and have some excellent disasters to show for it. I will try it your way next. I was drilling the tube last and using different glue.
 

arioux

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Jan 20, 2005
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Terrebonne, Quebec, Canada.
Hi,

Thanks for the details. A while ago i posted in the suggestion forum that a forum specially for those kind of tutorial about making blanks would be fun. Many responded thei agreement.Mabe Jeff will see it:D

Alfred
 
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