Eileen,
When you draw your design for a segmented pen look at it closely and imagine yourself drilling before you cut and drilling after you cut. Then go one step further in your mind to the "Glue up" stage. Which way does your design want to be created?
I have designs that just can't be drilled first, then cut, due to the fact that it is just too difficult to get all of the pieces to line up properly and sit still during the gluing process if they are pre drilled. On the other hand I have designs that won't sit still unless I pre-drill before cutting. It's darn hard to get a group of angled pieces to stay where you want them when you are pushing on the blank during glue up! Now that I think about it...It appears that all of the little pieces of wood are like a bunch of school kids at lunch or at nap time!
I find that playing a nice relaxing CD in the back ground will assist in all phases of pen turning. [
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Here are a couple examples of designs done using both methods.
<b>This pen design can be drilled first then glued onto the tube. I find this easier due to the fact that the tube holds the pieces in place.</b>
<b>I find this pen design much easier to cut first then glue due to the fact that if drilled first I can't keep the pieces tight with the tube during the glue up stage.</b>
As long as your having fun creating your works of art it makes no difference at all what order you do things in.