Segmenting and my first attempt

[txcwboy]

Just tried my first segmented pen. I bought a premade maple and purple heart blade from woodpenblanks.I THOUGHT I was in the center when I drilled it but apparently I wasnt. It actually appeared to be centered on the top but not at the bottom when it came out.Mistake 1. What type blade ( I am using a mitre saw) should I be using ? I think mine is too course.Its 24 teeth that came on the saw.Mistake 2. So all in all it came out ok and to the avg joe probably looks good.There is a gap or 2 filled with CA at the joints and the pattern is off a little.Not bad though for a first attempt.
Anyone make a pink ivory and maple or some really white wood blank ? I would buy it

thanks

Dave

 

[beathard]

Do you have a picture?

 

[txcwboy]

I had to get pic off camera

 

[Jim15]

I think it looks really good, nice job. Holly is a nice white wood.

 

[twoofakind]

I use a 60 tooth blade on my miter saw. Did you see Ron's tutorial on segmenting? If not check it out it has some nifty jigs that are easy to make and make small cuts very easy. I have made a checkerboard blank out of maple and pink ivory before and it came out pretty good.

Andy

 

[Ron Mc]

Dave,
Your pen looks great even with the few problems!
I use an 80 tooth blade on miter saw. I also like to use sanding sealer between sanding grits to help prevent bleeding of colors.
What kind of vise are you using to hold the blank during drilling? Also what kind of drill bit?

 

[mick]

Ditto what Ron said, an 80 tooth Freud Diablo(thin kerf) blade is the ticket. I also drill all my segmented blanks on the lathe, that way you know you're dead on center!
Even with all you felt went wrong it still turned out good!

 

[txcwboy]

I used a pen blank vise from Craft Supply.I have a couple different 7mm bits, it was probably an older carbide tipped bit.I can see that a sealer would be needed. It looked real clean till I hit it with the first sand paper. I saw some tutorial but it wasnt for doing what I am it was for doing angle pieces and small slivers in between.

Dave

 

[txcwboy]

I bought this one

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSAA:US:11&Item=180084988796

a lot cheaper ebay that store too !

 

[stevers]

Hi Dave,
I just started with seg work too. I found that if I clean the blank a lot while sanding it helps. At least in between grits. I used mineral spirits and it worked good. Also try not to pull the fine metal particles from the bushings onto the wood. About drilling, assuming your jig is lined up perfect, be sure the end of the blank is cut strait. I noticed if the end is at even a slight angle, the bit may try to wander as it enters the wood. If it enters at an angle it will continue to magnify that angle all the way through.
Just a few thoughts.