Quick Question about Segmenting

[Focushere]

I am sure the answer to this is on this forum somewhere, but am too lazy to go searching all the post to find it. When making a segmented blank do you

A: Glue all your pieces together and then when dried, drill like you would any other blank or....

B: Drill through each piece first and then glue them together on the tube

I have tried B: and it works, but is a big mess. Just wondering if I try the A method will the blank will stay together while drilling.

 

[witz1976]

The very few I have done I did method A. Once each piece was glued and dried, I then wrapped in painters tape during drilling, just in case.

 

[mrcook4570]

Just wondering if I try the A method will the blank will stay together while drilling.

Walk over and say hi to your new best friend - masking tape.

 

[monophoto]

Unless you drill on the lathe, there is always a risk that the drill will not remain exactly in the center of the blank.

For things like Celtic Knots (or Lissajous figures for the few who know how to pronounce the word), I do the glue up first, let it cure at least 24 hours, and then drill and turn. This is the simpler approach, and is fine if the segmentation is intended to be 'curvy'

But if I'm doing something that requires precision (eg, a simple contrasting ring), I will drill the piece separately and glue it to the tube. That assures that the ring will be absolutely square to the tube, and therefore will have consistent width around the circumference of the pen.

 

[DurocShark]

Depends on the goal. If I want perfectly horizontal lines, I drill individual pieces to the tube. Anything else gets glued together first, then drilled.

 

[Brooks803]

When I make these I glue first then drill on the lathe. I make sure all parts are flat before gluing.

 

[Drstrangefart]

I glue up before drilling. Much easier to handle on my equipment. Hadn't thought about the painter's tape, but I'm glad someone mentioned that AND the masking tape! I gotta try it out!

 

[soligen]

Short anwser is it depends. For me, when being sure that things align perfectly with the tubes, I turn round, drill on the lathe, then use the holes to re-mount the blank and re-turn it round. Now the hole is pergectly centered. Next step is segment, for example a celtic knot done this way will be right on. Re-chase the hole to drill out any segments, then glue in the blanks.

This is the process I came up with when I wanted to go for perfection, and it worked well on this pen. I would only go to this much trouble when I wanted dead on pattern alignment. On this pen I wanted all the tops and bottoms of the feathers to be even.

 

[moke]

My method, right or wrong is to:
1. Glue up- I build the blank on a corian jig (old cutting board), that just has bottom and 90 degree side to keep things in register on two sides. I always use wax paper taped to the jig to save it.
2. bandsaw excess blank off
3. smooth more on disc sander-I do not want anything to "catch"- I am careful not to "heat up" blank
4. Turn to 3/4 inch round, making sure that steb and live center are exactly in center
5. drill on lathe, in PSI Collet, EXTREMELY slow while stopping every quarter to half inch to blow out and cool with compressed air-particularly if it has metal in the blank
6. Reverse paint inside of blank ( With so many types of componets, one may show the tube) - 2 coats - let sit overnight
7. epoxy in tubes - let sit overnight
8. turn
9. CA on Delrin
10. let sit overnight
11. sand tube ends with RHerrells sander
12. Assemble

Just my method--I am sure there are better, but this one has been working for me.

 

[arioux]

Here is one of the best article i read about segmenting. All aspects are covered.

http://www.distinctiveturnings.com/tutorials/SegPenBlanks.pdf

Specially look at the "Morning after", this is a classic that almost evey penturner that want to explore segmenting have tried.

 

[alphageek]

Here is one of the best article i read about segmenting. All aspects are covered.

http://www.distinctiveturnings.com/tutorials/SegPenBlanks.pdf

Specially look at the "Morning after", this is a classic that almost evey penturner that want to explore segmenting have tried.

Yes, Ron's method of "morning after" is an Excellent display of the "b" method. I find that I have better results with most segmenting with the "a" method myself.

I think you will find some cases for each!