Results from yesterday

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

Alan Morrison

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2019
Messages
3,062
Location
N Ireland
These are the blanks that I showed yesterday now turned.
I stopped turning number 1 as the pattern was starting to merge. I think that it would look messy if I took it down to the bushes. Number 2 is a non runner as nothing lines up. There is difficulty lining up the patterns in number 3 because of my construction method. I will try a different method, though it shows a bit more promise than the others. Number 4 is not too exciting and number 5 has 2 different designs which don't really work together.
I may try a couple more blanks but the design and the construction method will have to change. It will give me something to think about before I go to sleep. All comments appreciated. Thanks for looking. IMG_2664.JPGIMG_2665.JPG
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

Alan Morrison

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2019
Messages
3,062
Location
N Ireland
1 thru 4 all show promise, not a fan of number 5.
Thanks Ken. Actually No.5 was just 2 different blanks i had lying around and stuck together. All those blanks were a 'suck it and see' experiment to see if I could get a blank that looked good all around. My wife thinks that they are 'too busy', so back to the drawing board.
 

KenB259

Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2017
Messages
3,537
Location
Michigan
Thanks Ken. Actually No.5 was just 2 different blanks i had lying around and stuck together. All those blanks were a 'suck it and see' experiment to see if I could get a blank that looked good all around. My wife thinks that they are 'too busy', so back to the drawing board.
I don't think they're too busy at all, if everything lined up they'd be prefect
 

jttheclockman

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
19,082
Location
NJ, USA.
I do not think they are too busy. My thoughts and just my thoughts I like the design of 1 and 2 on the left. I am just tired of see chevron pattern. Everyone keeps calling that a Gisi pattern but he at no time invented that design. That is a bowl turners design from way back If you could zero in the first 2 designs that would be cool. Many design can come off those two.
 

mobyturns

Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2017
Messages
43
Location
Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Thanks Ken. Actually No.5 was just 2 different blanks i had lying around and stuck together. All those blanks were a 'suck it and see' experiment to see if I could get a blank that looked good all around. My wife thinks that they are 'too busy', so back to the drawing board.
Alan, I like where you are going with your explorations, A+ for effort imo. It's certainly an interesting experiment to push boundaries / limits, and to refine process.

As for "back to the drawing board" don't lose heart. I have the luxury of using CAD to do most of my exploring, and discard many "ideas" before I even put a stick of wood through the shop machinery. Some I make any way, just because. :)

I've found it easy to come up with a nice blank design. However, like many of my ideas and so many of the segmented blanks I see offered for sale, they look great as a blank, but the blank design does not always make for a nice turned pen.

Apart from the aesthetics, and the technical stuff of actually cutting the components then assembling the blank, the practicalities of turning and then use eliminates some avenues of pattern design imo. The ultimate test is ensuring the final wafer-thin sleeve of a composite veneer can withstand the rigors of turning and then long-term use.
 

jrista

Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2021
Messages
2,222
Location
Colorado
Alan, thanks for showing the results. They are very interesting... I like all of the designs. I don't think they are all too messy. I think the different designs of blank 5, is a bit of a problem, but 1-4 would make for some excellent pens!

This shows that alignment is not just a surface-level thing. I am curious how you deal with that when creating a segmented blank? Is there a technique that ensures alignment through the full depth of the blank?
 

jttheclockman

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
19,082
Location
NJ, USA.
Alan I might as well say this here as well as I did on the other thread that someone posted on his designs. I like your attempts to try to make a 4 sided design that encircles the blank but I feel it takes away from the design. I like the 2 sided designs for the fact it opens the design pattern up to the point it can be more easily cut. cutting pieces that small is dangerous unless you have a great jig to hold your pieces. The fact you use CA does not give you the flexibility to adjust the pattern. I would think slow the build down and use wood glues being you use all wood material. Just some thoughts from me as you grow into this segmenting stuff. As I said in the other thread I may have to jump into this arena myself with this type of segmenting. I never did anything like these type patterns. My segmenting is router based and trim ring based. Right now I have my toe into so many other different type blanks I have been making all winter and hopefully can start showing the fruits of my labor. I will continue to follow your progress as you go down this path. Good luck and stay safe.
 

Alan Morrison

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2019
Messages
3,062
Location
N Ireland
Alan, thanks for showing the results. They are very interesting... I like all of the designs. I don't think they are all too messy. I think the different designs of blank 5, is a bit of a problem, but 1-4 would make for some excellent pens!

This shows that alignment is not just a surface-level thing. I am curious how you deal with that when creating a segmented blank? Is there a technique that ensures alignment through the full depth of the blank?
Jon, thanks for your comments. I have a couple of glue ups getting ready to assemble into blanks. I have been taking photographs so you can see the process, and difficulties in lining up. I will post soon.
Alan
 

Alan Morrison

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2019
Messages
3,062
Location
N Ireland
Alan I might as well say this here as well as I did on the other thread that someone posted on his designs. I like your attempts to try to make a 4 sided design that encircles the blank but I feel it takes away from the design. I like the 2 sided designs for the fact it opens the design pattern up to the point it can be more easily cut. cutting pieces that small is dangerous unless you have a great jig to hold your pieces. The fact you use CA does not give you the flexibility to adjust the pattern. I would think slow the build down and use wood glues being you use all wood material. Just some thoughts from me as you grow into this segmenting stuff. As I said in the other thread I may have to jump into this arena myself with this type of segmenting. I never did anything like these type patterns. My segmenting is router based and trim ring based. Right now I have my toe into so many other different type blanks I have been making all winter and hopefully can start showing the fruits of my labor. I will continue to follow your progress as you go down this path. Good luck and stay safe.
Thanks for your comments, John. The photographs that I posted were my first attempts just to see if what I had been thinking about was possible, and to see how they would look turned and to learn some lessons about the process.
I certainly agree about the 2-sided designs looking better as most of the time 'less is best'
My first conclusion is that the patterns merge into each other, which is probably why my wife says that they are too busy.
I will try a couple of different designs just to satisfy myself before I go back to 2-sides.
Some of my designs, when not 2-sided, leave the other 2 sides not too attractive, which is why I experimented with 4 sides.

Something I have yet to try is to cut 2 blanks into triangles length wise and rejoin to make 1 blank with all sides the same.
Always pleased to read your feedback, John.
Alan
 

Alan Morrison

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2019
Messages
3,062
Location
N Ireland
Alan, I like where you are going with your explorations, A+ for effort imo. It's certainly an interesting experiment to push boundaries / limits, and to refine process.

As for "back to the drawing board" don't lose heart. I have the luxury of using CAD to do most of my exploring, and discard many "ideas" before I even put a stick of wood through the shop machinery. Some I make any way, just because. :)

I've found it easy to come up with a nice blank design. However, like many of my ideas and so many of the segmented blanks I see offered for sale, they look great as a blank, but the blank design does not always make for a nice turned pen.

Apart from the aesthetics, and the technical stuff of actually cutting the components then assembling the blank, the practicalities of turning and then use eliminates some avenues of pattern design imo. The ultimate test is ensuring the final wafer-thin sleeve of a composite veneer can withstand the rigors of turning and then long-term use.
Geoff, many thanks for your comments.....and nice to see you back again.
As I said to John the clockman above, this was just an exercise to see if I could overcome the less nice side of a segmented blank if the pattern is wider than one side. The 'back to drawing board' just means that I need to come up with a simple design that looks good all round the pen without the pattern sides merging into each other.
Unfortunately CAD is foreign to me to all my experiments are 'trial or error'.
I will give this attempt a couple more go's to see if there is any improvement.
Here's a recent pen 2 sides. Photography a bit dull.IMG_2615.jpg
 

jrista

Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2021
Messages
2,222
Location
Colorado
Jon, thanks for your comments. I have a couple of glue ups getting ready to assemble into blanks. I have been taking photographs so you can see the process, and difficulties in lining up. I will post soon.
Alan
Thanks! Looking forward to them!
 

KMCloonan

Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2017
Messages
1,459
Location
Round Lake, Illinois
Thank you for sharing your experiments! I know how much work goes into planning, then building the blanks. Turning the blanks is the final test. Like others, I really like numbers 1 & 2. Once you get the alignment figured out those will be amazing. I don't care for number 3, I think mostly because it's black & white... I do like the design. Number 4 has a lot going on. colors, and many layers. Maybe a little busy? I don't know what happened to the top of the blank. 5 is interesting. I could like it šŸ˜ . I really do enjoy seeing the experiments, both successful and unsuccessful. We can all learn from these lessons. Thank you again.
 

mobyturns

Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2017
Messages
43
Location
Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Geoff, many thanks for your comments.....and nice to see you back again.
As I said to John the clockman above, this was just an exercise to see if I could overcome the less nice side of a segmented blank if the pattern is wider than one side. The 'back to drawing board' just means that I need to come up with a simple design that looks good all round the pen without the pattern sides merging into each other.
Unfortunately CAD is foreign to me to all my experiments are 'trial or error'.
I will give this attempt a couple more go's to see if there is any improvement.
Here's a recent pen 2 sides. Photography a bit dull.View attachment 352414
I haven't gone anywhere, just don't need to login to view posts. I'm only active on one forum these days, but still watch what happens on IAP, and occasionally contribute. I can sympathize with a couple of posters who have recently stated on IAP that they are pulling back somewhat.

Lots to experiment with, have fun.
Cheers
Geoff/
 
Top Bottom