The
Art of Segmented Wood Turning
A Step-by-Step Guide
by
Malcolm Tibbetts
Softcover
215 x 280mm
184pp
Published by Linden Publishing, Fresno, CA, USA
R.R.P.$29.90
ISBN 085442135-1
Indian Blanket Feature Ring
Stave Construction
Lamination Trickery
Production Turning
Oval Bowls
Mitering complete Rings
Building an Icosahedzon
Portholes and Large Turnings
Segmented Ribbons
As reviewed in The Australian Woodworker Issue 135
Segmented woodturning is something of an esoteric art, experimented with briefly by most woodturners, but regularly practised by a much smaller number.
In a sense, segmented turning is a kind of woodturner's marquetry, a notion reinforced by a photo caption early in The Art of Segmented Wood Turning that exhorts the reader to think of wood colours as paint.
The results that can be achieved by the methods outlined in this book are little short of astounding. Author, Malcolm Tibbetts, is obviously passionate about his craft and the many examples of his work that are shown here amply demonstrate the skill he has acquired.
There are the familiar segmented urns, bowls and vases, but there's also a rocket with angled layers within a laminated segment, a hollow vessel with vertically oriented segment layers, as well as a group of very unusual shapes in a chapter devoted to exploring the icosahedron.
The book begins with an examination of the tools the author uses and some comments on the choice of wood and of consumables such as adhesives.
In Chapter 7, Tibbetts presents more than 30 pages of Techniques, Tricks and Shortcuts, introducing many of the jigs he has developed and describing how they are used. The next chapter on The Design Process examines how a design is brought to the stage at which it can be drawn.
In the remainder of the book - more than half of it - Tibbetts proceeds to instruct by example, using a series of projects to explain specific methods of preparation, set-up and turning.
Tibbets' book was written, he says, for those who possess at least basic lathe-turning skills and are ready to take (their) woodturning in a new direction.
Photos: Colour
Units of Measurement: Imperial
Contents
Introduction
Types of Construction
Tools
Safety
- AAW Lathe
Safety Guidelines
- Respiratory Protection
Understanding
Wood
- Moisture Content
- Testing for Moisture Content
- Wood
Grain Orientation
- Choosing Wood
- Preparing Your Wood
Glue
- Clamping
- Glue Safety
Techniques
and Tricks
- Cutting Segments
- Disc Sanding
- Gluing Segments
Together
- Preparing Rings for Stacking
- Uses of MDF
- Working with
Veneer
- Splitting Rings into Multiple Rings
- Vessel Bases
- Improving
Efficiency
The
Design Process
- Design Tips
- Feature Rings
- Creating a Blueprint
- A Sample Drawing
John's
Turning
- Indian Blanket Feature Ring
- A Cutting List
- Joining
Two Halves
- The Finishing Process
Stave
Construction
- Calculating Compound Miter Angles
- Building a Staved
Vessel
- Mortise-and-Tenon Joint
Lamination
Trickery
- Building Zigzag Rings
- Multi-Generation Lamination
-
Two Ways to Build Diamonds
- Laminated Segments and Staves
- A Bowl from
a Board
Production Turning
Miscellaneous
Tricks
- Oval Bowls
- Mitering complete Rings
- Installing Round
Designs
Building
an Icosahedzon
- Sphere Turning Techniques
- Transforming Spheres
into Vessels
- A Truncated Icosahedron
Portholes
and Large Turnings
- Building a Porthole-Style Ring
- Large Diameter
Ring Techniques
- Building Sunrise Segments
- Another Way to Insert Diamonds
- More Large Vessel Techniques
Segmented Ribbons
Final Thoughts
Appendix
- Mathematical Formulas & Concepts
- Calculating Compound Miters
- Construction of Platonic Solids
- Chart of Compound Miter Angles
-
Description of Turnings
- Bibliography
- About the Author
Index