The beginning of my biggest segmented vessel yet.

[Primvs Aebvtivs]

Bill, I admire your patience, and skill. As for the amount of work you've done, and still need to do before the April deadline - I'm in the Holy Crap group! If I'd even managed to make ONE piece of segmented work that accurate I'd be happy to call it a day, let alone make ten, and then turn a bowl... Oh, and the other feature rings too... My brain hurts just thinking of the work involved. May I please be as talented as you at some point in the future, if not, then I still admire the fact that this standard of work exists!

[Bill Wyko]

You are all too kind. But you are all truly an inspiration as well. I don't think I would do any of this had I not become a member of the world of woodworking forums. Its been said that I must have a ton of patience, it's actually just the opposite. I try to develop the most efficient ways to do this so I can see results as soon as possible. I'm just as anxious as you all to see what it'll be in the end. While I probably won't be done in time to put it in Malcolms contest at www. segmentedwoodturners.org, I will take the time to document as much as I can. Thanks again everyone for all your kindness & inspiration. I also want to thank Jameel Abraham for teaching me a new way to look at segmenting. He builds Oud's but his inlay method made me re-think segment possibilities

[Bill Wyko]

[QUOTE=Bill Bulloch;1890152]

Good news though, got my blood test back and my cholersterol is down 20 pts from the last test and everything else looks good.[/QUOTE]

I'm not surprised at that, saw dust is high in fiber. I can't wait to see the finished product...how long do you think this project is going to take?

I really hope to unveil it in October at the segmented wood turners symposium. Here's the url to a .pdf of the events.
http://www. segmentedwoodturners.org/assets/2012_brochure.pdf

[Chris Tsutsui]

I was hoping that I discovered this thread late in the game and that when I scroll down to other pages i'll see the finished piece. But I guess I have to wait like everyone else...

Can we take any peeks at the design sketches?

[Ryan Baker]

Very, very nice! You have incredible patience. Gonna be a masterpiece when it's done. Looking forward to your updates.

[Jerry Wright]

Bill - All I can say is WOW. I once went out and purchased a new lathe because a bed post I was turning was too long to fit in my old lathe. But, that was moving up from a free 1939 Craftsman 9" lathe to a $600 Delta. I also often let the available wood dictate the piece I am going to turn. But, you take the cake - selling your 4 wheeler to purchase an American Beauty or a VB 36 so that you can turn a specific item in time for a contest....again WOW!!

I admire your work and your dedication to our hobby. Thanks for sharing your progress.

[Baxter Smith]

Very nice start Bill! I am looking forward to whenever you post the next set of pictures.

[Alan Trout]

Bill,

That is going to be an impressive piece. I still want to see a sketch of the form. It would help followers to visualize what you will be making and as you progress.

Thanks,

Alan

[Robert McGowen]

They won't be in port holes, it will be a smooth feature ring.

If the pieces are not in port holes, won't the feature ring segments distort their shape when you turn them? In other words, won't the horizontal points in the middle appear to stretch out and get longer, while the verticle elements will pretty much look the same?

It looks like quite the long term project. I look forward to the finished piece.

[Bill Wyko]

The main ring really won't have too much change from vertical and its curve should be close to symetrical from the top ot the feature to the bottom. The form will be similar to one of Malcolm Tibbetts pieces that was this size. I may elongate it a little below the feature ring though.

I am buying the lathe to make bigger pieces but not just for the contest. I hope I can even have the feature ring done in time. The contest did however, motivate me to begin this journey. I've always wanted to make something like this so I figured the contest was a good excuse.

[Bill Wyko]

There is a down side to taking on such a big project. Lathe time goes to a minimum. I think this weekend I'm goint to turn something with my Glaser mini's. I got all these new tools and this big project put a stop to using them. I have a piece of dunno wood that I cut a blank out of last night. Thing is hard as steel but the grain patterns are super tight rings with a lot of contrast. I just can't wait, gotta turn something this weekend. The new tools are calling and I just have to answer.

[Michael Short]

Bill that is going to be one outstanding piece of work. I look forward to seeing the final piece. If you would, Please post your progress as you go along this.

I love the design work in your feature ring.

Take Care.

[Bill Wyko]

Thanks very much. This weekend I'm going to take care of some loose ends with a couple humidors. I also want to turn a piece I found burried in my stack of blanks. It's also my LOML's b-day so she gets a day. Then I'm going to go full time on this thing.

[Mike Cruz]

Bill that is just SICK! I am hanging on the edge of my seat to see more...

[Rick Markham]

Bill, that blows my mind. I'm one of the folks that can't fully wrap my head around what your feature ring is going to look like in the end, I've got to be patient too. That's absolutely fantastic (I've followed your humidor threads for quite some time)
Are you still using Jameel Abraham's method of making your inlays, like he does for his instruments? Have you tweaked the process to suit you? I'm fascinated by your designs! Maybe one day I will give a segmented piece a try, I fear I lack the fortitude to actually follow through to completion. My hat is off to you!