Want to cut segments without a table saw

[Doug Hepler]

Hi

Do you have any thoughts on how to make segmented turning blanks with a miter box or band saw? Without too much drudgery, that is.

I was an enthusiastic turner of segmented bowls, vessels and lamps, until about a year ago when I downsized my shop. I gave up space for my table saw and chop saw. I kept a band saw, router table, and my lathe. Now I rip on the band saw and crosscut with a miter box.

I want to get back to segmented turning but the idea of cutting 100 plus segments per object with a miter box is a bit discouraging. Maybe the band saw will work. I have gotten pretty good with jigs for a circular (carpenter's ) saw, maybe I could cook up something to cut segments. I'm writing to see if you have any suggestions about how to do this.

To put this in perspective: a chop saw or portable table saw is the obvious solution but it would really crowd my shop. Or, I could drive 20 min each way to my son's shop where my old TS and all my segment jigs live now. So this is not a huge deal. I'm just wondering what ideas you may have.

Doug

[Rick Bailey]

Doug,
You may want to get a small table top table saw to do the ripping, a band saw won't give you a clean enough cut for glue ups.
I got one a few years ago for 100 bucks.
I keep it in a small cabinet until I need it.
Rick

[Barry Richardson]

I have made many segmented turnings with a chop saw, why don't you consider that?

[Marvin Hasenak]

I would drive to my son's house, first that is also where my table saw is. Second choice would be to watch Craigslist for smaller benchtop table saw, then drive to my son's house and make an ACCURATE sled using my old table saw. I have found that even a junker saw with a great sled is capable of producing great segments.

Actually I am lucky, I tell him what I want and he delivers the next time we babysit the grandkids. If I am real lucky he provides the wood.

[Doug Hepler]

Thanks to all. I had not thought of a table-top saw. I'll pursue that.

Marvin you gave me a chuckle. He has my old lathe. It's probably time he learned how to cut segments! I am lucky -- so far, this being Colorado, he brings me craft beer.

Doug

[John King]

Doug - With a decent table top saw and Wedgie Sled (see http://www.segeasy.com/) you should be good to go. - John

[Reed Gray]

Malcolm Tibbits uses a chop saw for all of his segments. You need a really good one though, and he uses a Festool one, which would cost considerably more than a table top table saw. Cutting segments or other small on a chop saw can be kind of dangerous and involves hold downs to keep fingers far away from the blade. Not sure if he shows it in his videos or not.

robo hippy

[Marvin Hasenak]

You might get some info out of this video. https://youtu.be/R6_O9AeQQHc

[Bob Coates]

*1 on John's segeasy. Before I switched to segeasy I had sleds for different angled wedges. I found it much easier to dedicate one sled per wedge than to retest getting accurate angles. I have also in past used a chop saw, BUT I set it to cut one angle. I made a special zero clearance fence to cut the wedges on it. In a pinch you might be able to construct a table for your circular saw placed upside down in a table with zero clearance table and the segeasy sled, best would be a use small table saw.

[Doug Hepler]

Thanks to all. My choices have boiled down to two: (1) make the trip to visit my stuff in my son's shop or (2) get a Byrnes table saw. The Byrnes is very attractive because it seems exactly what I'd need and will fit on a shelf when not in use. The reviews are excellent. But the price is not attractive.

If I start going to my son's shop I'm going to want to make some changes -- clutter, lighting, etc. Who knows where that might lead for good or ill.

Yes, the Segeasy looks great. If my dedicated segment sleds are out of adjustment I may get some, but there is always trigonometry.

Doug

[Bob Coates]

Doug,
Its the sled that is the key to the segeasy segments. I have made my own wedges to use between the fences, they are actually triangles so that for 20 segments in a ring the triangle was cut at 20 degrees. You can use trig to get the approximate angle but you then need to cut 20 segments and make sure they fit with no gaps. If gaps adjust fence until they are tight, then adjust the triangle to fit tight between the fences. I used disk sander to adjust. Took, time but made all. Used MDF or masonite for triangles.

Bob