Helping You Make a Segmented Bowl Press

Frank Posted on Oct 13, 2016 2:32 PM

Ron Thompson & Dave Bonnette

In response to all the woodworking and Facebook fans of the segmented woodturnings and segmented press designed by Bill Sands of the Turning Tuesdays woodworkers, here is the “How-To” in making a press to ensure that each segmented layer is glued and assembled for turning a segmented bowl, vessel, plate, urn, or anything else your imagination may conjure up.

First, let’s take a look at a few process step photos in making a segmented product. Each layer is designed, cut, inlayed, followed by gluing and stacking the layers. The press is then used to hold the assemble layers in place until the glue has dried. Additional layers can be added to increase the size or change the shape if desired, then turning and finishing completes the process.

Mikey Ellison

The growing interest in this type of turning started in our group which meets every Tuesday in Lubeck, West Virginia, hosted by Bill Sands from 10am-1pm, complete with donuts in the morning, and an outstanding lunch at noon. These accomplished woodworkers get together to share their knowledge, create new ideas, build projects, and help each other progress in many venues of woodworking.

For additional background information on this group, and segmented turning with videos and photos, please check out these past blog & video selections:

-Turning Tuesdays Welcomes Scott Phillips

-“Turning Tuesdays” with Bill Sands & Mikey Ellison

-Woodcraft Magazine Issue #40 Preview

-http://youtu.be/1pExveXKEsk

Initially the guys used bar clamps and expandable clamps to press hold the glued layer sections, until Bill came up with a design that got the job done quicker, easier, and allowed for better even pressure to be applied to the assembly,

But not anymore, as this new design that we are about to explain, will eliminate the previous cumbersome assembly procedure.

There are not any formal plans on this design, but we will give you the Segmented Bowl Press Parts List, with photo, video, and explanation of this device. Besides standard shop equipment, here is the segmented press parts list to build from. Click on the list to obtain a PDF.