For this evening’s demonstration, we welcomed Andy Jones, who covered the fascinating process of segmented turning.

Andy began by displaying a selection of his completed segmented pieces, along with various templates showing the degrees needed to form rings with different numbers of segments. These templates are used with a specially designed cutting sled, which Andy also demonstrated. The sled features adjustable sliding sections to ensure the correct cutting angles.

The required angle is calculated by dividing 360° by the number of segments, then dividing that figure by two to give the individual segment’s cutting angle. For assembly, Andy uses PVA Titebond glue for larger items, and CA glue for smaller work.

For the demo, Andy had prepared a glued-up segmented blank, which he mounted on the chuck. He began by hollowing the inside of the bowl, blowing away waste using a balloon-inflating unit. Once the interior was complete, he shaped the exterior, filling any visible gaps with CA glue. The turning was carried out at 1590 rpm, and the outer surface was sanded through the grits from 180 up to 1200.

Next, Andy carefully prepared the opening to receive a contrasting wood insert for the bowl’s neck. In this case, he used a black wood insert, which had been turned separately before being fitted neatly into the main body and fixed with CA glue.

When working on smaller segmented projects, Andy often makes his own custom turning and cutting tools from modified Allen keys — a tip that drew interest from the audience.

Once the insert was secure, he turned it to match the main body’s profile, adding a fine bead detail around the neck. The inner part of the neck was then shaped so it flowed smoothly into the bowl.

Throughout the demonstration, Andy answered questions from the audience, assisted by his wife, Beasy.

Thanks go to everyone who helped the evening run smoothly — from the audiovisual setup to the raffle and refreshments.

Report by Barrie Fisher & edited by Steve Hackett