Shopsmith Forums

Has anyone built or used the sled for segment cutting as seen in the WWW.segeasy.com website? Just wondering how much there is on this site in segmented turning.
Bill V

My $.02
I have build 3 modifications of that one. I just modified one of my old designs to put on my sons 10er. The latest desigh uses t track instead of the curved circles to set the fences. You just need to slot the fences to make it work. My ss is the ring flatenner( new word) for one side of a glued up ring. I use a dedicated late to do turning.
The key to the sled is the wedges used to set the fences. If they are not accurate the ring won't close unless you do 1/2 circles. Segmented turning is a great way to use up scrap wood. If you want I can send you pm with some pictures and my $.02. I am sure you will get other suggestions.
Bob

Hi Bob
I bought the wedges but built the jig. The first ring I made was 24 segments and closed up perfectly. Tried to make the wedges myself but could not the angle exactly correct. The angle has to be dead on! This jig put the fun back in segmented work. You can post your pics here if you want. Would like to see them.
Bill V

Bil,
I make my own wedges as right triangles like a 30 60 triangle. For example for a 18 segmented ring you just need to cut one angle at 20 degrees. With a good miter guage or taper jig it is not too difficult to get accureate wedge. Tough ones are the 16, and 32 segmented rings. Made all up to 64 segments.

Bob

Bill,
Here is a picture of wedge sled.

Bob
Thanks for the pics. I like the idea of the "T" tracks. Saves the trouble of machining the arcs with the router.
Bill V

Routing the arc is a snap following Jerry Bennett's video. Pretty easy to drill two quarter inch holes at a precise distance apart on a batten to use as the pivot arm for the router. Takes longer to put a bit in the collet than two pieces of double sided tape to the router base. Drop a 1/4" bolt in the pivot hole and away you go.

As for the angle templates, while they would make things a snap to set the fences, a digital angle gauge works just fine. Any slight error in angle is absorbed by the complimentary angle on the lower/upper fence.

Kudus to Jerry Bennett for sharing his design

Tenbears
Routing the slots was not difficult but I had a problem keeping Jerry's pivoting jig attached to my routers base. The heat down here kept causing the tape to release plus my plunge router is full sized and heavy. I also tried my angle but I must have heavy hand and I would squeeze the fences a little too much and throw the setting off. You are right, Jerry Bennett is very generous to share his design.
Bill V

The problem I had with the curved router circle was finding the bolts that would work easily in the 1/4 grove. Tried carriage bolts, an toilet bolts and found they hang up. I change the fence settings a lot when making bowls or some vases. The t-track works much smother.
Saw a couple of u-tubes that had double t-tracks on sled and didn't see any reason to have a t-track next to the saw blade, so just used one.

BobCoates1953 wrote:The problem I had with the curved router circle was finding the bolts that would work easily in the 1/4 grove. Tried carriage bolts, an toilet bolts and found they hang up. I change the fence settings a lot when making bowls or some vases. The t-track works much smother.
Saw a couple of u-tubes that had double t-tracks on sled and didn't see any reason to have a t-track next to the saw blade, so just used one.

Yes the slots require clearance.(as does the t tack)