Some segmented turners use a technique called stack ring lamination to “extrude” larger wood turning blanks from pieces of flat wood stock. Cutting the precisely angled rings that make up this glued-up stack is part of the process. There are many ways to cut rings, but up-and-coming artisan woodturner, Mark Damron, has created his own custom tool designed to accurately and repeatably cut large rings at the correct angle and wall thickness with control and ease. This tool is essential to Mark’s large-scale work.

Mark is a toolmaker by training, so creating custom tools comes naturally to him. His custom ring cutting tool is accurate, easy to handle, and safe when used correctly. In this video, Mark explains the basic design of this tool and how he does the set-up. He then shows how each ring is cut. Watching Mark in action is a great lesson in creative tool design and use. Be inspired to create your own custom tools for your work. (3 Minute Woodworking Video)

Segmented turning projects are comprised of many, many small pieces cut to exacting angles. It’s all about precision, because each degree of error compounds into a much larger problem down the road that often cannot be fixed. The solution is to make sure that each cut is the exact, pre-calculated angle and length. Award winning segmented woodturner, Don Leman, demonstrates his tried and true method for getting perfect results every time. The secret is using the right equipment and technique. You’ll learn how the use of a micrometer and accurate miter gauge is essential to getting repeatable results again and again. Follow these steps and you can’t fail. (4 Minute Video)

Turning segmented objects is similar in many ways to traditional woodturning. But there are subtle differences. Each segmented glue-up can contain dozens or hundreds of precisely made pieces fused into a single rough blank. This construction can sometimes be more fragile than a solid piece of wood, especially during the early roughing out stage of the turn. But there are ways to minimize the risk of “blowing up” the piece. Success starts with proper gouge and hollowing tool selection. WoodTreks guest artisan and Segmented turner, Don Leman shares his thoughts on how he approaches the craft and his special appreciation for the magic that comes from putting a complex segmented stack on the lathe and putting steel to wood. (3.5 Minute Video)