Hi This is where I am going to put a how to guide, I'm still learning myself but would like to share my experiences here with anyone who would be interested. I have just started a new project and will be doing a step by step guide.

The project is a ten layer 16 segments per ring vase type thingy, each layer is 1" thickness and I am going to be putting veneer between all the segments and between the layers, 3 layers of veneer, 2 light colour and 1 dark.

I have started to cut the segments today, I got a new toy today, an engineers protractor, a godsend my saw is a whole half a degree out. I set the protractor to 11.25 degrees, it has 5 minute graduations (60 minutes = 1 degree) marked on dial, and hey presto 1 accurate saw.

I picked up a good tip from another web site(kevin's, see links) to make the rings in 2 halves then any error in the angles can be sanded out prior to joining the 2 ring halves together, not that I will need to sand, yeah right.

Well keep coming back it will probably take me about 2 weeks just to glue this one together, will put some pics of assembly later.

Well here we go then, this project completely changed from what I said above, it was still 10 layers of 16 segment rings but I had to compromise on the veneer between the segments and layers, my band saw was just not up to cutting the veneer thin enough, the things I ask it do. So I had to put just 1 piece of aprox 3 mm thick veneer between the segments, I used end grain oak for this, and 1 layer of ash veneer(3mm aprox) between the layers.

I made a press out of an F clamp, see picture, the top pressing board is slotted at the back to fit over the clamp to stop it from twisting as it is tightened down, the polythene is to stop the glue from sticking it all together. It works very well, I was quite surprised.

Well back to the vase thingy. I glued up all the rings and sanded them flat on the belt sander ( another new toy) and proceeded to glue all the rings together, you have to do 1 at a time otherwise they slide about all over the place. I was pretty careful when I did it but still 1 layer moved a bit. I use a polyurethane glue, it sets pretty quick and you can unclamp after about 10 minutes and glue another ring.

To prepare the blank for the lathe I glue a piece of plywood to the top (18mm) to allow me to mount it on the screw chuck in my supanova chuck. I then let the glue cure for 24 hours.

Now for the bit that never went quite right, I must have miscalculated the diameter of some of the rings because I just couldn't get the shape I had drawn. I was turning the neck area and I just ran out of wood, The next thing I know the vase was taking on the appearance of a colander, built in ventilation. So I turned my attention to the base, I drilled a hole for the plug in the bottom (32 mm) turned the plug and glued it into place, That was that for 1 day.

The next day I turned the dovetail housing in the bottom and turned the vase around on the chuck. Now this is where I would normally part of the plywood faceplate but this time I had no option but to part off the top 2 layers, never mind I said to myself its only taken all week to glue up I'm sure I can still make something out of it. I wasn't happy with the shape but I couldn't do anything about that I didn't have enough wood left to turn the outside down anymore.

I had a thought, what if I made a lid for it that could be used as a serving bowl. I made a ring up for the lid using compound staves but when I glued it up I forgot to put the oak between the segments, Oh bl____ing Heck I said or something similar. Never mind I'm sure it will still look nice and I am only practicing and I can always make another one with the oak later if this one doesn't look right.

Well I turned it up drilled it and plugged it with a bit of beech and used the screw chuck in the beech to turn it round on the lathe so that I could turn the inside, the hole wouldn't be seen as I made a handle come foot for the lid which was glued into the hole left by the screw chuck.

What do you think, have you stopped laughing yet? I think it looks very nice, not quite what I had in mind but quite well rescued.