Nelson Cassinger is originally from Columbus, Ohio but has lived in Las Vegas, Nevada since 1974. He is a member of AAW and a charter member of the newly organized Las Vegas Woodturners.

Nelson has been working on a lathe for five years. His first exposure to a lathe was when he was 15. At that time he turned a lamp in high school shop. He attended a wood show in Southern California where he watched Stuart Mortimer demonstrate. He was quite inspired by this and from there he took woodturning classes from Rex Birmingham, Mike Mahoney and Stuart Mortimer at Craft Supplies USA. Dale Nish also played an important part in his accomplishments with both support and encouragement. His passion was then inspired by the segmental works of Ray Allen whom he was fortunate to meet prior to his passing.

When asked what he likes most about segmented vessels Nelson simply stated, "Like a boy playing with blocks." He has the ability to see the finished product even before he selects his materials. Nelson has developed and is marketing through Craft Supplies USA a template designed to assist in forming the rings for segmented vessels. A companion video is also available.

The demonstration began with a discussion of Nelson's template especially with the alignment of the segments comprising a single ring. A segmented vessel was discussed and a sample shown. He initially sketched the piece showing all rings and the dimensions of each. Nelson left enough extra ring material to be able to define the final shape of the piece. He turned wall thickness to three-sixteenths or one-eighth inch thick. He left the lower portion of the piece somewhat thicker to give stability.

Nelson used kiln dried wood which was as dry as possible. A typical eight-inch, sixteen segment ring was formed. The individual pre-cut pieces were laid out. [Nelson cuts all his segments on a ten inch Delta band saw.] To cut the sixteen segments (actually he cuts seventeen to give a spare one) he needed a twenty-four-inch piece of wood. Using the template he determined the size of each segment. After the pieces were cut they were laid out and numbered one to sixteen. The grain directions were oriented to facilitate turning and to avoid tearing and chatter. He used a twelve inch Delta disc sander to both sand the segments and to make small surface adjustments. Each segment or piece was cut about one thirty-second of an inch larger than needed. This allowed for sanding with a 120-grit disc. Nelson removed the burr off each piece with 180 grit paper. After sanding each piece he attached it to the template with double-faced tape. This eventually aligned up all the pieces in the ring. Nelson stressed how important it is not to have any gaps between segments. He usually makes the focal point ring first. This determines the general shape of the vessel.

The number sixteen segment was not sanded until the other fifteen had been fitted and glued. (Nelson uses Elmer's Pro Bond - professional strength glue. He does not use CA glue.) When applying the glue he rubbed the opposing surfaces together until the glue thickened. He then pressed the pieces together and wiped off with a damp cloth any excess glue that came from the glue joint. [He does not clamp the pieces together.] Nelson glued two segments together and checked out their proper size and fit on the template then he glued a two segment piece to another two segment piece. Eventually fifteen of the sixteen segments were glued together. The sixteenth one was sanded and fitted in place to complete the ring. Once completed it was placed on the template and a compass was used to scribe a circle on the outer edge. The corners were then sanded off on the disc sander. This made the turning of the vessel's outer surface much easier with less catches and chatter. The entire ring was then run though a drum sander - both surfaces. This completed the first portion of the demonstration.

The afternoon session began with stacking of the rings. Nelson had a lazy-Susan that the bottom piece of the vessel which had been attached to a glue block was centered on. Then the lowest ring was centered on the bottom piece. Once centered a ring was drawn on the ring so that it could be glued. Subsequent rings were glued in a similar manner. The rings were staggered to give strength. [You do not want the glue lines on adjacent rings to line up.] Clamps were used to hold the rings together while the glue set up.

The focal point ring was then discussed. This ring had the design pattern in it and this was what drew one's attention to the piece. To create the focal point design pottery or glass design bowls can be referred to or, for that matter, any design pattern. Contrasting woods of various thicknesses can be used. The smaller pieces were sanded by holding them to a waste-wood block with double-edged tape. [You can sand the pieces to the proper thickness.] Nelson used a flip-flop pattern to form the focal point ring. [The focal point design can be simple or very complicated. Simply by turning a segment of the focal point ring can dramatically change the visual effects.] When gluing Nelson always glues end grain to end grain and exposes only side grain on the focal point design. [When using veneers they can be glued to the ring wood prior to the cutting of the segments.]

Next Nelson turned a small-segmented piece that had been previously assembled and glued. Initially he developed the exterior shape and then shear scraped it. It would then be sanded. The piece was then hollowed. He jam chucked the piece and completed the bottom. He finished the piece with Deft used as a friction polish.

This completed a very detailed and interesting demonstration. For more details please refer to the edited tape which will be available in February 2004.

--Bob Gunther

More Demonstration Photos

More about Nelson

Nelson's Table of Angles and Lengths