I contemplated for some time not posting something like the following simply because I did not want to come off as a know it all, I truly am not. While I have been woodworking for a long time I discovered segmented bowls by chance 3 years ago, I didn't even own a lathe then. At first blush it looked very complex and it took me a bunch of digging and reading to get the process in my head as I was shopping for a lathe. What I am trying to accomplish here is to share how I have stumbled my way through the process of building and sometimes destroying segmented bowls and vases without some of the complexity that can creep into this process.
What I have worked out for myself is, for me, a simple and quick way of designing and detailing a segmented bowl or vase . I am sure it will be repetition and known detail to some but may give some insight of another way of getting a project from concept to spinning on your lathe.

The chart below is the way I try to envision and detail the segment bowls and vases I try to build. The design portion is basically sketched out by hand on a grid on a white board. The segments are recorded form any of the segment calculators available on line and from Google Playstore. I have included some of the calculator links here.
LarryMarley.com Segment Calculator
Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or
Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or
Bowl Segment Calculator
Use this bowl segment calculator to confidently measure and cut your precious wood pieces to their correct sizes to create perfectly fitting segments.
Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or

That detail is not in the drawing detail as I often decide on the feature ring design at some point after the basic design is drawn out. That was the case here. Anyway hopefully the details here will be of some help to anyone contemplating jumping into segment turning but hesitate because of some of the fog that can surround the process. Please ask any question about any part of the process.
calabrese55

NOTE looking at the finished vase picture the feature ring detail at rings number 7 & 8 are shown outlined in darker wood. I decided to merge rings 7 & 8 into one taller feature ring not detailed in the plan sketch and not in the drawing. I often decide on a feature ring design at some point after the basic design is drawn out. That was the case here.

Hi Bill Thanks for looking and your comment. On the decimal thing ...at one time i  memorized all the fraction / decimal  equivalents that was many years ago. Today I simply don't even try and  have 3 or 4 conversion charts sprinkled around the shop.
Thanks again for looking in.
mike c

I have a completely different process the prevents the rings form going any more than a whisker off. There are two elements to the process each are shown here see if you can identify both from the picture here 

Ed Weber wrote on Feb 25^th, 2025 at 2:59pm:

Hi Ed Your no 2 is correct  glue aliment stops for precise centering.
however negative on your no1 I do not use wide segments. If you look closely at the original picture you will see I carefully align the segment glue line in the upper ring to a pencil line that divides the segment on the lower ring. That pencil line is drawn across the ting to also mark the segment 180 degrees from the first. I do this in tow locations. So when I get the glue lines of the upper ring aligned with the pencil line on the mating (bottom)  ring those rings are centered pretty darn right on. The alignment stops you correctly identified then capture the alignment allows me to remove the rings add the glue and get the same alignment right back . the drawing attached here shows the process where I used a compass to bisect the segments to give me centers to add the pencil lines. Please ask any questions and thanks for jumping in on this      SORRY i HAD TO REDUCE THE PICTURE FILE A BUNCH TO GET IT TO UOLOAD HOPE YOU CAN SEE IT OK

Mike,

your pictures are way too small for me to see. to correct this, do the following:

1. go to Turning Talk

2. in the message center at the top find: Image resize for PC and Appl

3. there is a link and instructions for resizing pictures so they can be seen.

as for segmented turnings, i use the same software i have used for 20 years. it gives me every cut, every ring, every detail i need to create. Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or