# Segmenting puzzle



## skiprat

Just for some fun, see if you can figure out how to cut this segmented blank. 
When the blank is in the square, the red points reach the end of the blank.
The yellow points reach about 2/3 of the way to the other end.
But once the blank is turned round the length of the red and yellow blanks are the same. The point of the yellows don't move.
I'm busy building this blank now, but it's too late to continue or my neighbours would shoot me ( unless my wife did it first !!):biggrin:

This one can easily be done with a table saw, but mine has wavey diagonals and I'm using a router. Either way, the ends of the blank would look the same and reveal the way it was cut. I just drew it like this because it's difficult to draw wavey lines in MS Paint.

Have a think and post a pic of two squares with the way you believe the ends would look:biggrin:

Edit;;  The ends of the points MUST remain sharp and not become rounded once turned!!!


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## MIKL

traditional archers make these all the time when footing wooden arrows, i am told there is a jig available for doing it which uses a router, i am sure a google search could turn up more info

it would probably be called a four footing jig

the big difference is the archers do it on round stock to start off with

the main reason for doing this to arrows is to put a heavier, harder piece of wood at the front of the arrow, but the joint has to be very strong to take the impact

hope this helps
MIK


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## skiprat

Hi Mik, welcome to the IAP:biggrin:

I don't doubt you for a second that there is a snazzy tool/ jig out there to do such a cut. 
But most of us only have basic stuff like bandsaws and table saws and maybe a router ( and lathes of course:biggrin 

Can your gadget ( please find a pic if you can, thanks) do wavey lines?

Here's a pic of my router template that I knocked up with a piece of clear polycarb, 8 screws, and a bit of MDF. I just glued a strip of aluminium along the edge to make sure it was smooth.:biggrin:


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## skiprat

I found some pics of a footing jig that Mik referred to. ( I think :wink: )

It looks very interesting and not too difficult to make. The jig looks like it would make the pale wood cuts and from what I gather, the dark wood is two pieces, each with a split. I couldn't find a jig to do those bits but I guess you could use a bandsaw. I don't know how sharp the edges and points would be.

Thanks for jumping in Mik, I'm gonna do some more googling and maybe copy one of them.

LOL, see if you can find a similar jig to do the wavy cuts:biggrin:


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## jthompson1995

That is a four footing jig you found but the dark wood is not two pieces, but one with kerfs cut in at 90 degrees to each other. The light wood is inserted into the kerfs and the dark wood is wedged outward and the whole thing is clamped and glued. This is a pretty common way to fix broken arrows or add some additional weight to the tip of the arrow for more durability and/or better penetration and flight.

I have not seen wavy lines done but I have seen spiraled designs, made by heating and twisting the arrow.


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## BRobbins629

skiprat said:


> Here's a pic of my router template that I knocked up



So do we have to wait 9 months for the outcome?


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## witz1976

BRobbins629 said:


> So do we have to wait 9 months for the outcome?


:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:


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## skiprat

jthompson1995 said:


> That is a four footing jig you found but the dark wood is not two pieces, but one with kerfs cut in at 90 degrees to each other. .


 
Thanks Jason. I found a pic. It looks simple enough to do using these archers methods. I wonder if pool que's can or are done like that?
Thanks you guys:biggrin:



BRobbins629 said:


> So do we have to wait 9 months for the outcome?


 
LOL:tongue::rotfl:


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## jjt

hi,
I am a french turner and I  do not speak English, so I go through a translator.
I found this:
http://www.supreme.fr/fabqueue.html

jean-Jacques


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## skiprat

Welcome!!! Thank you for that great link Jean-Jacques. I can't speak French but if you go to the bottom of that page and click on 'Cherger le Pdf' then it gives a much bigger document ( as a Pdf )

I'm really pleased that a couple of new guys have joined in here. I'm sure we can learn something from you guys.:biggrin:


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## RAdams

the yellow section is actually 4 seperate pieces, and they are all equal thickness fron top to bottom. the red section is also 4 equal parts, but these pyramids are tapered, so they get thicker at the bottom to compensate for the triangular shape of the yellow sections.


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## skiprat

Ron, there are 3 yellow pieces and 4 red pieces. There are no compound cuts. They can be cut with either a bandsaw, table saw or in my case, a router ( to get the wavy edges )
I guess you could get the wavy edge with a bandsaw, but I think it's much easier and more accurate to use a router and a template.
Every one of my joints will ( now have ) be done using that template.:biggrin:


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## hebertjo

I think I understand how 3 yellow wedges can be arranged to produce the pattern. One wedge runs the full depth of the blank and the other two would be glued to the sides of the first one. Not sure how to draw that up so I am trying to explain it.

That would leave you with 4 90 degree pockets that need to be filled by 4 red segments. At first that seemed simple but then I realized that the red segments would intersect at the pointy ends of the yellow segments and would interfere with one another. Do you cut each red segment on two adjacent sides by the same angle of the yellow wedges so they will come together properly?

If this is how you do it does it work well enough that the joints are seemless? Do you use any heat and pressure with resin blanks to improve the joints?

Thanks for the puzzle!


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## jaywood1207

I've been waiting (im)patiently for the pictures of the completed blank and pen.


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## wolftat

Can I use resin to do it?:biggrin:

I'm looking forward to the wavy blank. You are always coming up with something new.


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## Mr Vic

cut a v notch in the red blank, cut the yellow blak in a wedge and insert into the red. Roll th blank 90dweg and and cut another v notch from the yellow end. Cut a fresh yellow wedge or use the two peices previously cut off to make a wwedge and insert into the notch.


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## skiprat

Is there such a thing as a succesful failure??

You can see how I did it by the sequence of pics, but I did one cut ( no pic ) in the wrong direction and it sort of messed up the opriginal idea. 
However, I think the final resulting pen actually has a pretty good 'fire' look to it. I'm as mad as hell for not concentrating but I finished it so as not to totally waste the time and blanks.

I'll post a pic of the pen when I finish it later in SOYP. There is routered PR waste on EVERY surface including the ceiling in my shop. If you router PR, you'll know that it gets statically charged and sticks to everything!!!:biggrin:


EDIT; Ok, I finished the pen but I don't think it was really worth all the effort after all. It's 'OK' but not anything special so I'll just stick the pic in here:wink:


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## jaywood1207

Thanks for posting that Steven.  Very simple idea to get a cool blank.  Can't wait to see the finished pens.


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## wolftat

Skip, you have a good eye for design and colors. I think it looks damn good but I'll stick to the nice easy stuff for now.


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## PenMan1

Very cool!


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## gvanweerd

thats just SOOOO cool!


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## Paul in OKC

Looks a lot like the end of a pool cue when the guys do their points.


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## Rfturner

Steven it looks great I love the way that you did that the wave really sets it apart


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## MIKL

been away flinging arras for a couple of weeks and no internet so i have been unable to reply

as posted previously, the main reason for the footings in arrows is to give added strength to the shaft, you can also remake the old arrows with broken fronts into full length shafts again by doing the footings, i have only done 2 footed shafts because i prefer to use hand tools only with my traditional stuff, i don't think they had routers in them ye old days

if you made a template to fit over a blank, could you use a rotary tool (mini router) to cut away the waste?

i like the end result that you have achieved so far, looks great

MIK


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