How do you count segments?

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mrobertson

mrobertson

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I state that these pens have 142 segments. But I had a gentleman contact me and state that it's really only 77. His reasoning was that I shouldn't count the ones that I've cut in half.

What do you guys think? How many segments would you say this pen has?


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I agree with Mack it really does not matter. But with that said, the question is how is the blank made up?? We can not see all sides of the pen. Are the pieces solid all the way to the other side??? In other words do the angled pieces go all the way through and are used on the other side in the same order?? If so then they are counted as one piece. If you cut them in half for some reason then they are 2.

Now if you make the blank in one long stick and then cut in half and match patterns it still counts as double no matter.

The talent in something like that is not the amount of pieces, it is the precision you can get when making the angle cuts and matching them side by side. That takes some jigs and good equipment. Now if you tell me these are very thin veneer pieces wrapped around a blank than that would impress me even more so. :)
 
The way I would count is that each time a piece is cut and glued back together that would be a segment. Like mentioned before if it's one piece that goes through I would count that as one. If the blank is cut but not glued back together that's not segmented just two pieces. I don't consider slimlines or other two part pens segmented. I would think the only argument might be that if you take a piece that already has 4 segments and cut it in half and reglue it would that be one segment or eight? I would go with eight. If you want to know how I actually count the pieces I take my shoes and socks off and match pieces with fingers and toes. If I run out of those I make a mark on a sheet of paper and start over.
 
I'd guess that if someone is counting the segments in your blank, they have way too much time on their hands and need something to do.
Here's an idea, tell them to enter the http://www.penturners.org/forum/f338/ball-point-pen-contest-142116/ and let us count the number of segments in their entry.

As for your blank, I came up with a bunch ... that is a great looking pen by the way~
 
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There's 2--the top and the bottom.
:biggrin:

I would count each individual piece as a segment.
My count would be based on the number of pieces you would have if there were no glue to hold it as one.
My one caveat:
blanks of this nature are often created as a unit (that is: one complete blank for both barrels); thus, IMHO, when you crosscut the blank to create two barrels, the cut doesn't create more pieces of the segmented blank.
YMMV
 
I think you can count it any way you want as long as you are consistent with how you do it, can explain to someone how you counted them and are not just making up a number.
 
Thanks for all the comments. You've all basically stated what I thought in one way or another. I'm sticking to 142. I would explain how it's all held together before drilling, but I've already decided to change that, if I make this design again. I've already redesigned this pattern with at least a 1,000 or more pieces. I'll let someone count that next time. :)
 
You made it...you get to decide how it's counted and you get to count them!

Beautiful pen. It looks a bit "southwest" to me...and I like that.

BTW...welcome from Northwest Arkansas!
 
When folks start talking about the number of segments, I think they are really missing the point. When somebody asks me, I tell them it's just one piece now. Lots of pieces don't necessarily make some thing good.

Asking how many pieces in a segmented woodturing is like asking how many notes in a song. The question to ask is, "Is it wonderful?"
 
PCopeland said:
When folks start talking about the number of segments, I think they are really missing the point. When somebody asks me, I tell them it's just one piece now. Lots of pieces don't necessarily make some thing good.

Asking how many pieces in a segmented woodturing is like asking how many notes in a song. The question to ask is, "Is it wonderful?"
Click to expand...

Bring up a 3 year old post brings back memories when that question got asked. My thoughts again on it are it is a conversation starter. Those people are looking at something that is not seen often so their imagination begins to work and they get quisative. Nothing wrong with that and it is a reasonable question. I would probably ask the same question even though i do alot of segmenting. Segmenting work does show talent if done correctly, imagination, and skill. Some times the artist has a record of the amount and sometimes not. I get asked all the time about my scroll work. How many cuts in that piece?? How long did it take for you to make that?? Many times I have no idea how many cuts in a piece because I never stop to count. How long to make varies because I do not work on one piece start to finish. I have multiple projects going at one time and jump back and forth or I get bored easily. You gently push the question aside or if you have an answer than give it. Segmenting can make a piece look better by far if again done correctly. It is not something you see everyday.

By the way welcome to the site. I see it is your first post according to stat cast.
 
No one argues that Damascus steel is only 4-6 layers because that was the number of pieces they started with before folding them. They go by the final number of insidiously layers in the blank.


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