Inlaying woodturnings

Below I will show how I do this type of centerband for a woodturning. It looks as though it would be difficult to do but it's actually not too difficult.
This is one example of the many types of designs you can do using a drill press.

Here I've started the layout for the inlays. I first draw a straight line down the center of my board. From there I layout centers for the holes I will be drilling. You need to be sure that you leave adequate space between each inlay hole for segmenting.

Here I've drilled for the inlays. Notice I've left space in between the holes for segmenting later. Be sure to leave enough space. You can't have too much space.

This is a Forstner bit. I always use this type of bit when doing this type of work because they leave a very neat hole.

Here I'm showing a couple of the inlays cut ready to be installed along with the plug cutter that cut them.
This is a large 1-1/2" cutter. Be very carefull with this size cutter as it can grab VERY easily. You must use this type of cutter in a drill press. It would never work in a hand drill as it is not piloted.

Here I have installed the inlays and am getting ready for segmenting. Notice how the segmenting lines are slightly set in on the segments. You need to do this for the pattern to work correctly.

Here the segments have been cut. The angle of the cut is determined by the amount of segments you are going to use.
For example if you were doing 12 segments your angle would be 15 degrees.
Why?
Two 15 degee inclusive angles equals 30 degrees. Thirty degrees times 12 segments equals 360 degrees or a full circle. You can use this example to get the angle for any amount of segments.

Here the segments have been glued up to two half circles.
I do half circles so I can true up the edge. If you glue a 12" sanding disk to a flat surface you can sand the two halves to match together nicely.

Here I've split the ring down the middle. From here I will true the cut edges and glue the ring back together. Just glue it back together slightly turned so it looks like the finished ring.

Use plenty of clamps when gluing the ring back together and it will need very little truing.

This is the finished ring ready to be installed as a centerband. This is by no means the only pattern you can get with this method. For example if you let the bloodwood be the outside of this ring the center would become maple diamonds.
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Heres an example of a vase made with this process.