2nd knot

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Thanks guys The wave is easy to do and easier on your ego.... no alignment issues glue ups endless combos and best of all you can make them with just a chop saw.
madarchery I found the best way to get any of the wedge pieces cut and the same size is cut stop block to the angle of your cut clamp it to your fence on your chop saw 30 degree cut on block for knot slide the angle cut up tight to stop block and adjust to the size of the knot thickness you want then just write the degree number on your stop block and use them each time Keeps fingers out of the danger zone too!!
Heirloom your Idea would more than likely fix some of the alignment issues but the dowel might get glued up in block If you try seal the down with few coats of clear then wax it up real good to keep glue from sticking..You might be on to something...I use wax paper in my glue up jig and it still wants to stick to my wood?
I glued up block today will take photos of the process if any one is interested let me know...Here are two different shots showing both sides of the wave
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[jcz]

looks good thanks for the extra pics. Of course we want to see the process of your next one.

[Heirloom]

That's the tough part about gluing up on the dowel. i was going to answer earlier but got sidetracked making icecream with Lil'Bit. What can I say, I had a whole bunch of fresh peaches just begging to go into the mix....LOL What I would suggest on the dowel sticking is to use a smaller dowel and then bore it out afterward to the size you need for the call OR use 2 layers of wax paper on the dowel maybe. I'm still trying to get my first knot done right so all of this is just speculation and suggestion. I DID learn quite by accident that the blank must be exactly the same size on ALL sides. Kind of embarrassing to admit it wasn't but it's part of learning at my age.

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Some times the oops turn out kind of cool I think of things that looked great " in my head " that looked pretty bad they just go into the round file I'm never really sure how something will look till I start turning! Think the dowel might be a way to go for those who are having alignment issues you could use smaller dowels like 1/8-1/4 then like you say drill them out I still think it comes down to clamping pressure as you are clamping the block just don't start out to tight little as you go...look forward to seeing the end results
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[Heirloom]

I have a little(getting bigger) space above the lathe that the oops's go. I sit and look at them and from time to time, I get an idea for one. Other times, they work well for "sperimentin" on something new in design. Saves on using "new" or good wood for something that may not work.