Replies

1. 
   ErnieConover | Mar 23, 2006 10:53pm | #1

   Would it be possible for you to take a digital photo of the machine and post it? I then would know a lot better where to send you. Duplicators take on two personas, scrape (and in this case scrape as in metalworking and not as in woodturning with a burr) and back knife. I am hoping for your sake it is the latter. At any rate, with a photo I could probably make you a sketch of how the thing works and you could puzzle it out from there.

   With best regards,
   Ernie Conover

1. 
   Lataxe | Mar 23, 2006 11:55pm | #2

   Mr C,

   Thanks for the prompt reply.

   Here are a couple of photos of the tooling on my copy attachment. 

   The copy tool can be run up and down most of the length of the lathe (90 cm of the 110cm lathe spindle capacity).  The tool is mounted on a sprung carriage that also has a lever and adjuster to limit its insertion depth.

   I look at the pointy tool and think, "This is not like any of my turning tools or like any I've seen in the catalogues".  You will tell me, I know, whether I have a nasty thing or something that is worth using.......  :-)

   DT

    

   
1. 
   ErnieConover | Mar 26, 2006 05:43am | #3

   Dear David,I have attached a sketch of two types of lathe duplicators. Yours is the upper scrape type which, unfortunately, does not work all that well. In hand turning we grind a scraper to a burr and present the tool with the burr dragging. You can get a decent finish on a spindle but a long grind on a spindle gouge or a long corner chisel does much better! Your duplicator presents the tool on the center line with the top side 90 degrees to the work. This leads to a very poor cut with a lot of sanding being par because no burr in involved. Scrape duplicator works by having the spring loaded tool linked to a cam follower which rests against a user made pattern of the spindle profile. There is usually also a lever to help withdraw or advance the tool as necessary. (It is necessary for the operator to lighten or increase the pressure on the tool for the machine follow the pattern well) (Your handle appears to be in the horizontal plane while I have drawn mine vertical.) A hand wheel advances the tool left or right. Commercial turning is mostly done with back knife lathes that cut on the tangent as in the lower drawing. This removes stock faster and leaves a far better finish for it is akin to the afore mentioned spindle gouge, chisel, etc. Your duplicator uses a tool as in #1 and may also be fitted with one as in #2. Vega now makes tooling for their own duplicator which has top rake ground into the tool. This is done by grinding a depression in the top side of the tool as in #3. This changes the tooling from being a 90 degree scrap to being a positive rake about equivalent to a medium grind on a spindle gouge. Still not as good as hand turning with a long grind on a spindle gouge but acceptable. If you look on my page on Fine Woodworking Network you will see a short video of the Vega duplicator that I made at the Los Vegas show last August. I think you could retrofit Vega's tooling to your duplicator. I hope my drawing will help you to puzzle out your machine. If you need any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me. Photos always help.Now you can help me. I am stumped on todays crossword. Who wrote Rule Britannia?With best regards,
   Ernie Conover

   
1. 
   Lataxe | Mar 26, 2006 06:56pm | #5

   Mr C,

   Thanks for the advice.  I'll try to get the Vega tool.

   I suspected that the pointy thing as supplied with the copy attachment would be a poor thing.  It stands to reason that a tool shaped like a spindle gouge would do much better......

   Although I wonder if it's worth the effort of using the attachment at all.  Perhaps I'll put it's purchase down to "Lessons learnt in tool buying - rule 78A: don't buy a tool you ain't seen working".

   Rule Britannia - words by James Thomson (no P); music by one T. A. Arne.  (A ditty best forgot, in my view - but I never was a patriot of the "bash the foreigners" type). :-)

   David

1. 
   MBerger | Mar 29, 2006 09:57pm | #6

   Hi Latexe,

   I thought you might like to see the video we shot with Ernie at last year's AWFS show, where he demostrated the features of Vega's duplicator.

   http://www.taunton.com/fwn/subscription/toolguide/toolguidearticle.aspx?id=23995

   Regards,

   Matt BergerFine Woodworking

2. 
   ErnieConover | Mar 26, 2006 05:47am | #4

   One further point. I drew the back knife in the wrong direction. It would be mounted above and facing down to be against the direction of rotation. Must have been momentarily dyslexic.ERC