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Thanks. Good point in that they can be just a single copy, as I did manually of my salt & pepper mills. However, isn't it still really slow? It sure looks that way in several videos I have watched. Just curious.
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JPG,
I agree that an experienced hand can turn out duplicated pieces quickly and accurately, but I doubt there are many folks these days who can devote the length of time needed to develop that level of experience. I have seen photos of the old time English "bodgers" who could, in just a few weeks, turn hundreds and hundreds of identical spindles for the chairmaking business. Impressive work done on springpole lathes by men who spent decades learning the craft. The industrial revolution put an end to them, though, and now people who need to turn out large quantities of identical turnings in a hurry use mechanical "copy lathes" such as this one:RFGuy wrote: ↑Thu Feb 16, 2023 4:37 pmEd,edflorence wrote: ↑Wed Feb 15, 2023 2:05 pm You might also want to consider making your own duplicator. Lots of ideas on You Tube, but one of the best is an article in Issue 132 of Shop Notes magazine, which describes the complete build of a nice looking duplicator. It looks like it would work fine for your project. Just another possible option.
Honestly, it looks rather slow in the videos I have seen for the Shopsmith duplicator and other brands. Am I wrong here? Isn't the whole point replication, but that tends to be slow? I have watched experienced woodturners turn out spindles in easily one tenth the time, by eye alone, than it takes a novice or even mid-skill woodturner using a duplicator.
What cheer, netop? Thanks for the local info!
Definitely get a live center. I don't have much turning experience but when I used the simple point on the tailstock the spinning wood would make a horrible screeching sound at times.RexLumber wrote: ↑Sat Feb 18, 2023 9:31 am
In some other thread, I saw the recommendation for a live center. It does seem like a good idea, though as you note any burn mark should not be visible (or I could just run the stock long and lop off the ends after turning. One end is going to get a v-notch to match the toe rail). If I go through with the shopsmith idea, a live center would probably be the first purchase if the machine does not come with one.
Doin' fine. How's life in the great western frontier of New England? Lots of nutmeg there I hear from adventurers who traveled that far.