Shopsmith Forums

Needed to make several 20" long cylinders with consistent diameter(4 1/2") across the whole length for Scott Markwood's thickness sander. Based on Nick Engler's video on this subject and several other YouTube videos, I spent a week figuring out how I could do it. Didn't have the lathe duplicator table that Nick used so had to make a gouge holder that was just the right height and could be adjusted precisely. Ended up using the strap from the Universal Tool Rest to hold a small table on the carriage. A dado in the tool holder lets it slide in a T track and a 1/4 -20 rod provides for precise adjustment. I put my tool holder around a mini Easy Wood tool. Hurray - it works. tested it today making a 1 1/4" plywood piece that I'll use as a knob on the 1/4 20 rod.

Now to make the 4 1/2" diameter cylinders for the thickness sander.


hal

Very cool! Will be following the thickness sander build!

I have a 4 ft section of 3/4" walnut dowel rod which is just enough over 3/4" that it is unusable right now. Trying to think how something like this could be the beginning of a rod thinning jig.

b

Very nice. How do you move it laterally?

Ken

Hi Ken,

The carriage is loose. So I just slide it slowly from one end to the other. I designing this I made sure the tip of the cutter would reach both ends of a spindle. I used a Morse Taper extension on the live center end. Also had to make sure the end attached to the spindle would be reached when the spindle was extended. I'll try and make a short video when I start using it on the 19" blank.

ha

Hi Bainin,

bainin wrote: Sun Dec 06, 2020 12:16 am I have a 4 ft section of 3/4" walnut dowel rod which is just enough over 3/4" that it is unusable right now. Trying to think how something like this could be the beginning of a rod thinning jig.

I don't know how much space there is between the headstock and tailstock to handle four feet. Other than that, I think it would work great.

hal

Short 3 min video of the device in action. First rough turned the 19" long blank with standard tool rest and gouge. I screwed up when trying to film the first passes with the diy precision device turning it from rough to 4 3/4". Never started the camera. The video that worked was taking it from 4 3/4" to the desired 4 1/2".

https://youtu.be/lHiyGZOqdb0.

hal

Cool device and video! Do you think the tool mounting block could be mounted on top of a tool rest arm?

When I turned my drum this is what I did. This is back in 2010 so the whole post is dated but I hope the pictures will give you the idea/


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Ed

Hi Ed,

edma194 wrote: Mon Dec 07, 2020 5:38 pm Do you think the tool mounting block could be mounted on top of a tool rest arm?

I would think it could. That would allow up and down adjustment. I don't know how you'd get precision in and out adjustment though. With the 1/4 20 threaded rod arrangement, I think you can make some pretty fine adjustments. 1/8 turn should equal a diameter change of .0125 inch (I think.)

hal