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+-- Thread: Lathe tracer/copier questions (/showthread.php?tid=7346774)
Lathe tracer/copier questions - MstrCarpenter - 03-01-2019
So I'm not really a wood turner but I do visit here frequently and have picked up a lot. I believe a lot of you Professional or experienced turners might say a copier is not any faster and certainly not as enjoyable. First, I have to say that I'm not really interested in turning masterpieces or simply amazing bowls like you all do. Right now, I just need to push out about 30 balusters to replace some rotted and/or missing from an old Victorian wrap around porch. I can order some from Brosco that are close, and move some more around so the differences won't be too noticeable. However; I would rather turn them myself, and I would love to have a kick-butt tracer.
So this is where the copier comes in. The one I used in High School, which was a long time ago, is the only one I've used. It worked, kinda, O.K.. Now we have places like this to share ideas, which is where I saw a router tracer for the lathe. I've searched for, read, and watched a lot of videos for a decent, viable option; about all I got was a few ideas and strong desire to build one that is accurate, easy to use, and because I'll be taking the fun out of wood turning, it has should be fast too. So here's the question(s);
1) Does anyone have any pic.s, links, or any other information on a router based copier?
2) How many of you experienced turners are interested in following my build along, and hopefully helping, a project like this?
For those of you still reading; thanks! I have a 1950's Craftsman lathe; 4' cast iron bed on an angle iron frame, adjust speed by moving the belt. I also purchased another lathe that doesn't really have a bed; just two 1" chrome tubes from the head stock to a small bracket on the tail end, that the tailstock slides on. I bought it thinking I could incorporate the tubes for the left/right slide of a tracer. I'm not sure right now which would work better. I also have several slides I can use for the in/out, left/right motion, and plenty of 8020 aluminum extrusion of various sizes as well as hardware, brackets, and corner braces for it.
My plan is to first figure out how to post pictures here again, and provide a very basic concept with the supplies I have on hand. I could probably fudge it together and then ask why it doesn't work, or how it could be better, but your knowledge will definitely help the "prototype" become the finished product.
I'll wait for feedback, but thank-you in advance.