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-14- G2891 Lathe Copy Attachment
SECTION 5: Operations
Overview
This Copy Attachment will produce any number
of duplicate spindles from one master profile or
template. The advantages provided by this
accessory for your wood lathe are readily appar-
ent, in terms of consistency and labor savings.
While the Copy Attachment provides a substan-
tial aid in recreating spindle profiles, keep in mind
that it is designed primarily for rough spindle
shaping. Its capacity for detail is limited by the
cutter and stylus. Final detailed turning will be
best accommodated with the use of hand-guided,
precision turning chisels.
To minimize the need for extensive hand work,
we recommend you create profiles with graceful
tapers and beads whenever possible.
Important Points
Because small-diameter master spindles have
the potential to bend or bow slightly when the sty-
lus makes contact, we recommend using a tem-
plate made from
1
/
4" to
3
/
8 " plywood or some other
stable material. The master spindle profile can be
transferred to the template and carefully cut out.
The template can then be attached to the mount-
ing brackets located on the front side of the Copy
Attachment body. See “Stylus Adjustment” in the
Adjustment Section for details on proper template
alignment.
The following are some other important points to
consider when using your Copy Attachment:
• To reduce whip and vibration of relatively
narrow copy spindles, we recommend oper-
ating the longitudinal handwheel with your
left hand and backing up the spinning work-
piece with your right. DO NOT attempt to
grip the workpiece too tightly while it is turn-
ing.
• If the cut you are producing is too rough, try
increasing the rotation speed of your lathe
(not to exceed the maximum recommended
speed for the size of material you are turn-
ing) and take a lighter cut. See your lathe’s
instruction manual for recommended
speeds.
• As with any other surfacing operation, we
recommend taking multiple passes, rather
than trying to remove too much wood all at
once. This is much safer and will also result
in improved cutting results.
• When making copies, always move the sty-
lus so it follows the template or master pro-
file “downhill”. Trying to move the stylus
“uphill” along the template will cause the sty-
lus and cutter to dig into the template and
workpiece. See Figure 12 for recommended
direction of cuts.
• To avoid unnecessary waste of expensive
premium materials, we strongly recommend
you turn a test piece before attempting dupli-
cation on your finish material. Make adjust-
ments as required.
• You can save time during duplication by
removing the corners from all of the spindles
you plan on creating before activating the
Copy Attachment. You will need to make the
cuts with a lathe chisel on your tool rest,
prior to installing the Copy Attachment.