Sorry, can't help with making a duplicator but I have opinions...Originally Posted by Mark Greenbaum
The inexpensive lathe duplicators I've seen in operation did in fact duplicate the shape but left the surface in horrible condition requiring a lot of cleanup. This was worse with certain woods.
When duplicating I prefer to make a "story stick" to transfer the important points, use calipers to set the diameters at those points, then turn with conventional tools. I always positioned a completed spindle behind the lathe for reference. The turning time is actually pretty quick depending on the skill with skew and gouge. The detail can easily be more "crisp". The surface can be excellent right off the gouge with only minimal/fine sanding required.
This method may result in some minor variations depending on the skill and care, but these are rarely a detriment. Spread out, such as spindles for stairs or even baby cribs, variations are rarely noticed. If noticed they may even say "custom" or "hand made" rather than "machine made" and add value.
JKJ
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