Just trying to get some Total Perspective on the Vortex.

[Caspar Hauser]

It occurred to me the other day that it would be a good thing and another string to my bow if I could make spindles for stairs, table/island legs, the odd newel etc.

So I thought I would ask you, the members of the spinny tribe, if you were to buy one lathe and I assume a duplicator, which would it be/which factors ought to be taken into consideration/help please :)

Business is not at its finest so cost is to be observed obliquely.

Thanks

CH

p.s. I bet this question has never been asked before.

[Al Wasser]

You need to figure out what the dimensions will be of the stuff you want to turn and secondly what your budget might be. Then you can get some suggestions.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

If you want quality, here's one source:

http://www.vegawoodworking.com/laa.html

[Jerome Hanby]

Unless it's running in a pocket universe solely created for your personal gratification, you want to avoid a total perspective vortex.

[Paul Atkins]

Although I have 2, I would avoid getting a duplicator unless you want to set up
a production shop. The setting up, fine tuning and sharpening will take the fun out of turning. I turn spindles for a living and have had jobs of over a hundred turnings. These all were turned by hand without the duplicator - and I still like turning. I can turn a 2 inch piece on my 9' lathe but can not turn a 4' newel on my Delta 1460 or my PM 90. If you think you might like to turn 4' long, get a lathe that turns 6'. My 6' lathe has an extension that makes it 9', but there is always someone wanting 10'.

[Dan Forman]

Once inside the vortex, perspective is rendered meaningless.

Dan

[Norman Pyles]

Lets see, I've bought a Rikon lathe with a bed extension, 8 peice set of PSI turning tools, Jacobs chuck and Morse taper, NOVI midi chuck, pen mandrel, barrel trimmer, pen kit, extra bushings, still waiting to get me a slow speed grinder, and I have yet to turn anything. What's this vortex everyone is talking about?

[Caspar Hauser]

Thanks Chaps, I shall be exploring this more fully.

I presently envisage maybe 30/80 spindles at a time, the longest at about 4' or so, the table and island legs 3' or thereabouts, newels are longer and often heavier, so the advice about extra capacity is well taken.

I appreciate the link too, there are so many options out there that having them filtered by experience is very helpful.

As for budget, that's as yet to be determined. Things are tough just now, I haven't quite had to put my bags on yet, though I have dusted them off. There are some small signs of improvement though.

CH

Just trying to stay clear of the Frog Star..

[Paul Engle]

If I may suggest ,you learn to turn them by the manual process ( hand) if for no other reason than to learn to use a skew to do it with. Almost like the old VW commerical " the stick becomes automatic" the more you use it. Most ,if not all the turners here will agree that the more we turn the more automatic our mininstrations become , and you did not have to lay out $500 to 1000$ for a duplicator that at best will take away your ability to custom turn the items you seek to do. Now if you find yourself having to do hundreds a day, then there are some automatic machines out there for $40m plus that will do it for you, but all you will get to do is feed and dismount blanks and sweep up the chips and dust...you will be so busy doing that .... you will not have the time to turn by hand. :D

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Lets see, I've bought a Rikon lathe with a bed extension, 8 peice set of PSI turning tools, Jacobs chuck and Morse taper, NOVI midi chuck, pen mandrel, barrel trimmer, pen kit, extra bushings, still waiting to get me a slow speed grinder, and I have yet to turn anything. What's this vortex everyone is talking about?

Now that made me laugh...

How can you NOT have turned anything? My lathe was a couple hours old when I tried to turn something. About 5 minutes into the first practice run, (4X4 pine block, just to practice) I got my first major catch. Stopped turning for that day....

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Lets see....You want a total perspective of the Vortex?


THERE AIN"T NO BOTTOM!