Is Vega the only duplicator with a router mount

[Jeff Burris]

Hello,
I turn wooden musical flutes and, for precision tuning purposes, the OD needs to be very consistent within about .005" along a length over a foot long.
100% by hand this is possible but not a lot of fun. I try various tricks but it will never be efficient.

Before long I will need an affordable way to just cut a nice, long, consistent diameters, swiftly and accurately.

Using a basic duplicator with just a v-cutter on it isn't what I have in mind as, really, you need to rough it pretty finely first anyway to do well on many woods.

Vega offers a duplicator that they sell their own accessory for which allows you to mount your power router instead of the v-cutter.
This makes wonderfully short work of the roughest blank, and I know three flute makers that love them 100% in lieu of a CNC on a different price scale.

The Vega duplicator itself, however, costs over a whopping $1000.

I've seen it. It's not like it's heads and tails quality over other duplicators... it's just reliable and has become popular and gone way up in price like 30% for the same thing.

Does anyone else know of any other alternatives that do the same thing, a decent duplicator that has a router mount accessory available?
I'd prefer to not make a project out of building a custom thing. I'd like to buy it, mount my router, and start filling orders faster.

Thanks for your time --
And be safe... my eyes focused a little wrongly and I lost a finger tip a while back, thinking an endmill bit was sitting still, off and stationary. My dust collector (shop vac) was loud and I couldn't hear the mill whirring. Your brain can even fill in blanks if you don't see something properly (didn't have my readers on under my shield) ... I thought I even saw the endmill flutes sitting there, motionless, when I reached in to grab the banjo bridge I'd just finished.... the ER learned some people machine parts at 3:30 AM.

Jeff

[Jason Edwards]

This doesn't answer your question Jeff, but depending on your volume, you might farm out the turning to someone with CNC equipment that can hold the tolerance you're after. You'd need to provide a dimensioned drawing and meet some minimum as far as quantity goes. Good luck with your project.

[Peter Blair]

Maybe I'm waaaay off base here but could you not just make a jig that a router could ride on directly over the spindle? Made stiff enough and accurate it should do the trick. Or have I missed something?

[Marvin Hasenak]

Peter Blair gave you the answer, look at the jig in this link for the picture. My most sophisticated jig yet | The International Association of Penturners

A set of linear rails with a router sitting on the top. Turn the lathe on, set the router high, make a cut, lower the router and make another cut, repeat and repeat until you get the correct thickness. I would have a separate lathe set up designated only for this work. After a few times, the time from start to finish would be minimal.

[Paul Saffold]

I realize this does not utilize a router and it would work better if the blank is roughed fairly close but it might give you an idea to work from. This is being used to turn a 6 degree taper on a Windsor chair leg but the base could be made for any taper or straight. This is not my work and I do not have one of these jigs. If the link is removed just go to InstaGram and look for David Douyard. Swipe left for 2nd photo. https://www.instagram.com/p/CO26XAEDVms/

[David M Peters]

The Viel company makes a duplicator that can hold an angle grinder...

https://www.elitetools.ca/en/search/...rds=duplicator

This is just me googling, not from actual experience! Good luck with your search.

[Peter Blair]

This is even easier than the router, thanks for sharing it!