[Visteonguy]

I am putting the finishing touches on this machine I made,. I always wanted a full sized air plane propeller with a clock in the hub to hang on the wall,, and could never figure out how to form the blades of the prop so they looked real,,, and I stumbled on an article in a magazine about some guy that makes props for air boats,,, and over his shoulder was the machine he used to make them,,, so I searched on the net and found some machines and used a combination of them to come up with my version of a machnine,, While I was researching, I seen exhamples of projects that were being made in these machines, that I never dreamed of before,,, so this machine should be a ball to play with once its up and running.
The router is a porter cable purchased off Ebay. And I still have to fabricate the attachment that you will mount the pattern and your workpiece on, that will allow you to rotate them, both to the same degree, so you can duplicate just about anything in wood, in 3-D.

 

[-Sam-]

Wow, very interesting set up you have there. Nice job!

 

[NewMontanaWorkshop]

Terry,
'Very ingenious' design on your part. I have one if the sign carvers you are referring to as you based your design on.

If you need/want any other measurements off of mine -- feel free to ask away and I'll check on mine.

Again, good job on coming up with your own design. I think your way ahead in your design with the solid base yours sits on, that is one issue that I have with mine is the 'tabletop' flex's just a bit due to the weight of the slides and arms. A thicker top such as yours should take care of that though.

 

[Visteonguy]

Thank you Sam, and Stan. And, yes Stan, I did see your machine on the net,,it is a variation on the same theme. I made this so the router and stylis are exactly 15 inches apart, and will make a project about 4 feet long, ( in the case of the prop,, it will make a prop about 8 feet long by turning it end to end and carving one end at a time ) that would probably work for most situations,,, but now that I have it in the " real bones",, I am thinking I may make another one down the road, that will have a longer and wider table, to handle longer objects. like antique moldings and things like that. Have to fool with it a while and see if its really needed.

 

[NewMontanaWorkshop]

Sounds like a good plan Terry! I'm sure others would like to hear your construction methods and decisions -- looks like something I think others may want to tackle.

 

[kp91]

Great looking project!

 

[GoonMan]

WOW Terry it is looking Good. I like the set up. Time to make some dust fly.

 

[Glenmore]

Terry looks really great. Keep us posted on the projects you come up with this. Endless possibilities.

 

[Julie]

Cool, Terry! Wish I had your mechanical abilities.
Can't wait to see what you make.
~Julie~

 

[presumed_druid]

Wow! I mean, just.... WOW!!

But the thing is, it's not 'wow' about the machine. It's about the passion you have for the project! It looks like there is no means that can't be justified by the ends.

A true example of ..... WOW!

 

[msn56]

IMpressive

Terry that is real impressive!

Any possibility of posting plans and where you bought the supplies so us mechanically challenged woodworkers can give it a try?

Mike

 

[Visteonguy]

Well, Mike,, the rails were made out of 2 inch standard exhaust pipe,, and the rest was pretty much made up of materials that I scrounged up and machined into what I needed,, I kind of have access to machine tools and a pretty good back round in machine shops, that made it possible to fabricate what I needed. I searched on the net and seen a machine like this and worked off that,, but, NewMontanaworkshop posted a machine that I did not see in time and now that I have built the one you see,, I like his design better,,, IT would be easier to build, I think,, and should work every bit as well.

 

[lionelo]

router carver

Hi folks, here's a different one I made. Includes vertical adjustment using routers plunge action and levelling adjustment created by old car scissor type jack mechanism. Also twin bicycle handbrakes, one for each slide. Biggest cost was stainless cross slide rail and linear bearings. All up $AUS.350. Works a treat.
regards, Lionel.

 

[Visteonguy]

Nice !!!!,,, Lionel.....I always have time to show my respect for some one that can take some cast off junk and turn it into a useful Item that you can create even more with.
I have been kind of forced into completing another project I started, so I have not had time to play with my duplicator yet,,, if you have had yours a while,, and it looks like you have,,basing it on the marks on your table,,, maybe you could post a few pictures of what you have produced with your duplicator,,, maybe it will inspire others to attempt to build one of these neat machines.
Once again,,, Nice job...

 

[sawzall]

terry..

any progres reports?

how does it work? what would you do differently?

I built one as well.. (its abit different)

and I am just getting started using it..

jeff

 

[harrysin]

I'm eager to see some results, all of you have shown a great deal of ingenuity.

 

[Visteonguy]

Hi Jeff,, well sad to say,, I have not had time to fool with that duplicator yet,,, it got stuck in the corner of the pole barn and I moved on to some other projects,, and I have been working a lot of over time, lately on my job,,, WE have been collecting some nice logs to cut up for lumber,, and even that is hard to get to,,, So many things to do,, and just not a lot of free time to get at them. But you asked what I would do again,,, I did take a look at the machine that New Montana Workshop mentioned,,, back in post number 12,, I did like that design better then the one I made. I even was able to scroung up some parts that I would need to make one along those lines,,, I was able to find some old bearing rails that were nice and heavy and about 9 feet long,, I was able to get those along with the heavy bearings that fit those rails.,, Some day,, when I get time,, maybe I can remake that machine like the one he mentioned,,,,, ah yes,,, some day,,,,

 

[bobj3]

Hi Terry

I have the one below It's not in the same league as yours but it will do about the same as yours and do it well for about 100.oo bucks but I only paid 25.oo for the one I have from a garage sale but they go for 100.oo or so on eBay...

 

[Visteonguy]

Hi Bob,,, yet again,, another design, along the same theme,,, nice buy for $25,, Those look like cast aluminum pulleys at the end of the anxle ?,,, They must run on a small rod that is not visible in this picture ?

 

[bobj3]

Hi Terry

"Those look like cast aluminum pulleys at the end of the anxle ?"

You'er right on ,but not the normal pulleys they ride on a 1/8" wide angle steel track, there is a spring loaded cable that keep them in place and true..
It will do 3D,flat,and many other jobs.
I have the manual but it's 17mb and it shows how to set it up and how to use it.

At one time I had a 4 head router duplicator but it was so big I had to sell it off but this little will do the same and more ( 3D stuff,rope fluting,etc.) but it has one draw back It can't do the big items (longer than 24" long without resetting the stock) and 12" wide .. but other than that it's a great machine....
Sears made it for the home shop user and with just a bit of rework it works great, the one big draw back is that came with a Craftsman 1/2 HP router but I took that off and use a V.S. RotorZip that can take on the bull nose router bit for craving small items.
Signs,etc.

Below you will see a link to some of the pages from the manual

http://www.routerforums.com/40896-post18.html

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