From casual and one-off builder to maybe having a dozen plugs that look the same. What can I expect to spend for a decent lathe and duplecator combo?

be careful Fred .. A friend of ours is going through a nightmare story with a Vega duplicator now .. I guess they made some not very well thought out changes to it ..

make a duplicator for your lathe yourself and use a proffesor M carbide tip and holder. It's easy to do and cheap. Mine still works great, very simplistic. I think of the other Fred(fishbumwannabe) when I use it and have him to thank for it.

The Vega dup does not stand up all that well. Mine has turned approx. 200 plugs and the damn thing wobbles and binds. I am thinking about sending it back to Vega for refurbishing.

You can get a nice TurnCrafter Pro lathe from PSI for short money. WoodBuster on the other site has a real nice Craftsman lathe for sale right now.

I also agree if you are only going to make 25 or less plugs at a time the homemade version is the way to go. After that many your wrists get cramped. You will have fun building it Fred and if I can help let me know. You are welcome to stop by anytime when you head down the Cape. I am only 1 mile off exit 5 on 495.

The Vega dup does not stand up all that well. Mine has turned approx. 200 plugs and the damn thing wobbles and binds. I am thinking about sending it back to Vega for refurbishing....

That will happen from time to time. You just have to tighen a few bolts and make a few adjustments from time to time. I've had mine for 4-5 years and done waaay more plugs than that on it and it still works fine.

Jigman

That will happen from time to time. You just have to tighen a few bolts and make a few adjustments from time to time. I've had mine for 4-5 years and done waaay more plugs than that on it and it still works fine.

Jigman

I had that much figured out. I gave it a try. The carraige seemed to tuighten up well but when using a plug as a master the stylus will cause a bind. Let's say you are turning the neck on a Polaris popper. The stylus will dup/tool will drop into the curve but will bind trying to come back out. Now! If I detach the spring and apply slight hand pressure to the tool all is well.
I can really remember what it was like when it was new but I sure don't like the way it runs now. Maybe I need to make plexiglass patterns.

Andrew, the binding is a chattering like movement!

EXIT 5 of 495........Paul Fling!!

Took the spring off my Vega after the first time I used it. Hand pressure is better. On curves like a polaris, I go from belly to neck, and then from head to neck, follow the contours down slope (do the same for the rest). Have not had any problems with it binding up, and I also use 3d models that I turn rather than plexi. You probably do something similar, so I'm not sure why the troubles :huh:

Jigman

That will happen from time to time. You just have to tighen a few bolts and make a few adjustments from time to time. I've had mine for 4-5 years and done waaay more plugs than that on it and it still works fine.

Jigman

This a new one ... not the pro .. relocation of a bushing ,, that should have been a bearing ,, They said they'd replace the duplicator ... Came and took the duplicator,, then sent him some pieces of a duplicator and told him to use them with the pieces of the duplicator he had,, that they had taken away .. I told you it was a nightmare ..

Fred, stop in at the Professor's classroom, you will not be disappointed. :)

Classroom:rollem: Special Ed class.
Pigsty more like it.
Hey Dave how you doing:wavey: