Building a Duplicator
 

Very impressed with plugfest……it was great meeting and talking with some of you......thanks for all the tips and advise.
I have a long ways to go before my plugs can swim with the big fish
So after turning up a few dozen of plugs I can see turning these by eye is getting old real quick.
I looked at the post ProffessorM wrote on his duplicator and that’s the way I think I am going to go.
I am not a machinist so I’ll go with the wood design some of you have done.
Any tips or refinement you guys could share since the post was written????
One of many questions......what would the max length plug would you design for????

I would guess fit it to take a 12" blank and that should more than cover it.

I added nylon to the bottom of mine so it slides easier, I want to add lead to make it heavier, but I'll wait til next time I do some pouring.

welcome to the addiction
I wish I got to meet you Sat., next time

Do a search for fishing bum wannabe duplicator and you should find some really helpful info. The "other site" is a treasure trove of home made duplicator information. If you do decide to build it get in touch with ProffessorM about buying one of his carbide cutters/holders. I think he has one left designed for a home made sled. I upgraded mine (second shot attached) and it's miles better than the tool steel ones I used to grind. The first shot is of the duplicator I built in 2003 and with a few minor changes it's still in operation.

Good luck.

I agree with the first two responses you got my original sled was a work in progress and through the advice I received here it ended up working very well and I turned a ton of plugs with it. I would start with the ProfM carbide tool bit and holder he makes it cuts so much better than the tool steel ones you can get and when they get dull you can turn it around and use the other side. Adding the weight will make a big difference when it comes to control. I would also recommend a set of handles as seen in the pictures above they will also help with control. Something ProfM told me which helped a lot on my second sled which was put the handles low enough so you can use your hands on the deck for added control.

Good luck it's a lot of fun building you own dupe then seeing it work.

Anyone use teflon bearing pads for their home-made dupe one attached to the table, one on the sled? Light bridges use them for seasonal expansion/contraction. The white table-top in fishing bum's pics made me think of it

Thanks so far for the tips.......gonna lay something out tonight.
Will post any new questions.
My wife over the past year has been joking with me I am going through a midlife......since I've been doing this plug thing she is now convinced!!!!

you do want it to slid smoothly but not too slippery as that can cause your tool to dig in too hard and cause control issues. Remember you are the one controlling how far and how much is removed, not like a Vega. Heavy, smooth, handles, and keeping the tool not too high above the base plate, or keep the base plate and center line of the lathe to a minimum if possible. This distance will give you better control if it is not too high.