Duplicator Help!!!

[MurphysPenWorks]

I am looking at buying a duplicator for my Jet JML-1014. I am really looking hard at the PSI Duplicator for the price and it seems like most people on here who have one are pretty happy with it. I am looking for one to do slimlines, bottle stoppers, and key chains on so I can churn out quantities fairly quickly. Does anyone have any suggestions on whether it would be a good investment or should I look somewhere else? Thanks.

 

[Hess]

I have one for that lathe I had used it 2 time on my 1220 jet I got it for 99 and got 2 or 3 templates had to make a riser to take up the extra space under it. I did 2 pens it cut will and is faster than hand. the template must be mounted correctly or the pen will be off.

mine just sits there now but hate to ask what I would need to get out from under it

Rather then PSI order it from Woodturning Pen Kits - WoodTurningz FYI many thing will not show on the web site but they sell anything psi does so call them if you dont see it

They will beat psi price and they sell all psi stuff and you will get it faster. There will be templates you will need to buy they come in packs for the slimline. not sure about the BS. they are made out of laminated wood and are white

should be around 100

 

[Russianwolf]

don't expect to get major increases in production, duplicators are great for rough cutting, but fine detail work will still need to be done by hand, and all the sanding and finishing also.

I have a duplicator on the back side of my Grizzly, and it's a solid piece of machinery (about 150 lbs by itself). Similar to the Vega in many ways. The PSI duplicator is junk compared to it, and crap compared to the Vega. I usually use my duplicator for rounding stock and making dowels which I can round a blank inside of a minute without worrying about any catches. That's the biggest time save it does for me.

 

[ldb2000]

I don't have a duplicator and unless I start turning chess sets where you want each piece to be identical I don't think I'll ever get one . Rather then "Churning out" $10 slimlines by machine , I "Handcraft" each pen and can get $25 to $75 for a "Handmade" slimline , not that I make many slimlines anymore anyway . The biggest selling point about my pens is that each one is handmade and unique .
After several years now I can turn a slimline as fast as someone with a duplicator . Turning a pen is the fastest part of making it , getting a perfect finish can take much , much longer then turning it .
In my humble opinion , you would be far better off spending your money on a collet chuck or a scroll chuck or even better quality turning tools and concentrate on making better quality pens . Improve your finish , make better quality kits or even go past the kits and make your own unique pens . Again this is just my opinion and you know what they say about those .....

 

[AKBeaver]

The Local Woodcraft has the General international duplicator setup on the display Jet midi. I was very impressed with it and seems to be very rugged. The PSI one looks flimsy. THe General is $219. but may be cheaper elsewhere.

 

[low_48]

I've never seen a good finish come off a duplicator. I have the Vega with carbide cutter on my mini, and the quality of cut is pretty bad. I usually use the duplicator to cut oversize, then true by hand. I don't recommend them.

 

[MurphysPenWorks]

Well, I am primarily looking at a duplicator make Slimlines, bottle stoppers, key chains, etc to be able to use PSI's templates to make some of the more intricate shapes until I feel more confident doing them by hand. I'm not really looking at it like mass production, even though my use of the word "churn" made it seem that way. I am mostly looking at it from a repeatability standpoint rather than speeding up the process.

 

[areaman]

I also have a PSI duplicator, used it a couple times, then broke the cutter. have not used it since. It is or was difficult to set up on my lathe and not worth the effort. Like Butch said, unless you're making something like a chess set where you need lots of identical items its not worth it.

 

[DurocShark]

I have a big heavy Delta duplicator for my Delta lathe.

Still haven't used it. Like Butch said, I prefer to do them by hand. If you're trying for mass produced product, a duplicator isn't the way to go. The time saved is NOT significant. Instead, it's for copying shapes and dimensions for things like chess pieces, table legs, and so on.

 

[mrcook4570]

A duplicator has the advantage over hand held chisels in turning a piece to a predetermined size. The length of the (stock) pen barrel is predetermined by the length of the tube. The diameter is predetermined by the bushings. So the advantage of the duplicator in pen turning has been nullified.

With practice, you will be able to turn pen barrels by hand just as fast as with a duplicator. However, your barrel will have a smoother finish (thereby requiring less sanding) when turned by hand. So a pen barrel can be finished faster by hand than with the use of a duplicator.