The Dream Cutter -

[Kaspar]

Dream Cutter now shipping -

Dream Cutter Website -

Got one of these today. It's a new twist on an old idea, and is some what "experimental." Metal lathe experience and safety conscious use is recommended. I've been following its progress since I saw it on Youtube. (Updated video showing the present version doing several operations here.) As I understand it, the first production run was completed about two months ago, but there were other matters that had to be hashed out before they could ship.

Not sure how useful it will be for pens, but among the immediate possibilities it looks like an easy way to do tapers (short, or over pen barrel length distances) at any angle for one thing. And it looks like it will give metal lathe users some of the free hand fun of the wood lathe, but with more precision. And it looks tailor made for making spherical or ovoid bottle stoppers very quickly.

Too busy playing Christmas concerts for the next little bit to play with it now. I will try to get up a review in a month or so.

 

[PenMan1]

I can't wait for the reports, Eric! This looks like something I need!

 

[Haynie]

I have seen several of these home made on the web and there are plans for making your own. I considered it but my skill level was not up there. At 400 dollars I will have to put this one on the wait list. Killer idea though.

 

[BradG]

I think i would rather make my own...as Haynie mentioned theres quite a few of these over the internet. though i do have a mill, and appreciate this would be alot more tricky without one.

 

[graham murfin]

dream cutter

Hi
everyone who has a metal lathe that uses it properley knows how ridged its got to be, even if your toolpost is loose its hard to hold by hand.
It looks like a recipe for bandaged fingers to me.
I would maybe give it a try on wood, but i might as well use my wood lathe
graham

 

[Kaspar]

Been working with it a bit. Properly used, rigidity will not be a problem. Of course, I've only been cutting Ebonite and Lucite so far. But if there was give, the finish wouldn't be very clean, and it's doing a good job there. All I've done is a few usual lathe ops for now. Deep and shallow straight cuts, mainly. I'm busy for the next few days, but when I get a chance I'll do some deep and shallow taper and facing cuts next.

Then it's on to the radial cutting.

Installation is easy. Getting the gib adjustments right is a bit more complicated but not too tricky.

 

[cnirenberg]

Eric,
Keep us posted. Pictures please!!!!

 

[Kaspar]

Sure, I'll take a few pictures. Installation can be tricky just reading the instructions. with a couple of pictures, it'll make perfect sense.