Get Set
Make sure that the speed dial is set at its slowest speed. Mount the stock on your lathe. You’ll find it helpful to cut the stock to the finished length. Otherwise, you need to compensate for this in your template design.
Mount the template in the duplicator. (See Figure 3.) Make sure that the centerline is visible in the centerline holds on both mounting brackets. This ensures that the center on the template is positioned directly above the centers of the lathe. Set the follower height to the level of the template. If you’re using a three-dimensional pattern, the follower must be on the centerline of that ‘pattern spindle’. Tip -- If the pattern spindle has square sections, one corner should points towards the follower. In other words, the diagonals between the corners should be horizontal and vertical. Use the cutting tool and the follower to position the template over the stock. Carefully measure and make the position on one prominent turning detail on the stock, such as the beginning of a taper, the intersection of two beads, or something that will create a hard line on the turning. (Don’t use the crest of a bead or the minor diameter of a cove.) Line up the cutter with this detail. The follower must point directly to this same detail on the template. If not, adjust the position of the template. Tip -- If your spindle has tenons that must be cut to exact diameters, make test cuts to be sure the template is properly positioned. Finally, position the guard over the duplicator table and the portion of the spindle that you want to cut first. The cutting tool must slip under the front edge of the guard, and the stock must rotate under the guard, without interference. Also, the guard should not restrict the horizontal movement of the cutter as you push it in and out of the stock. In order for the guard to effectively deflect chips, it must be as close to the cutter and the stock as possible.
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