Help Please about a spindle copier

I don't know if it will fit your lathe. Do you really need a spindle copier? With some practice and making a storyboard of the reference spindle to take measurements from at key positions you should be able to make suitable copies. I personally wouldn't bother buying one but I don't make a whole lot of identical spindles so my opinion perhaps isn't the best.

Billh

I fix chairs for a friend and need to do about 250 to 400 spindles a year. I have 25 spindles to do and about 7 different sizes and lengths. I was just wondering if it would make my life easier. My friend will buy it if it fits. I guess all I can do is try it. Thanks anyway.

Never liked folks who answer their own questions instead of mine, but at the risk of....

I would like to remind you that there are two types out there. The cheapest are capable of following a template, the more expensive, capable of following a spindle used as a template. For "fixing" chairs, I would say you'll want the one capable of using the remainder spindle as a template.

No answer to your original. Only one I've ever used was high-end Delta.

I am not familiar with the duplicator you mentioned, but I will proceed to put in my two cents about duplicators.

I just recently got a Vega 24" Midi Duplicator and use it with my Nova Mercury Lathe. I don't really have that many spindles to copy at the moment - just a few here and there. Mostly got it as an investment in "futures". Funny thing, as soon as it arrived, I got quite a few requests for duplicate spindles. What I have seen with the "cheapies" is that they don't tend to do that good of a job. The Vega is a quality machine that produces a quality product - but you pay the price. So to make a long story short - you get what you pay for, so I went with the Vega. I'm sure there are other good duplicators out there, but that is what I had access to.

Sorry for the long winded comments.

- Dan Klima