Craftsman Tools!?

krbsailing

krbsailing

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Has anyone ever used a Craftsman Copy Crafter or Router Crafter to turn handles or shafts.

No question about it, :p :eek: :p, I'm a total novice and newbie here to woodworking and such but, it seems to me that using a simple lathe and some woodworking tools should allow you to work on Sneaky Pete type projects!? Right or Wrong!?!? :confused:
 
I think I got a copy crafter with a used lathe

The duplicator I got with a used lathe was brand new as was the lathe, secondhand would be a better word. I think it was a copycrafter, I really don't remember. It was a hundred and fifty dollar option from Sears and moved far to roughly and was way too crude to cut shafts. I considered trying to rebuild and rework it but I have never gotten around to seeing if it is feasible.

Hu
 
Thanks for the reply!

Hey Hu,

Do you think it would have the ability to do any final tapers vs cutting.....say for making SP's outta bar cues???
 
Using a router/duplicator to make a sneaky

As I see it, and I believe that several others have already noted, you can most assuredly taper the butt/shaft with a router and wood lathe. It has already been mentioned that you can make a box with your desired taper over the bed with a slot cut out for the router shaft to pass through and you can move the router by hand or mechanize it however you like. The problem is going to be when you try to drill the hole for the pin, insert, and/or shaft threads. It's going to be very tough to get this centered properly. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it's just not going to be very easy.

Anyway, that's how I see it,

~Shakes
 
turning stock

Why would you go through the trouble when I will sell you a pre-tapered shaft blank for $10. I also have pre-tapered sneeky pete blanks if you want them. PM me with your phone number for more info.
 
cuemaker03 said:
Why would you go through the trouble when I will sell you a pre-tapered shaft blank for $10. I also have pre-tapered sneeky pete blanks if you want them. PM me with your phone number for more info.
Click to expand...

I will give you three reasons and at least one of which will fit your offer. #1 is that if you can turn and sell them for 10.00 each then I could certainly turn the same quality cheaper. #2 is that it appears, by your moniker, that you build cues. In this case, I would never consider buying material from someone who is picking out the best material for themselves and selling the rest. #3 is that I can think of no other cuemakers taper that I want to use as my own so any taper you have on your shafts that you are selling would need to be changed some. Since I must retaper some to achieve the taper that I want then I need tapering equipment anyway.

I don't want to poop on your business and I'm sure you will get some enquiries anyway but I don't see how anyone could consider making cues or even just making shafts without being able to make their own shaft blanks.

Dick
 
probably not

I didn't fool with it a whole lot but using just a single point tool that came with it, it was cutting rougher than a beaver with a broke tooth. Even feeding very slowly it just destroyed the dowel I was playing with. I think I could walk down through the levels of sandpaper starting with very coarse and get the job done quicker and better.

Another problem is it seemed very unlikely to cut to tolerances needed on a shaft. Bottom line is I think it is crap. However I'll ship it to anybody that wants it for $100 and cover up to $25 on the shipping at that price. I really think it would be a bad deal for the buyer though.

Even if you hand feed a router down a home made guide laid across the top of the wood lathe I think you would get a far better job. Make the tip end adjustable and sand or drawfile the shaft profile you want into the guide.

These are just my opinions of course but I think the most valuable thing about the CopyCrafter is the extra toolpost holder and the two bars to use as a guide for something else.

Hu





krbsailing said:
Hey Hu,

Do you think it would have the ability to do any final tapers vs cutting.....say for making SP's outta bar cues???
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the replys!

Ok,

So.....if I understand you correctly :D I should buy some stock in all the Sand Paper Companies :D

I'm not looking to taper my own shafts.....although that would be cool :cool:

I really just want to be able to modify some blanks to the size I prefer and/or take some old bar cues (I have a few) and make them more playable ;) as SP's.

Using a lathe and sandpaper is ok with me.....just thought one of the add-on accessories for the lathe might make it a little quicker!? :)
 
rough cutting

The best way I know of to rough cut with just a wood lathe is to clamp a stop on your chisel to give a little more control. Take the shaft down to where you want it in the primary areas, plus five to ten thousandths, whatever you are comfortable with using your set-up. Work between these points with the chisel and then start sanding. With a little practice you are looking at about an hour, often less. The time will vary widely depending on how much you are taking off and how comfortable you are with the process. Cut on wood you can afford to lose while learning.

There isn't any one way to do things. Work with what you have. Sandpaper isn't nearly as slow as you might think when you are turning the shaft under power. I retapered a shaft extending my version of a pro taper back about five inches further than when I started on the shaft. I used half a sheet of 180, 200, 320, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, and 2000. Use wet or dry sandpaper and clean the sandpaper with a wire brush when and if it starts to load up.

Start to finish including a new tip and ferule that took me around 45 minutes. Could have been faster. The sanding took less than fifteen minutes at a guess although I wasn't clocking it. Just don't scratch so deep with the coarse stuff that you have trouble getting the scratches out.

Hu


krbsailing said:
Ok,

So.....if I understand you correctly :D I should buy some stock in all the Sand Paper Companies :D

I'm not looking to taper my own shafts.....although that would be cool :cool:

I really just want to be able to modify some blanks to the size I prefer and/or take some old bar cues (I have a few) and make them more playable ;) as SP's.

Using a lathe and sandpaper is ok with me.....just thought one of the add-on accessories for the lathe might make it a little quicker!? :)
Click to expand...
 
Thank You Hu!

:) Now that's what I'm talking about.....some useful information :)

Thanks Hu, I'm not worried about the time factor -- just doing a little messing around :eek:

I think you can buy a device for attaching a chisel to the tool bar if I'm not mistaken -- otherwise we can fab something!? ;)

THANKS! :D
 
home made stops

I don't know of anything that actually attaches a chisel to the work bar, probably not a great idea. Sooner or later something will happen and you will be real glad the chisel can move away from the piece in a hurry.

About a chisel stop, I'm sure you can buy a chisel stop with a little looking around however it can be as simple as two little pieces of flat bar. Drill a hole in both ends of each piece, position the bars where you want them, drop two bolts through the holes and tighten some nuts down on them. You can get as fancy as you want to from there and I like making small do-dads(technical term you know) from 6061-T6 aluminum. It cuts nicely by hand or with tooling.

I am new to cue making myself but I am a machinist and have been fabricating nearly forever. Most cue makers were working with homemade or home modified equipment twenty-five years ago when I first considered it. Many of those old machines are still getting the job done. Produce a quality stick and nobody will care what you made it on.

Hu



krbsailing said:
:) Now that's what I'm talking about.....some useful information :)

Thanks Hu, I'm not worried about the time factor -- just doing a little messing around :eek:

I think you can buy a device for attaching a chisel to the tool bar if I'm not mistaken -- otherwise we can fab something!? ;)

THANKS! :D
Click to expand...
 
Hey guys why reinvent the wheel,just buy the gs shaft cutter and u will be way ahead of the game,i am making a video of the machine working for 5.00 and if u buy a shaft machine u get the 5.00 back,so if you are interested just pm me ......greg
 
I am interested in a low cost saw machine

Greg,

You are coming across like a pushy door to door salesman leaving me wondering if I want to deal with you. Saw machines aren't hard to make using a taper bar or a cam.

I am interested in a low cost saw machine. However it seems like the only reason you are on this forum is to hawk your shaft cutter.

Hu


gsirca said:
Hey guys why reinvent the wheel,just buy the gs shaft cutter and u will be way ahead of the game,i am making a video of the machine working for 5.00 and if u buy a shaft machine u get the 5.00 back,so if you are interested just pm me ......greg
Click to expand...
 
I'm still thinking of making a router version, only I was going to use a set 0f 1in. dia. linear rods and bearings I have on a pivot type setup, so I can make interchangable bars for it, and hopefully control the depth with a micrometer or something, altough I may do a z-axis for depth, so I can convert the machine into a cnc version later down the line should I decide to. I will still have make the carraige, and fit the bearings I have for it, but also still looking for a cheap gear motor and variable pot, along with ballscrew to drive it, and a few other parts, so hesitent to start fabricating any mounts or the carraige until I'm sure on the final design I want to use, and have all My parts for it. I found a source for pullies and all, but has been hard to find lowcost gear motors with the controllers and ballscrews. On the otherside I'm caught between using some of the parts I have for that on a saw machine instead. I'm just really still undecided I guess.:confused: :D
 
Cue Crazy said:
I'm still thinking of making a router version, only I was going to use a set 0f 1in. dia. linear rods and bearings I have on a pivot type setup, so I can make interchangable bars for it, and hopefully control the depth with a micrometer or something, altough I may do a z-axis for depth, so I can convert the machine into a cnc version later down the line should I decide to. I will still have make the carraige, and fit the bearings I have for it, but also still looking for a cheap gear motor and variable pot, along with ballscrew to drive it, and a few other parts, so hesitent to start fabricating any mounts or the carraige until I'm sure on the final design I want to use, and have all My parts for it. I found a source for pullies and all, but has been hard to find lowcost gear motors with the controllers and ballscrews. On the otherside I'm caught between using some of the parts I have for that on a saw machine instead. I'm just really still undecided I guess.:confused: :D
Click to expand...
http://legacywoodworking.com/products.cfm?product=3
An idea perhaps.:eek: :D
 
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