Thread: Can someone help me figure out this weird attachment!?

Need pictures

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Sorry! I thought they went through. Hopefully it works this time!

Just a stab in the dark... if the 'additional attachment' is like a gate or a pair of pins, it may be a tool rest for metal spinning.

I was thinking copy lathe until I saw photo No2. It appears that the shaft doesn't slide back and forward, so not some sort of profile copy attachment.

The shaft appears to be held by two 'bearings', so perhaps a DIY router for fluting spindles. Does that shaft rotate in those 'bearings'?

Flametree... was there any other bits and pieces in a box that came with the lathe that might provide a further clue?

And, welcome to the forum!

Ah! I see the pix now.

That is a spindle copier. I have one just like it. There should be a chisel to go with it, that will slide through the pipe at the end, along with an attachable follower.

The whole pipe assembly slides back 'n forth along those rails, following a mdf or similar template fastened to the flat plate at the front of the rail assembly. I modified (mutated) mine for another lathe so I could fit a previously turned spindle instead.

FWIW, my cutting tool has a diamond shape carbide tip.


I'll post pix if desired.

Edit: just to avoid confusion, the slide is on the 'wrong' side of the tailstock for use. It's convenient to put it there when not actually cutting as a 'rest position' for the tool while you inspect your work. It';; just lift up 'n over the tailstock.

Yep agree it is a copy attachment

Actually, what I took as a guide pipe may actually be the cutting tool shaft. If so, it should slide back'n'forth smoothly with a pin through the slotted assy to follow the template. From pic 2 it may also be an oland type tool, with a cutting tip fitted into the hole in the end of the shaft rather than a carbide tip.

Heya! Thanks for the welcome to the forum! I was very confused with this attachment and tbh, still don't quite understand how it works. Ive never seen, or heard of it before. I'm very interested in the idea of have being able to lock in a template to replicate something accurately and consistently! My plan with the lathe is to turn table legs for staked furniture - it seems I've stumbled onto the perfect lathe for this. I'll post some more pictures today! The small 'swing' arm has me confused. How does the chisel rest on the rotating bar? Where do you place the template? Does the template screw onto the metal plate behind the bar? Where should I start!? Haha
I'm thinking I need to weld together a basic common tool rest to get the hang of it. But I'm excited about this new attachment! Sending close ups soon!

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So i'm guessing the little attachment that i'm holding (2nd photo) secures a chisel in place (and gets the chisel closer to the workpiece) and slides along the bar. (Do you need to buy a special chisel for this?) In front of the bar, the flat steel plate is where the template is secured(?) then all you have to do is run the chisel over the template transferring the template to the workpiece?
Would you guys know what the solid metal swing arm thing is that i'm holding is? It has a screw that can lock it into position on the solid bar.

To me there is a piece missing off the bar with the groove in it. You need to be able to lock a follower to the bar that goes thru the slot and rides up against the template to control how far the bar moves in with the cutter on its end. I would expect that the follower is the same shape as the cutter and is replaceable as you change the cutter shape.

Originally Posted by NeilS

I was thinking copy lathe until I saw photo No2. It appears that the shaft doesn't slide back and forward, so not some sort of profile copy attachment.

With that last batch of photos showing that key-way running along much of the transverse bar I'm back to agreeing with Skew, et al, that it is a DIY duplication rig.

As Bohdan has suggested, there was probably carriage piece that sat on and slid backwards and forward along the bar, with a follower low down and a tool bit holder up at centre height. The key-way would serve to stop the carriage from rotating on the bar.

In which case, the doovalacky in the last photo might be used to hold the pattern piece in place.

Some use tungsten carbide cutters (used in scraping mode) for this heavy wood removal work. That will give a rougher finish than you will get off a HSS skew or gouge, so more sanding will be required depending on the desired finish. HSS scraping cutters can be used, but those will need to be resharpened more frequently.

Hey Neil! Found an additional small bar that attaches to the other small bar. Thanks all for helping me out with this one - once I get around to cleaning up the jig and setting up a template I'll post some more pics Cheers!