Lathe Dancers - Do they Work?
Moderators: HopefulSSer, admin
Wow Chuck, you amaze me. Thanks for the presentation with the pictures and everything. Over $400 plus for a lathe duplicator and you show how something that was done years ago can do the same function for a lot less $$. If one needed to duplicate many items and had limited time then I can see where a duplicator would be preferred, but for that once in awhile item, the lathe dancers are just so cool and also they are providing the measurements and you are controlling the actual turning with the chisel. Again, Kudos to you!!
Ron from Lewisburg, TN
Thanks for your kind comments guys! I see I could have been more clear on some of the jig. Here's a closeup of the 1/4" threaded bar with hairpin clips and dancers. More verbiage after the photo---
[ATTACH]8946[/ATTACH]
The hairpin clips sold locally were something like $0.65 for 3ea. I got mine from McMaster Carr on-line Catalog for about $5.00 (+ shipping) for 100ea. I inadvertently ordered clips (also called retaining clips) that were 5/16" inside diameter. These were workable with a little squeeze with pliers prior to installation. Come to think of it, If I had gotten smaller clips they might have been harder to mount on the threaded bar. The rotating of the clips on the bar sometimes got a bit crowded.
After put on the 1/4' threaded bar, the clips fit tightly and are adjustable by screwing them along the bar.
In addition to the clips to hold the dancers, there were clips put on the bar just outside the rack's upper bar to keep the bar from wandering.
To answer SDSSmith's other question - - Yes it works best to have the workpiece rounded before letting the dancers touch the work. If the piece is square, or not rounded the dancers go wild and throw a fit!!! They jump up and down like disappointed union bosses. Once the piece is rounded the dancers just prance a little until their area is small enough to allow them to take a bow.
Mounting the jig -
This was a scary part for me, but later found there should have been no worry at all! It was really easy although I fretted for a couple days:o . The only two important items are:
1) Make sure the threaded bar fits directly over the centerline between the drive and tail of the lathe.
2) Make sure there is enough room in back of the lathe to allow for the width of the turning.
Laying out a template on the story board -
I drew the horizontal lines on the story board exactly 1/2" apart. Now all one has to do is to find the actual distance between the rod (dancer attached) and the centerline of the lathe. I did this by mounting a small (about 1/4" wide) cutoff of wood in the lathe - then ran a dancer down to that strip of wood. Adding an eighth of inch to that dancer gave me the exact centerline. Now, with that dancer (still on the bar) and mounted on the story board, I could see the location of the centerline on the board and where to mount the template.
The holes on the dancer arm supports were drilled at precisely 1/2" intervals. This made the location of the template onto the board and the setting of the rod height and the dancers easy.
If this is confusing - let me know!
[ATTACH]8946[/ATTACH]
The hairpin clips sold locally were something like $0.65 for 3ea. I got mine from McMaster Carr on-line Catalog for about $5.00 (+ shipping) for 100ea. I inadvertently ordered clips (also called retaining clips) that were 5/16" inside diameter. These were workable with a little squeeze with pliers prior to installation. Come to think of it, If I had gotten smaller clips they might have been harder to mount on the threaded bar. The rotating of the clips on the bar sometimes got a bit crowded.
After put on the 1/4' threaded bar, the clips fit tightly and are adjustable by screwing them along the bar.
In addition to the clips to hold the dancers, there were clips put on the bar just outside the rack's upper bar to keep the bar from wandering.
To answer SDSSmith's other question - - Yes it works best to have the workpiece rounded before letting the dancers touch the work. If the piece is square, or not rounded the dancers go wild and throw a fit!!! They jump up and down like disappointed union bosses. Once the piece is rounded the dancers just prance a little until their area is small enough to allow them to take a bow.
Mounting the jig -
This was a scary part for me, but later found there should have been no worry at all! It was really easy although I fretted for a couple days:o . The only two important items are:
1) Make sure the threaded bar fits directly over the centerline between the drive and tail of the lathe.
2) Make sure there is enough room in back of the lathe to allow for the width of the turning.
Laying out a template on the story board -
I drew the horizontal lines on the story board exactly 1/2" apart. Now all one has to do is to find the actual distance between the rod (dancer attached) and the centerline of the lathe. I did this by mounting a small (about 1/4" wide) cutoff of wood in the lathe - then ran a dancer down to that strip of wood. Adding an eighth of inch to that dancer gave me the exact centerline. Now, with that dancer (still on the bar) and mounted on the story board, I could see the location of the centerline on the board and where to mount the template.
The holes on the dancer arm supports were drilled at precisely 1/2" intervals. This made the location of the template onto the board and the setting of the rod height and the dancers easy.
If this is confusing - let me know!
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Octogenarian's have an earned right to be a curmudgeon.
Chuck in Lancaster, CA
Chuck in Lancaster, CA
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paulrussell
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