Vega "D-96" Lathe Duplicator - MIDI

For all but the most experienced hand turners, the Vega Midi duplicator will give you much faster stock removal, good surface finish on most woods and the ability to produce multiple parts that are exactly the same.  The duplicator will give you superb tool control, making turning safer, faster and more accurate.  Making identical parts becomes fast and easy!

The duplicator works on the same principle as a key cutter.  You either make a template (which has the profile of the turning cut into it) or mount an original turning that you wish to copy (2″ diameter maximum for original turnings).  Excess material is quickly removed by locking the cutters in-out motion and turning the handwheel of the duplicator to move the cutter along the axis of the lathe bed.  Then the last cuts are made, with the stylus following the template or turning, working from the high points of the turning down into the coves.

The first option is to remove the duplicator by loosening 2 bolts.  The second option is to mount the duplicator on the back side of the lathe and turn the cutter upside down.  This gives you access to the front of the lathe for hand turning.  The third option is available only to those with a reversing lathe.  This option is to mount the duplicator on the front and hand turn from the back side of the lathe with the spindle reversed.  Note that some lathes may be constructed in such a way as to prevent mounting the Vega Duplicator on the rear of the machine.

It can reduce the diameter by up to 1/2″ per pass.  To obtain this deep a cut, a stout workpiece that will not deflect under load is necessary.

The standard Duplicator cutter is ground from M2 high speed steel.  The design of this cutter lets the duplicator operator remove material very quickly (up to 1/2″ per pass), do very intricate turnings (1/16″ tip radius) and cut in either direction.  Resharpening is achieved by honing the sides of the cutter  on a wetstone and touching up the tip in the same manner.