Small scale Duplicarver plans

[Kerry Krishna]

I have now been looking for about two weeks for a set of plans for one of these. I won't be carving mando tops or backs, just making some quite odd parts for the Kay Kraft guitars that I am obsessing about these days. There are tons of these things out there, some of them incredibly simple. Stuff all over YOUTUBE and Google too. what is it that YOU use? Can you post a picture or two? Thanks Cafe!

[Michael Lewis]

Kerry, check out the MIMF.com in the LIBRARY for some ideas for pattern carvers.

[thistle3585]

I have two. The one on the left is a Sears Recreator and the other is a small home made one that uses drawer slides and holds a Dremel. I don't use either one any longer but they both work fine. I was thinking of committing the Sears unit to a carved top ukulele as the working area is fairly small.

[Kerry Krishna]

Michael, the search function over there is pretty bad. I have searched Duplicarver, pantograph carver, and your version, pattern carver, and just come up with obscure posts. Thanks for your pics Thistle. Why did you get the second one, and what vintage is that 1st minorchas?

[Bill Snyder]

Kerry, are you logged in at the MIMF when you search? In order to search the archives you have to be a member (it is free).
For the duplicarver plans all you need to do is click the link for the MIMForum Library of Archived Discussions and scroll down to the bottom of the page. There you will find a link titled Tool Plans and Pictures no search needed. On the tool plans page there is information about building a duplicarver if you look at the info at the sixth bullet down.

[craigw]

Kerry, try: www.copycarver.com. I built my pantograph from their plans about three years ago and has been working nicely. The only change I made was the use of a multi fluted carbide end mill and matching nylon tipped stylus. Their recommended burrs just create more smoke than material removal.

[thistle3585]

Michael, the search function over there is pretty bad. I have searched Duplicarver, pantograph carver, and your version, pattern carver, and just come up with obscure posts. Thanks for your pics Thistle. Why did you get the second one, and what vintage is that 1st minorchas?

I'm not sure of the age of the Sears Craftsman Router Recreator. I bought it at an auction for $5.00 about a year ago. I didn't really want it, as I do most of my stuff on a CNC, but no one would bid on it so I did for $5.00 and got it. The smaller one I made for inlay work. I did a couple with it but a friend of mine saw what I was doing and offered to do it on his laser for me, so he does a bunch of headstock veneers for me every couple months. They really aren't all that difficult to make. It just depends on what you're going to use it for and how accurate it needs to be. I've built a number of pieces of equipment for my woodshop as well as for my father's business and you'd be amazed how sturdy a set of high end ball bearing drawer slides are and a lot cheaper than bearing shafts.

Here are the plans from mimf. http://www.mimf.com/library/sargent_duplicarver.pdf

Kerry, You can have the smaller one but I bet it would be cheaper to make one than to ship it to you. I might be willing to part with the Sears unit, but its like a canoe. You hate to get rid of it because You might use it someday. :)

[Kerry Krishna]

Thistle, thanks so much for your offer. It means a lot to me you saying that, but I'll make one soon I am thinking. I did not realize that I had to be logged into the MIMF to get there search button to work. That Forum signs me out whenever I leave it. Although there are several lifetimes worth of knowledge over there, I don't like being on their site at all. The Moderators over there truly scare me.

[Bill Snyder]

They are not bad people, they are just sticklers for the rules. They do keep the trolls at bay that way, although Scott's way of monitoring and moderating here works very well.

[Kerry Krishna]

The mods over THERE scare me, not the Mods here. And sticklers for rules? That is a pretty big understatement. Thanks for your help Bill.