Tip #30
Shopsmith Lathe Duplicator Tutorial
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Faceplate Turning

Faceplate turnings are made with the stock mounted to a faceplate which is attached to the Mark V main spindle. Follow the instructions in Chapter 12 when mounting faceplate turnings.

Warning: Make sure the workpiece does not have loose knots, splits or defects. Use #12 x 1-1/4" or larger screws to attach the stock to the faceplate. Allow glue joints to dry for at least 24 hours and cut the stock round on the bandsaw before turning.

Setup
All faceplate turning should be done at the far right end of the Mark V. Remove the right-hand template support. Move the table as far to the right as it will go and reposition the power plant and left-hand template assembly.

Figure 13-25. The template end line should be inside the end of the workpiece.

Mount the template in the template assembly with the edge of the template firmly seated against the spacer in the clamp. Then tighten the two setscrews to hold the template securely. Accurate alignment of the template is extremely important to assure accurate diameters and eliminate unplanned tapers in the final turning.

Figure 13-26. Setup for faceplate turning with the guard extending over the workpiece.

Loosen the template bracket screw and position the template over the workpiece. Use the tool rest assembly as an alignment gauge to be sure the end line on the template is inside the left edge of the workpiece (Figure 13-25). Tighten the template bracket screw.

Finally, mount and adjust the guard (Figure 13-26). Warning: The brackets should be attached to the left and center slots of the guard and the guard should extend from the power plant over the workpiece. Adjust the guard so it is as close to the workpiece as possible and just high enough for the cutter to pass freely underneath it.

Rounding
Turn on the Mark V and set the speed dial to the proper speed. Grasp the handles of the tool rest assembly. Warning: Do not extend your fingers beyond the front edge of the base.

Begin rounding the outside edges, working in small areas at a time, until the workpiece is completely rounded. Then, if the right-hand face is rough or not parallel with the faceplate, move around to the end of the machine and straighten this face.

Rough Shaping
The techniques for rough shaping faceplate workpieces are very much like those for spindles. Work in small areas, beginning with the larger diameters. The cutter may be retracted to leave some stock for final detailing.

If you are cutting properly, you will see large chips. As the profile takes shape, these chips will become curled shavings often several inches long.

Generally you should rough shape the outside profile and then begin roughing the inside contour. The exception is when you are working on a project-such as a thin walled bowl-where two templates or two centerlines are required for the outside and inside profiles.

In these cases, it is usually easier to continue with final detailing of the outside profile before beginning on the inside. This will eliminate having to reposition the templates for final shaping. If repositioning will be necessary, drill the 1/4" alignment hole (Figure 13-15) before removing the template and be sure the setscrews return to exactly the same in-dentions in the template.

Final Detailing

Figure 13-27. Work " uphill" on beads and coves; "downhill" from sharp shoulders

Reposition the cutter if it has been retracted and begin cutting with a light touch. Work "uphill" on beads and coves, but "downhill" when shaping from the top of a sharp shoulder into a round profile (Figure 13-27).

Undercutting
Undercutting involves cutting an inside diameter that is larger than the opening. This is quite common in salad bowls and similar projects where the middle is wider than the top or bottom.

Figure 13-28. Undercutting the indise of a bowl.

The free-floating tool rest lets you make undercuts with only minor limitations (Figure 13-28). First is the limit of the cutting angle you can achieve before the tool rest base runs into the turning. Second is the depth of the undercut before the lip of the turning begins to rub on the underside of the cutter support. These limitations are reduced as the size of the turning increases. In some cases, you can increase the undercut by extending the cutter support up to one inch and making light passes freehand.

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