Tip #30
Shopsmith Lathe Duplicator Tutorial
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Cutters

Figure 13-8. Five cutters handle a variety of profiles. (A) 1/2" Round, (B) 3/8" Square, (C) 35° Diamond, (D) 60° Triangle, and (E) 1/2" Cone.

A total of five different cutters are available for the lathe duplicator and each cutter is supplied with a matching nylon follower tip which traces the profile of the template or pattern during duplication.

All of the cutters except the cone cutter are made of carbide and will stay sharp for many hours of turning. Warning: Never attempt to grind these carbide cutters because the dust can produce eye and skin irritation as well as respiratory system and internal organ damage.

The cutters are shown in Figure 13-8 and are described below:

1/2" Round Cutter-This is the best cutter for initial shaping. It is also very good for forming graceful curves, cove cuts and dishing.

3/8" Square Cutter-The square cutter may be used for rough shaping, but it is best for turning square corners, grooves, short dowels, plugs and straight profiles. It is a good choice for forming tenons when making multi-section turnings.

35° Diamond Cutter-Best for turning fine beads, deep grooves, sharp corners and intricate detail because the narrow tip allows greater penetration.

60° Triangle Cutter-This is often considered the universal cutter because of its versatility. It produces good results in work ranging from rough shaping down to medium detail.

Figure 13-9. The traingle cutter can be mounted with the point or a flat side facing the workpiece.

Normally the triangle cutter is mounted with the point facing the workpiece, however, it may also be used with a flat side facing the work if a square cutter is not available (Figure 13-9).

1/2" Cone Cutter-The cone cutter is recommended for spindle turning only. It cuts quickly for rough shaping and is ideal for fin-ishing cuts when the shape of the turning permits.

The four carbide cutters cut with a scraping action and produce a somewhat rough surface. The cone cutter, however, is made of steel and has a sharpened edge which shaves the wood instead of scraping it away. This allows the cone cutter to cut faster and more smoothly, but the cutting edge will not last as long as the carbide cutters. Warning: The cone cutter is not recommended for faceplate work because its sharp cutting edge tends to bite too deeply into the end grain of the workpiece.

To get the longest life from the cone cutter, divide the tip into quarters and use one section of the cutting edge until it is dull. Then mark that section with a colored marker and rotate the tip 90° to the next section. Sharpen or replace the cone cutter when the entire edge becomes dull.

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