The Accurate Reloading Forums
Duplicator Finally done!!!
28 September 2007, 03:08
gunmakerDuplicator Finally done!!!
After years of trying to design what I thought was the perfect stock duplicator, I finally got her done!
Here's a pic of the finished product.
28 September 2007, 03:10
gunmakerInlet from top side.
28 September 2007, 03:11
gunmakerBottom inlet.
28 September 2007, 03:13
gunmakerCheek piece profile
28 September 2007, 03:14
gunmakerShow side
28 September 2007, 03:17
gunmakerDuplicator that took way too long to build.
28 September 2007, 03:33
srtraxMay have taken a long time but looks to do a god job! Was it a lot cheaper to build than to buy, i know they are costly from the factory.
_____________________
Steve Traxson
28 September 2007, 03:46
Bill SovernsLooks great neighbor! You should have cropped out my lousy looking fingers in that one pic!

28 September 2007, 04:00
jimatcatthat is a good-looking piece of wood!!!!!!!!!!...
go big or go home ........
DSC-- Life Member
NRA--Life member
DRSS--9.3x74 r Chapuis
28 September 2007, 04:01
22WRFGunmaker
That is some of the most clean inletting I have ever seen come out of a duplicating machine.
Looks a little bit like a cross between a Don Allen and a Hoenig-Rodman. Did you build some of those little support arms for the blanks like those that come with a Hoenig?
And the next question is, of course, are you going to offer duplication to the trade and to the public? If so, what will a duplication cost?
28 September 2007, 04:02
gunmakerquote:
Originally posted by srtrax:
May have taken a long time but looks to do a god job! Was it a lot cheaper to build than to buy, i know they are costly from the factory.
Thanks for the compliment.
Considering all the time I spent designing it along with the money for materials, It would have been cheaper to buy a new one. I used to build them at company X and spent a lot of time running them. After running many stocks and inleting most all of them, I had a few ideas that I wanted to build into my own machine. There's nothing on it that is a copy of another machine. If I had to build another one, at least I saved all my prints and programs. It would have to cost much more than what's available from company X. It's a much better/faster machine to setup. The hand wheel adjustments I included for cutting depth and head angle really help refine the process. Hope I can get some use out of it!!!
28 September 2007, 04:12
gunmakerquote:
Originally posted by 22WRF:
Gunmaker
That is some of the most clean inletting I have ever seen come out of a duplicating machine.
Looks a little bit like a Hoenig-Rodman. Did you build some of those little support arms for the blanks like those that come with a Hoenig?
Although I've never run a Honeig, I hear they have a slower spindle speed. That might create more cutting pressure requiring support arms. The Honeig is known as a very accurate machine. I tried to build my machine so it was as rigid as possible without slowing it down by over engineering it. That's what took me the longest to design. Trying to keep it simple was harder than coming up with over complicated ideas.
28 September 2007, 04:30
CustomstoxJim,
It looks very well done. I would still be trying to drill the first hole. You do have a gift.
Does it do a plunge cut(vertical)? I had always thought the Hoenig was the best but it is slow. The radial clamps on the Hoenig are a stroke of genius.
I saw the vacuum setup on Dressels Dakota and they had run a 3" PVC pipe the full length of the vee bottom and then cut slots in it along the way. Just another thought. It may be a standard thing with those and you may just have a better mousetrap already with the open pipe at the one end.
28 September 2007, 04:42
richjgunmaker
amazing... truly.
Rich
28 September 2007, 05:55
D HumbargerGreat looking machine & stock. congratulations.
Doug Humbarger
NRA Life member
Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club 72'73.
Yankee Station
Try to look unimportant. Your enemy might be low on ammo.
28 September 2007, 06:11
Don MarkeyLooks good! Now where's the price list. It's got to start earning it's keep.
-Don
28 September 2007, 06:16
jeffeossovery very very nice... excellent results!
i love the under collector and the "pump" clamps.. fantastic !!
28 September 2007, 06:21
boom stickSWEET!
28 September 2007, 07:56
RogerRMr Anderson
Great looking machine, and even better looking results with that beautiful stick of English.
It looks like you are using the standard off the shelf Porter Cable 690. If you have not yet done so, consider getting a router speed control and work with larger cutters/slower cutter speeds. Motor brushes are expensive and the down time changing them is frustrating. You will be discouraged at how fast the brushes burn if you are turing up full rpm continuously.
Excellent work, Thanks for showing it.
Roger.
28 September 2007, 08:30
Mike_DettorreThat is incredible...truly impressive...guys on here amaze me...I couldn't make a trash can out of a 50 gallon drum
MikeLegistine actu quod scripsi?
Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.
What I have learned on AR, since 2001:
1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken.
2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps.
3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges.
4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down.
5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine.
6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle.
7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions.
8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA.
9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not.
10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact.
11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores.
12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence.
13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances.
28 September 2007, 15:46
mad_jack02Hey Jim will you be cutting any manlicher stocks? If so give me a shout Brad.
Extreme Custom Gunsmithing LLC, ecg@wheatstate.com
28 September 2007, 16:28
Marc_Stokeld
OMFG!
Once again, you blow my mind. Your machine building skills are obviously at the same incredible level as your gun building skills. I really appreicat eyou posting pics and encourage you to do it more so. They give hacks like me good goals to shoot for.
28 September 2007, 17:15
fla3006Extremely nice. About the only thing left to do is apply the finish. Is this duplicator only for your personal projects or will you duplicate others' patterns, for a fee of course?
NRA Life Member, Band of Bubbas Charter Member, PGCA, DRSS.
Shoot & hunt with vintage classics.
28 September 2007, 19:18
gunmakerquote:
Originally posted by RogerR:
It looks like you are using the standard off the shelf Porter Cable 690. If you have not yet done so, consider getting a router speed control .....
Roger.
The little black box on the right side of the machine with the power cord hanging off it is a Dart speed control. If the router burns out I'll probably replace it with a Bosch that has built in speed control.
28 September 2007, 20:07
z1rSuper! Congrats!
Aut vincere aut mori
28 September 2007, 20:47
gunmakerquote:
Originally posted by fla3006:Is this duplicator only for your personal projects or will you duplicate others' patterns, for a fee of course?
Forrest
I'm machining 1 pc rifle stocks like shown above for $225 + shipping.
Brad
I don't have any steady rests yet for machining manlichers. The machine is long enough. I'll probably work on the skeleton buttplate machining fixture first. I'm sure I'll cut many more buttplate inlets than manlichers.
28 September 2007, 23:29
jeffeossothat is a steal at $225.. great work!
29 September 2007, 02:06
jimatcatwhat kind of time frame from blank to inletted stock???....
go big or go home ........
DSC-- Life Member
NRA--Life member
DRSS--9.3x74 r Chapuis
29 September 2007, 04:06
gunmakerquote:
Originally posted by jimatcat:
what kind of time frame from blank to inletted stock???....
I'm not sure what your asking here? I would consider an inletted stock one that has been scraped in by hand after the machining like the pics above. This would greatly depend on the ability of the stockmaker.
29 September 2007, 04:37
jeffeossoJim
I think Jim is asking how long it takes you to turn it to the point above. Or, he's asking about lead time
29 September 2007, 07:29
jimatcati wanted to know how long it will take for you to do a stock for me.... if i send you a blank....ive got a m70 in .458 that needs a stock....
go big or go home ........
DSC-- Life Member
NRA--Life member
DRSS--9.3x74 r Chapuis
29 September 2007, 07:47
CraftsmanGunmaker
I own a brand X duplicator and have not set it up to use yet.
Can you give me any tips for this machine? In particular, weak points to address.
Also any improvements or modifications you might suggest.
Craftsman
29 September 2007, 08:13
butchlambertFreddy,
Sorry for not calling and coming by Wed. I will try again. No excuse for not calling.
Butch
29 September 2007, 10:05
gunmakerquote:
Originally posted by jimatcat:
i wanted to know how long it will take for you to do a stock for me.... if i send you a blank....ive got a m70 in .458 that needs a stock....
I don't have a stable of patterns to grab from to grab and run a stock. If you send a pattern with your blank then turnaround should be within a few weeks for a machined stock. I'm still not sure if you want me to do the stock complete/finished & checkered or just machine it???
29 September 2007, 18:15
jimatcatjust machined.... ive got another eddystone enfield planned... this time with a windriver half round/half octagon bbl...pm sent...
go big or go home ........
DSC-- Life Member
NRA--Life member
DRSS--9.3x74 r Chapuis
29 September 2007, 18:44
22WRFGunmaker
Please don't misinterpret this post. I think it would be interesting to put a very sensitive dial indicator underneath a piece of wood that is being machined on this duplicator AND EVERY OTHER DUPLICATOR EVER MADE just to see how much movement there might be while the part is being machined, thereby knowing just how accurate the machine is, and knowing whether the part has to be braced in any way to prevent any movement whatsoever.
I see in Turpin's book on David Miller that Mr. Miller uses some pretty hefty braces on the machine he built and uses when machining his patterns.
29 September 2007, 19:50
TimanDon't beat yourself up over how much time it took to build. Life gets hard if you are your own worst emeny. It's a beautiful machine Jim. Now that it's finished, keep that spindle running and recoup your time investment, In the form of dollars.
Timan
29 September 2007, 21:04
TC1quote:
Originally posted by Timan:
Don't beat yourself up over how much time it took to build. Life gets hard if you are your own worst emeny. It's a beautiful machine Jim. Now that it's finished, keep that spindle running and recoup your time investment, In the form of dollars.
Timan
Amen
How does that saying go?
Quality is appreciated long after the price paid is forgotten. I think that's it.
I'm sanding and grinding away. I'll have one for you very soon.
Terry
--------------------------------------------
Well, other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?
30 September 2007, 02:59
butchlambertWhat I can see of your machine work is superb! The product proves it.
Butch
30 September 2007, 05:14
gunmakerquote:
Originally posted by Craftsman:
Gunmaker
I own a brand X duplicator and have not set it up to use yet.
Can you give me any tips for this machine? In particular, weak points to address.
Also any improvements or modifications you might suggest.
The brandX (D) duplicator will machine a very good stock. As with any duplicator, the setup of the machine with precision levels is VERY important. Another thing to check is to make sure the spindles are EXACTLY parallel. I set my tail stocks on a surface plate and measure both front and back on both. Then I lap them in to match. THIS SHOULD BE DONE AT THE FACTORY. I would double check this with a depth mic on the tailstock bar before I removed them. I would also measure the headstock from the top and insure both are the same height from the I beam. Also make sure that the distance between the spindles are identical from headstock to both front and back of the tailstock. If these dimensions are off the machined stock can be too small on the forend and too big on the buttstock or the other way around. It also causes misalignment between the top inlet and bottom inlet.