anybody have experience with a Terrco carver?

Frank Fusco

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Mountain Home, Arkansas
I am having a monster of a time doing anything with my Terrco Dupli Carver. Shown below is an over-all image of the machine and a close up of my first attempt to duplicate a gunstock. As recommended, I am using a 1/2" flat router bit for the rough shaping at full RPM (apx 27 to 30,000). Problem is the unit is balanced to make the router, essentially, weightless and free-floating. As soon as the cutter touches wood it grabs and jumps. The instructions say to hold the stylus (white thing on far side over the dark master stock) in the fingers like a pencil and guide gently. The words I'm tempted use in response to that would get me banned from FW. Can I say 'horse feathers' ? I'm considering buying some carbide burrs like wood carvers use. But those represent about a $30.00 investment per. I already have about $3,000.00 invested in this medieval tech device. If they will work, it will be justified but I don't want to spend just to experiment. I need help. :(
 

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Hmmmm... Not pretty. I know *nothing* about such things, as you know... but the machine can't actually cut what it shouldn't cut, right? Maybe you're supposed to get the blank very close to actual size? And is it possible to hold the router section, instead of the stylus, while you're roughing?

Just a thought,

Thanks,

Bill
 
Hmmmm... Not pretty. I know *nothing* about such things, as you know... but the machine can't actually cut what it shouldn't cut, right? Maybe you're supposed to get the blank very close to actual size? And is it possible to hold the router section, instead of the stylus, while you're roughing?

Just a thought,

Thanks,

Bill

Bill, I tried that. But the grab and jump does so with a lot of force and it was jerked out of my hand. Having my hands near that spinning cutter could be disastrous. There is a plastic spring loaded guard for the cutter but it is supposed to be held back with the left hand while using the right to guide the stylus. Altogether, not a brilliant concept, IMHO. These machines have been on the market many years so somebody must actually use them.
 
Frank I read your post and looked at your pictures...

Only a couple of things I can think of...
1. Would be to make your blank as close in size as possible to the pattern before mounting in the machine as Bill suggested?
2. Watch the direction your feeding the router bit into the wood. IE; you say it grabs and jumps... Maybe try approaching the blank from the opposite direction that the router bit is spinning? For example if the bit spins clockwise try feeding the router into the wood gently from the left to right or vice versa.

Good luck.
 
i agree it looks like you tried to climb cut your stock! that not a good way to start. i have never seen your tool but if they have been around for so long then you should be able to get a manaul or a vidieo or some tech help on the phone... you wernt the first one to use one of those so check out the web. jist some observations..:huh:
 
Some additional thoughts I just had Frank...

Maybe you could index the depth of the stylus by marking it somehow etc. (where ever the finished depth is) and then wind it down quite a few turns (counting so you know how many to go back) so you're just starting to cut the wood on the blank... then sneak up on the final size by lowering the router, raising the stylus a few turns at a time.

You could do this on all four sides or however many planes or turns you're going to use to carve out the gun stock. In the pics it looks like the pattern and the stock are attached to round plastic indexing plates.

Hope this makes sense...:huh:
 
Frank I read your post and looked at your pictures...

Only a couple of things I can think of...
1. Would be to make your blank as close in size as possible to the pattern before mounting in the machine as Bill suggested?
2. Watch the direction your feeding the router bit into the wood. IE; you say it grabs and jumps... Maybe try approaching the blank from the opposite direction that the router bit is spinning? For example if the bit spins clockwise try feeding the router into the wood gently from the left to right or vice versa.

Good luck.

Couple problems there. The blank is the thickness that it is. I suppose I could plane down but that is more time and machine usage. I traced about 1/8" oversize on the outline before bandsawing figuring I couldn't put it back if I cut undersize. The Terrco instructions say to go with the grain on the spin direction. Go figger. :dunno: Still grabs and jumps.
 
i agree it looks like you tried to climb cut your stock! that not a good way to start. i have never seen your tool but if they have been around for so long then you should be able to get a manaul or a vidieo or some tech help on the phone... you wernt the first one to use one of those so check out the web. jist some observations..:huh:

You're right about it being around a long time. The three other people I know of that have owned these said they never used them much. I have to wonder why. I'll be calling Monday.
 
Some additional thoughts I just had Frank...

Maybe you could index the depth of the stylus by marking it somehow etc. (where ever the finished depth is) and then wind it down quite a few turns (counting so you know how many to go back) so you're just starting to cut the wood on the blank... then sneak up on the final size by lowering the router, raising the stylus a few turns at a time.

You could do this on all four sides or however many planes or turns you're going to use to carve out the gun stock. In the pics it looks like the pattern and the stock are attached to round plastic indexing plates.

Hope this makes sense...:huh:

What you say makes sense. The stylus can be adjusted. I may have to do that. But sneaking up on the wood a tiny bit at a time will make for real slow going. Might be my only option. I have some rotary rasps and will try one of those tomorrow. If they work I will have learned something. They would be short lived much work but would tell me that I should get the carbide burrs.
 
I don't have any suggestions, since I've not used a duplicator like yours. I see the Terrco website doesn't seem to have any real instructions available, so like you said, I'd be on the phone Monday to talk to a live person.
 
Frank, I haven’t even heard of a Terrco much less used one, but I do have some experience with 3D pantographs from back in the day, before of CNC! :eek: :eek:

First, I’d switch to a ball end mill or spherical radius router bit. I think you’ll find it more forgiving.

Second, the feed direction is very important. You do not want to “climb cut” the cutter. You always want to feed the cutter into the material.

Third, I don’t have first hand experience but I think a burr bit will smoke & burn more than cut wood.
 
Also, isn't the stylus supposed to be the same diameter as the bit? Do you change stylusses (styli?) and bits as you approach the finished size?

A too small stylus would result in the bit taking a much bigger than intended bite.
 
Also, isn't the stylus supposed to be the same diameter as the bit? Do you change stylusses (styli?) and bits as you approach the finished size?

A too small stylus would result in the bit taking a much bigger than intended bite.

What is in the picture is the matched pair that came with the duplicator. They include a few cutters and styli. Both are 1/2" dia. I will be making some styli slightly larger than the cutters to avoid problems.
 
Well I can't add anything but just to hit on what everyone else said, it's still a router and good router practice would/should apply. I was thinking the same thing as others. Direction of cut, amount of cut and the cutter would all have a bearing on the grabbing and jumping
 
I just called Terrco and spoke with a tech support guy. He did confirm that because the machine must be so light (to 'float' the router) that grabbing and control are big issues. Direction of cut is of essence, which I found out quickly and the work must be kinda snuck up on with very light cuts. They don't have an instructional video but they do have a sales/demo one which he will send to me. Maybe just seeing one in operation will be helpful. He also said the carvers burrs make a lot of dust and are not really satisfactory for other reasons. He does sales demos and has tried everything and always comes back to standard bits like are included with the machine. I'll update later.
 
Frank,

Just found this:

"nadcarves
22nd Apr 2003, 02:07 PM
used a duplicarver for last twelve years,once you throw away the square end router bits and raise the table so it is proper height,the machines start to get civilized.Actually so much can be done with one from production work to rapid design of new carvings.I use and sell rod naylors cutters,make a living carving for stores, santa figures etc,if it weren't for the speed of the machine in wacking out carvings for me to finish,the old bag lady,the wolf and I would have starved to death years ago.My finishing tools are all old Sheffield,140 of them ,virtually all pre 1900.If you need help concering the Terrco Duplicarvers,drop an e-mail,or any type of duplicator,material wood thru soft stone,I'm usually around,,,cordially nad"

Found that here: http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/archive/index.php/t-723.html

Before you, click, be warned... these guys have been breathing way too much laquer over the years, and have *really* gone around the big bend! ;)

Thanks,

Bill
 
Bill, I went to that forum and looked at the posts. The Dupli carver he is referring to is the same model as mine but without the large gun stock extensions and support. His references are to doing small verticle items, like statuettes and/or flat carvings. I have one of those machines also and using it is a world away from the horizontal gun stock nightmare I'm having. I registered to join but haven't had confirmation from the administrators yet. Guess the internet boat takes a while to get to Australia. ;) Enneyhow, I have decided that the rotational forces are so great with this free-floating thing that the only way to approach a large duplication is with by taking tiny-teensy bites off the wood at a pass. The rotational force is pretty great and with the router essentially free-floating in air control is almost non-existent. By coincidence, I just got my latest MLCS catalog and they are featuring 3-wing router bits that are supposed to give a smoother cut with less 'bite'. Under $20.00, the concept seems to make sense and is worth trying. I'm going to buy a couple.
 
Don't have one but I do have a lathe duplicator and same applies to that. I would say to set the depth of cut to 1/8" per pass , at the highest part of the blank and work up to a finished product. I can see why it would jump, trying to take off heavy cuts.
 
Don't have one but I do have a lathe duplicator and same applies to that. I would say to set the depth of cut to 1/8" per pass , at the highest part of the blank and work up to a finished product. I can see why it would jump, trying to take off heavy cuts.

Bryan, you don't "set" cutting depths with this. It is hand guided and weightless. Very hard to describe the situation. If you can, imagine using a router, hand-held, that has no weight, no guide fence, no guide bearings, no plate, no nothing for support. Just you and a high-speed cutting thing that doesn't want to do what you want it to do the instant it touches wood. I'm beginning to think a vise and rasp would be quicker. Haven't given up, the three wing bit is a help and I have a carbide burr on the way.
 
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