# My Fluting Jig



## JTTHECLOCKMAN (Dec 31, 2011)

If the moderators feel it should be moved please do so. But I put this here because of the lathe tool. I finally got some shop time and built a fluting jig for my jet mini lathe for which I am going to primarily use for my pen blanks. I borrowed most of the ideas from John Lucas for whom I thank. The top can be taken off and expanded or change to fit other needs. But for what I want to do this will work great. 

Any questions or comments are always welcomed.

Maybe some can use the idea or even expand on it for their lathe.


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## jlord (Feb 1, 2010)

Looks good John. So I take it the aluminum angle is a fence your router slides across on? Where did you get the index wheel setup for the lathe?


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## JTTHECLOCKMAN (Dec 31, 2011)

Yes James the aluminum is the fence which the router base will ride against. I got the index wheel from these people. http://alisam.com/page/19r93/Woodworking_turning_OT/Jet_mini-lathe_Indexing_System.html

Very nice wheel and easy set up. It should do what I am after. Need abit more shop time to give it a try. Never enough time in the day.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

That is a neat setup for flutes, some good thinking.


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## tcleve4911 (Dec 16, 2006)

Great idea.......let's see a couple of pics with the results:yes:


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## slicksqueegie (Feb 9, 2011)

very cool jig! Its on my to-do list!


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

Nice Job. Can't wait to see the results of your first project with it. I'm planning another one shortly but have to finish the 3 jobs in the shop right now. Oh actually make that 5 but 3 of them should go quickly.


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## JTTHECLOCKMAN (Dec 31, 2011)

Thanks guys. I am hopeful I can get enough time this week to get a pen or two done using this idea. I have so many ideas rolling around in my head it hurts. Time is the key element. 2 years to retirement can't come fast enough:yes:. I will keep you posted.


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

The one problem I've run into with using smaller tools such as trim routers, dremels, flex shaft and air tools, is you might have to build taller jigs to hold them. When you start fluting or routing on larger turnings the Jig base can get in the way so you don't have anywhere to put your "fence" or pattern. 
Using the bigger router like JT did helps with this problem because the base the router sits on is lower which lets you get under the larger pieces with your pattern.
When I have time I'm going to build a vertical jig to hold my power tools. Some cutters simply leave a better finish when cut in this direction. A good example is a V bit. It leaves the bottom of the groove torn and not very clean. It's because the surface speed of the center of the bit is very slow. If you take a 90 degree cutter that looks more like a T the outer edge of the V at the tip of the T is moving very quick and will leave a very clean cut. That's how the Ornamental lathe cutters work.


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## JTTHECLOCKMAN (Dec 31, 2011)

john lucas said:


> The one problem I've run into with using smaller tools such as trim routers, dremels, flex shaft and air tools, is you might have to build taller jigs to hold them. When you start fluting or routing on larger turnings the Jig base can get in the way so you don't have anywhere to put your "fence" or pattern.
> Using the bigger router like JT did helps with this problem because the base the router sits on is lower which lets you get under the larger pieces with your pattern.
> When I have time I'm going to build a vertical jig to hold my power tools. Some cutters simply leave a better finish when cut in this direction. A good example is a V bit. It leaves the bottom of the groove torn and not very clean. It's because the surface speed of the center of the bit is very slow. If you take a 90 degree cutter that looks more like a T the outer edge of the V at the tip of the T is moving very quick and will leave a very clean cut. That's how the Ornamental lathe cutters work.


 
John 

You are correct about the bit. I almost made a vertical mounted jig first because that will aid me in some endgrain cutting which I have planned to do. I mades this one first because I will not have to worry about tearout on such small cuts. I am going to have to do some experimenting with upcut spiral bits and down cut spiral bits and some flat fluted bits and see what is the best cut I can get. The pointed bit was mainly to line up centers on the blank with the center on the tailstock. 

Now that I have the basic idea down I can make just about any style of top and just plain experiment. Opens up for me alot of different avenues in pen turning without breaking the bank on some sort of fancy mill. To be continued as they say.


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