Vega duplicator : Templates
Making templates of your favorite plugs is not only fun, but preserves the pattern foreever....
The Vega dupe. can use original forms or flat templates.. here I will discuss building templates...
Materials: you will need spray adhesive, 1.8" thick lexan, I buy a 8"X10" sheet and cut it into 2 3/4" X10" pieces on the band saw...
you will also need a can of spray adhesive, a sheet of paper and a exacto or sheet rock knife..
Prepare the Vega :you will need to make a tracer out of hard wood to fit the tool holder, I made mine from maple, if you are going to trace original plugs, glue a strip of felt onto the tip of the tracer so you dont damage the plug.... I prefer to turn a dummy blank, mark all my hook and weight holes, along with the diameters of the plug and use this as a set up tool..
you need to make a pencil to replace the stylus, a standard #2 is too fat, I took mine to the belt sander, problem solved..
Begin: remove the protective backing from the lexan and coat one side with a liberal amount of glue, line up the edges and apply it to the paper, once the glue sets, trim the edges with the knife....
install the blank template into the vega, also install your blank, now insert you pencil into the stylus hoder and apply a slight down pressure ( not enough to tear the paper) with besure the tension spring is in place and trace out your plug, be sure to move the cutter arm in and out at the hook and belly marks, when your finished, use a square to marke the ends of the plug..
now remove the template and cut the outside of the line with a scroll saw, band saw( fine blade) or by hand with a coping saw, be sure to make smooth and even cuts or you will have a plug full of divits.. sand any rough edges....
Reinstall the template into the vega, replace the tracer with the cutter, install your dummy and set your stylus, use the fine adjustment to pull back the cutter 1/16" , this should serve as your set up... remove the dummy and install a blank, turn the blank and check the measurements when you get to the finished size, adjust as needed....once your blank is sanded, use the cutter and stylus to mark your belly hook and weight hole locations, rest a pencil on the chain and turn the plug by hand to bring the mark around the plug... now wasnt that fun and easy!
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