Dreamcutter

Anyone bought a dreamcutter? www.dreamcutter.com

Looks like a commercialized version of the Steve Bedair design.

I would venture to say someone here has made a similar one.

http://bedair.org/Ball/ball.html
tin

Buy one? They're dead easy to make. Even I (the master procrastinator) completed one.

Ball turners, while not the most useful tool you will ever make, are loads of fun to use.

Looks like one of those things that you just gotta have, then sits on the top shelf and never gets used. Pretty steep price @ $399.

Chuck

It also looks pretty flimsy. Did you hear the chatter in the video once then turned off the annoying music? Also, the "parting off" part of the video is hilarious; the part goes *whack* into something. Great way to get a nice ding on your newly rounded part!

I spend 6 years in a yacht yard R + D Dept . I learned to form many radius mostly by hand. Essentially I was a pattern maker on a fairly large scale. Large outside radii were started by cutting 3 flats one at appox 45 degrees then 22 1/2 and 67 1/2 this removes the major material. Keep in mind we dealing with usually an extra 4 to 8 degrees more than ninety. Then the fine tuning was done by power sanding adding bondo then hand sanding. I have also made many radius patters by hand for dragging bondo including one or two from stainless steel.
When I went to USAF machining school I learned to file radii in the lathe. The training my eye received in the boat yard has served me well. I can round out a piece or two by eye.
And I now have a little cnc Lathe I built . It probably cost me less than the tool mentioned and that can be programmed for radii.
So do not see myself likely making a dedicated radius tool. But that is me. Everyone here has there own needs and journey.
And for those who do want or need a ball turning tool here is another option

You can buy one of these for $47 or make one similar.
That said the ball turning or radius tool along with Quick change tool holders are very open subjects. There are many solutions to the problem . And they are a very well published subjects.
Tin

Glad you enjoyed the parting humor in the video ;D Needed to add the shock and awe for the youtubers.

Dream Cutter is an agile alternative to the traditional compound rest that has some exciting features. The user guide (site product page) has some good images of how this mounts and exploded assembly of its parts. Its more complex than the nice ball turners referenced because its not just a ball turner. It shouldn't just sit on the shelf.... Its a compound replacement that has 2 additional axis, so that a metal lathe has controlled flexibility similar to a wood lathe. Artisans, pen turners and even modelers may enjoy the agility afforded by this device.

Regarding chatter... that was 0-1 Drill Rod being turned in that segment (middle). I have some units going out for additional independent eval. Also the customers feedback will be interesting.
I have lots of raw footage, with and without chatter. Chatter has more to do with tool orientation to work axis, pitch an condition. I can shoot something specific if you like. The demo video is a montage of various and speed up and done to get the broadest audience interest.

Re: Cost. Just spent $168 for weeks of groceries for a family of 4. Talk about expensive. 2.99 for 3 zucchini in California at Fresh and Easy, Believe that? So that means the machine is only worth 400 zucchini ??? Maybe I should have made these overseas...and gone into farming. (more attempt at humor). Its all CNC's out of steel alloy & SS. Other than the cap screws its all machined, each hand fitted to optimum tolerances.

Its small, .66" height body and 4 controlled axis so precise tolerances are required. Its positive locking design tightens it down as you adjust the 360 pivot brakes. The manual explains.

Dreamcutter....
Looks an awful lot like the one I built for less than $25.00. I'm not quite ready to call this thread commercial spam, but it sure is getting bloody close.

Steve

Not spam from me ;D. I heard about it in a penturning forum and was curious if any here had one. Thanks for the answers. David

Dream...
I'm not making the call, just watching the flow. I'm smart enough to know I'm not always right...(grin)

Steve

I have a very similar device that fits my 10EE lathe.
Nice piece of kit that has only been used once because it's too complicated to be of general use. Unless you are using it on a regular basis then you have to re-learn all the settings.

I use the type shown by Tin but with a universal bracket.



This way it's not specific to one lathe, easy to setup and quick.

John S.

Not to push any product or company, I agree that let the market decide any products worthiness. Units have sold so feedback should emerge.

I would like to explain what the Dream Cutter is, as there are some misunderstandings. Its more than a ball cutter. Its a replacement for compound & toolholder that happens to do radius turns better than other dedicated accessories. It opens a whole new method of machining. Traditionalists i know will cringe, but until you try it... The user manual (free download) explains the technique.
With respect to ball cutters as far as I can tell, NONE of these ball cutters does what Dream Cutter can. These ball-cutters require readjustment to cut the 2nd half of the ball, or the stock must be necked in advance. That adjustment introduces diametrical error. Dream Cutter can do it all in one elegant operation. It can back-cut with its second pivot axis. I won't pitch all the features here, however you may want to take another good look... Its NOT LIKE anything before. Please... if you can, prove me wrong.

So will this Dreamcutter fit my 10EE lathe or the small 14" TOS lathe ?

cfellows said:

Looks like one of those things that you just gotta have, then sits on the top shelf and never gets used. Pretty steep price @ $399.
Chuck

Click to expand...

if the price were [much] lower, I might give it some thought. But my budget does not allow this expense.
That being said, it looks (to me at least) an interesting tool.

just my personal opinion.

take care,
tom in MA

dreamcutter said:

Not to push any product or company, I agree that let the market decide any products worthiness. Units have sold so feedback should emerge.

I would like to explain what the Dream Cutter is, as there are some misunderstandings. Its more than a ball cutter. Its a replacement for compound & toolholder that happens to do radius turns better than other dedicated accessories. It opens a whole new method of machining. Traditionalists i know will cringe, but until you try it... The user manual (free download) explains the technique.
With respect to ball cutters as far as I can tell, NONE of these ball cutters does what Dream Cutter can. These ball-cutters require readjustment to cut the 2nd half of the ball, or the stock must be necked in advance. That adjustment introduces diametrical error. Dream Cutter can do it all in one elegant operation. It can back-cut with its second pivot axis. I won't pitch all the features here, however you may want to take another good look... Its NOT LIKE anything before. Please... if you can, prove me wrong.

Click to expand...

OK Cedge, NOW I think it makes that classification.

DC, do the first 100 to call in get a free set of steak knives with their order ???

BC1
Jim

OK guys relax. a lot of perspectives here and that is Ok , one of the members here saw a product on another board . posted a link to the product and asked if anyone her had purchased one. The designer manufacture joined the board and chimed in his perspective.
Dreamcutter is going to have a different perspective.
This is an open forum open to all opinions that are presented in a civil respectful manner. we are used to a clean spam free board and want to keep it that way.
I believe dreamcutter in his own way wishes to contribute to this hobby he designed the original release to fit the Seig 7" lathes. this product is made for the hobby market,
Dreamcutter: I hope you see fit to become active on this board. all are welcome here who want to learn, teach and follow the rules.

tin

And one of the rules being " post an introduction please"

Your correct, I did not introduce myself and I abruptly jumped in this forum on thread going without introduction, nor invitation. I apologize about that.
I'm from California now, and my name is Pete Martin. I'm responsible for the “Dream Cutter”. I first started machining 30 years ago , in metal fab and machine shop programs at Wentworth Inst of Tech in Boston. I became hooked on metal fab, however business took me into many engineering branches. Developing neat stuff for the Navy brought me to San Diego. This to turned into that project and one day I needed custom bead roller made. I needed a radial lathe tool. Made a ball cutter (one like Steve's) took a weekend and went up on youtube to show a friend. In the video I muttered cuts like a dream... and then clank. Ouch I strike the chuck (its in the orig. video) and I saw the limitations of that tool thinking about improvements. Then the emails came in, tons of them requesting “sell” the tool for the minilathe. How small is that I wonder, go buy one and check the clearances. Wow, now that’s a challenge. If I can make it for that, I can make for any size. That led me to many prototypes and progressive improvements to what has evolved into the current product. 18Mos R&D, 12Mos of product development and production. Its a one man show.

Welcome aboard Pete. Thanks for the intro and good luck with your project. Lots of tips and tons of info on this site.
Regards
Herbie