"A Pattern Maker is an exalted craftsman, the greatest common denominator, as well as the least common multiple of all industrial production. A pattern maker must have the creative conception of a draughtsman designer, the practical ability of a molder, the precise skill of a machinist, the analytical judgment of a metallurgist and the specific exactness of a mathematician. He must create a plan, or design, with vision and ingenuity and build the idea from trade to trade with practical knowledge: thinking and forming inside and out with length, breadth and thickness, adjusting accurately all values and dimensions and producing with dexterous finality any conceivable form to be cast in metal. The products of the pattern maker's skill are truly surrounded by an aura of greatness which dignifies his right to assume a place of confidence, trust, and honor in all industrial advance and national progress." ....Edward Leslie
This is a wood pattern I made years ago for a mainframe computer tape drive chassis mount.
These are wood patterns and a core box for drive wheels used in a belt reduction drive. The drive is used to reduce the speed for a Subaru Engine so it can drive a propeller at the proper speed for a plane.
Here's the casting made from the pattern.
Here's some photos of a Bayley Corebox plane. I used one of these when I was making patterns for my grandfather, but had not seen once since. I knew one long-retired master patternmaker had one and he graciously agreed to allow me to take some photographs so that I might duplicate it. To my surprise, he made some calls and found one that I could buy!!!!
To the best of knowledge, the plane was made by the William Bayley & Company in Springfield Ohio. Probably made between 1900-1920. I've found only a couple mentions of these tools using internet searches from private auctions. I think I have the only photos available on the internet.
Basically, the outriggers are adjusted to run along the work piece while the middle section is lined up over the center of the trough you're about to carve out. The cutting bit is slowly rotated through the arc by a worm, which is advanced each stroke by a pawl and spur.
The pawl is advanced each stroke by a shuttling action from the handle pivoting backwards, then forwards again as the plane is stroked back and forth.
Here's a look at the bottom showing the worm and worm gear.
See the Bayley Plane it in use.
A couple of years after I posted the information about the plane, I found an article in a woodworking magazine with more information: Click here to see it.
This is a tool all the old patternmakers I knew called a "Speed Lathe" I've seen lots of different contraptions people have made to do this job, but this is the best design I've ever seen, simple and versatile, it takes a minimum of tools to make. To use it, you drill a 1/4" hole in a piece of stock, pick an appropriate hole on the speed lathe table and rotate the stock so that you can make round parts without using a lathe. It's a bar that sits in the fence slot of the sander table and has an aluminum plate attached to it so that it pivots (I used a shoulder screw). on the other end is a screw that touches the front edge of the table and acts as an adjuster. A series of 1/4" holes allows a wide range of sizes.
This is one of the most valuable fixtures you can make for use in patternmaking. For anything round, this baby can make it fast, even with a draft angle!
