Replies

1. 
   UncleDunc | Jan 24, 2003 07:46pm | #1

   Don't know if this is the particular item you're looking for, but do a search for ellipsograph. I've seen these for sale in one of the woodworking catalogs sometime in the last five years, but I can't remember which one it was, or if they called it an ellipsograph.

   If you do an image search for ellipsograph on Google, you get pictures of several different devices, but the one I saw in the catalog worked like the device shown here. http://www.cecilkraftshop.com/Do-Nothing-Machine.JPG I've also seen this 'do nothing machine' called a smoke grinder. If you put a pen, or a router, where the handle is, you get an ellipse. The distance from the handle to the center pivot is half the minor axis, and the distance from the handle to the far pivot is half the major axis. It's not real obvious from the photo, but the slots are sliding dovetail slots.

   
   

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   Edited 1/24/2003 12:02:29 PM ET by Uncle Dunc

1. 
   philcapper | Jan 26, 2003 05:41am | #6

   thanks for your help. I finally found what i was looking for and it was the one i had in mind.

   thanks again

   Phil

2. 
   jonweis59923 | Jan 24, 2003 07:58pm | #2

   Phil....

   Here's a url for one that was posted on The Oak a while back.  Hope you can use it.

   http://www.mindspring.com/~griffinmt/Oval/default.htm

   Jon

   "Knot's to you"

   http://www.wood-workers.com/~jonweis

1. 
   philcapper | Jan 26, 2003 05:37am | #5

   thats the one. thanks! I used to have Krumy's web address but lost it now i have it again. He designed a jig for cutting picture frames that i built and have used ever since; it was great. Now i'm back in business with the elipse thing. Thanks again

   Phil Capper

3. 
   BG | Jan 25, 2003 06:17am | #3

   Phil,

   I'm just wondering if your thinking about the one that Brad Marks did on his WW show;  Took two nails and a string to draw the elipses on MDF, cut with jig saw and shaped, used router and mdf jig to duplicate on wood stock? 

4. 
   TEX | Jan 26, 2003 02:47am | #4

   Try WOODHAVEN at http://www.woodhaven.com . They advertise an Oval Jig that works on the principal of two nails and a string, only it is a metal jig. The price in 2001 was $180! I had good luck drawing the elipse on a 1/4" sheet of plywood and cutting it out with a bandsaw. I sanded the edge smooth on a belt sander and uses a bushing on the router with the elipse as a pattern to route an elliptical cove on a sign board.