What is an Ornamental Mill?

Imagine a machine that allows you to shape a piece of wood, turn it round for example, and then add other details that would normally require a shop full of machines, power tools, hand tools such as beads and coves, flutes or reeds, spirals or precision joinery. Now take that same machine and plane a 10" wide board flat and then add shapes i.e. mouldings or patterns i.e. dentile moulding or parallel flutes and then machine mortise or tenons or finger joints or any number of other details. Now take that same machine and turn round table tops or arches. Basically any form of woodworking can be accomplished on an ornamental mill. There are a few exceptions of course, but very few.

Legacy's Ornamental Mills have five basic features that that can be used independantely or together to accomplish an almost unlimited number of basic and advanced woodworking task.

3-Axis Milling Capabilities: The cutter can travel in three directions; X-Axis (along the length of the mill), Y-Axis (across the mill), and Z-Axis (up and down) allowing you to mill on either flat stock or between centers. Both the X-Axis and Y-Axis can either slide freely between stops or be drive by the 4 tip lead screws. The Z-Axis can either be accomplished by using a plunge router or the optional Z-Axis Drive.
The Adjustable Bed: The Bed can be raised or lowered at either or both ends. When turning stock between centers this feature allows you to accomidate different diameters of the stock. It also makes it extremely simple to taper the stock in either direction. When milling flat stock, this feature makes it simple to adjust for the thickness of the stock or for tapering either the stock or a milled detail such as "tear drop" flutes.
The Indexing Head: This feature is extremely easy to use, yet very versatile. Indexing can be used for milling stock square or multi-sided as well as adding ornamental details such as flutes, reeds, brick patterns and buttons, or for more functional operations such as milling mortise and tenons or sliding dovetails in stock mounted between centers. With the Legacy you can mill a table leg or Pedestal and then add the mortise or sliding dovetails on the same machine minimizing setup errors on different machines.
The Spiral Drive: The Spiral Drive allows you to mill spirals with upto 19 pitches. By varying the router bit profile, the pitch, the number of starts and the direction of the spiral,you can easily create an almost unlimited number of beautiful designs such as the rope twist, barley twist, diamond pattern, pineapple cut, square twist, hollow spirals and much more. Spirals can be milled on stock as small as a pen and as large as a column with perfect results.
The Template Follower: The template follower can be used in two different formats: between centers similiar to a copy lathe, or on flat stock to duplicate parts or carve patterns on the face of the part. The models 900, 1200 and 1800 all come standard with a 1/2" diameter stylus and supports for hold shop built templates. You can also add the optional Template Follower Upgrade that features a "drop-in" stylus with 4 different sizes availble. You can also add the optional Template Mounting Rail to use any of Legacy's new Laser Cut Templates.