Tool Rest Two Questions

Question 1

I would like to try a short (2 to 3 in.) tool rest. Since it is a "trial" I would like "cheap." I require a 5/8 in. post for Delta 46-460.

Where would you go to find an item like this?

I have no objection to cutting a longer crosspiece down to my trial size.

Question 2

I have never used a tool rest with a round crosspiece.

Do you like them?

What are the advantages / disadvantages?

Thanks in advance,

JimB

p.s. I have never used E-Bay. I don't see myself bidding on an item.
 
Hey Jim,
This is what I came up with when I needed a short tool rest. The steel rod is 5/8" dia x 3" long, the base is 3/4" alum. and the upright is 1/2" alum. and screwed together.

Rest.01.jpgRest.02.jpgRest.03.jpgRest.04.jpgRest.05.jpgRest.06.jpg

It's worked very well for me.

Dan
 
See Picture below------------ You could use contractor stakes and make what you want..............or as in the picture I went to a welding shop and they made this round bar one for $5-$10...........not sure because they welded up all three while I waited but it cost very little.........
 

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Great. Two good ideas.

I had thought of both ideas. However, I had no idea if they were practical. I now know they are practical because you guys are using them.

Dan Mosley:

What steel did they use at the welding shop? Was it "plane Jane" cold roll or something harder? I have never had a real catch...just some mild catches that were no worse than a little tug and pull the tool sideways. However, bad enough it would have ruined the turning if it were even remotely near finished. Therefore I have never experienced the stress placed on a tool rest with a bad catch. Would that stress bend a cold roll cross bar?

Your photo makes the construction clear.

At least with a short tool rest a catch does not have much leverage to bend the horizontal portion of the rest.

Dan Mooney:

I will sure say this; when you answer a question, you REALLY answer a question. A great response.

Do you have problems with the turning tools putting little nicks or notches in the rest? Since you are using it, I assume the aluminum stands up under the stress of a catch.

Thanks again to both of you,

Enjoy,

JimB
 
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Jim, I've got a couple or three of the round bar tool rests, and I'm not real fond of them. I prefer for my tool rests to provide support closer to the workpiece, more like how the Robust rests are. Dan Mooney's rest looks nice, although I'd be bumping into the back side of it whenever I drop the handle of a gouge to get a shearing cut. If the front "blade" part of it was a bit taller I think it'd get the tool up and over the back side. (For tools that you hold level though, like the East Wood carbide tools, the back side wouldn't be a problem.

Most welding shops should be able to put something together for you pretty inexpensively. The construction stake idea is a new one to me, and it looks pretty workable. I've also seen some made with 1 1/2" or so angle iron. (Here again, I'd probably grind or cut some of the back side off to give better clearance when I drop the tool handle.)

As far as materials go, I think cold rolled steel (or anything harder) would work fine. Even cold rolled will likely need to be smoothed up from time to time. The one I use the most with my Powermatic is the cast iron one that came with it. As it gets dinged up, I just file and sand it smooth. Eli Avisera, a well-known Israeli turner, like to polish his tool rests with a bench-mounted buffer. I haven't tried that, but I like to rub paraffin wax on the edge of my tool rests to slick it up a bit.
 
Cold rolled and it was what was laying around the shop im sure. I also do not use it much as you can tell from the picture and use the one that came with my Jet lathe the most. Second, ill use the contractor stake made rests because I just like the feel and usually use them on larger turnings - mainly large bowls.

It is probably just a preference thing because I know people that use the round stock rests all the time and really like them - Maybe for the price you can get a few made like I did and just play around and see what you like the most............it sure is cheap enough
 
I have used both, round and cut down. The cut down may have the edge in preference since it allows getting closer to the work. My round was made by a local welding shop, they charged me $10.00. The cut down I made from a rest replacement I ordered from Grizzly and used an offset grinder/cutting wheel I got on a trade with another FW member. It works fine and total cost was under $10.00. Pick yer pizzen.
 
Frank,

I did not find any tool rests in my Grizzly Catalog except as extras for one of their lathes. The post diameter was not stated.

Enjoy,

JimB

[try again, I replied once and it vanished in the new system]
Correct. I ordered mine as a replacement part. Not expensive, if memory serves, it was only $8.00. Post size is correct for lathe in question. e.g. the 1" post on mine is less than 1". :eek:
 
Jim I had 4 of them made by my local welder using 5/8" round steel and I think he charged me $35. One had a s curve for inside bowls, a 4" and 8" then one that was offset. It had 3" on one side of the post and 6" on the other side. All of them have worked well for me. Keep them filed smooth and waxed.
 
Jim
Have you seen Woodcrafts "modular" tool rest? It consists of the purchase of one post and then they make several different rests that thread on to it. They are very reasonably priced and come in different configurations. The nice thing is if you find one doesnt work the way you expect you arent out a lot of money.....
I know this doesnt answer your original question but I thought I would mention it as a possible alternative.
 
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