Lathe Tool Rests need some help here

...This smacks you in the face when you turn a bowl or hollow vessel around for coring and the outer surface now needs major work...

Although it's definitely a contributing factor, I wouldn't blame all of that on mis-alignment of the headstock and tailstock. Even though the headstock and tailstock on my Powermatic align perfectly, I'd say about 90% of the pieces that I reverse (bowls and hollow vessels) need to be re-trued once I put them in the chuck. And the bigger the diameter, the more likely it will need re-truing.
 
Vaughn,

You are right of course especially when green wood turning to a finished product as I have often done. However I have repeatedly trued my headstock and tailstock, tightened the camlock down as much as possible, then found massive error when I turn the blank around. Checking point to point again I find 1/4" offset or more. It is maybe a sixteenth off vertically too which I haven't fought with considering the other issues.

One reason I have gotten away from trying to rough large out of balance bowl blanks is that I noticed with the cam lock tightened as much as possible and the fairly loose fitting pin dropped through the hole to lock orientation of the headstock it was oscillating quite a bit, something in the neighborhood of an eighth or more at the base. Considering that the piece I am working on is considerably further out from the axis than the base of the headstock, that roughly eighth inch again translates into a huge amount at the other end of the work piece. Fed up with this beast to be honest, may have to try to make an adapter for my cue lathe to hold the Talon chuck. One thing for sure, the bed and headstock of my cue lathe is more stable than the Craftsman is thanks to a couple of large pieces of 1/2" thick cold roll I added to the base for it!

For one reason or another I haven't turned in weeks. Just realized it is time to quit bellyaching and go turn something like a spaghetti western, good, bad, or ugly, very likely good, bad, and ugly!

Hu
 
Yeah, a 1/4" is like a mile in lathe alignment terms. I can see how that would be frustrating as all get out. My Sears lathe actually held alignment pretty well, but maybe I got lucky.
 
I bought a Oneway banjo for my Jet 1642 and I am having trouble because with the rest I have now....the same ones I currently use including the one that came with it on the Jet 1642 the banjo is 1 1/2" taller...I have tried all of my rest and getting a low profile one is not going to change it that much either. I just got this banjo.They say it is for the 16" lathes. I am lost as to what to do. Returning it would be costly ...
 
I bought a Oneway banjo for my Jet 1642 and I am having trouble because with the rest I have now....the same ones I currently use including the one that came with it on the Jet 1642 the banjo is 1 1/2" taller...I have tried all of my rest and getting a low profile one is not going to change it that much either. I just got this banjo.They say it is for the 16" lathes. I am lost as to what to do. Returning it would be costly ...

I'd call Oneway and see what they suggest. Surely you're not the first Jet 1642 owner to buy one of their banjos.
 
This was their sugestion they emailed me Friday

Hello Michael,
That is our 16 inch banjo. I guess the problem is that our banjo and the toolrest from your lathe don’t want to play nicely together. We have a couple of options.

1) Different toolrest.

2) Machine off the top of the banjo. You can safely cut it down to the top of the silvery disc on the front. This might give you enough height, it would be easy for you to measure and decide if that would get it low enough. We could machine it down for a nominal charge or you could have it done locally. Shipping would probably be more than machining so local would be your best bet.

3) Return it for a refund if neither of those options are accectable.

Let me know what you decide.
 
Mike,
if the height problem is because the post is taller, could you cut the bottom of the post enough to allow it to fit... I have a couple of posts that I had to cut to fit my 14" lathe.... I have Rockler's upside down saber saw... don't remember what it's call at the moment, but it's essentially just that, and I put a metal cutting blade in and cut about an inch off of a couple posts for tool rests... then used the grinder to smooth the end to fit in the post slot. I would think that easier and cleaner than machining off the top of the tool rest.
 
You don't really say in describing the problem, but I'm guessing the bottom of your tool rest is hitting the top of the banjo. Shortening the tool rest post won't have any effect on it. But Oneway gave you two viable options to fix the problem. I'd say measure the height of the existing tool rest, decide how much lower you want it, and either get a new (lower profile) tool rest to fit or shorten the top of the banjo. (I've read of others successfully shortening the top, so it's not unheard of.)
 
Yes the post is not too tall or long.The bottom of the rest is hitting the top of the banjo.it is all the way down but the post still has room to go further if it wasnt hitting the top of the banjo..I dont think a low profile rest is going to drop it 1 1/2" but I have never had one...Oneway suggest shortening ,cutting the top of the banjo down to the silvery disk .The silvery disk has 4 screws in it on the front of the banjo and has the handle that tightens the toolrest which goes through the silvery disk....Cutting down to it only removes 3/8"..I am usually pretty good on things like this but Im puzzled on this one..Thanks for all the help guys.There's got to be a solution.
 
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