PM tool rest Mod.

[Gary Conklin]

A quick mod to my tool rest makes a world of difference. I did this (http://coeur-de-larbre.com/tool_rests.doc) to my PM tool rest tonight OMG like night and day.**** Attached link not my doc. or rests. All I did was epoxy the drill rod on my PM rest. The link is on Ray Lanhams site.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Gary nice job on the tool rests. I went with Robust because I just don't have time to make things right now. I will shortly.

[Ken Glass]

Gary,
Sweet modification. I like all three of them. Looks like they would work very well. Well done.

[Jeff Nicol]

Gary, Mine are in the works and I need to get them finished! I started on them a while ago, but the paying gigs keep getting in the way!! Thanks for sharing your ideas with the Creek, I am sure many will be making some improvements on there rests! I am off to the woods for 4 days of relaxation and deer hunting, so no work until next Monday!

Jeff

[Joe Mioux]

Finally, a low cost alternative to this seeminly bottomless pit of turning fun!

good idea.

[Rob Cunningham]

I was just doing some searching on this subject yesterday. Rather than drill rod or cold rolled steel,(both are soft and can ding), I found hardened steel rod at McMaster-Carr. You can get case hardened or full hardened in lengths from 3" to 96" so you can get the size to match your tool-rest. I think case hardened would be fine for this application and the prices are very good.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#precision-shafts/=4kk5gs

[Gary Conklin]

Rob, thanks for that info, I will remember that in the future. Pricing isn't to bad either, a bit more than the drill rod, but not bad.

[Richard Bell CA]

Rob:

Thanks for the link, I have been looking for something like this. I agree that the case hardened would be a good choice.

Gary:

I was thinking about doing the same thing to my Powermatic rest. Did you machine a groove to accept the rod, or did you simply epoxy the rod. How about a photo?

Thanks

Richard

[Moshe Eshel]

I was just doing some searching on this subject yesterday. Rather than drill rod or cold rolled steel,(both are soft and can ding), I found hardened steel rod at McMaster-Carr. You can get case hardened or full hardened in lengths from 3" to 96" so you can get the size to match your tool-rest. I think case hardened would be fine for this application and the prices are very good.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#precision-shafts/=4kk5gs

Why would I want it case-hardened? I think I would prefer to have my tool rest banged and nicked instead of risking a chance of my tools getting the same treatment instead... or am I missing the point here entirely? not such an expert on metals after all :confused:

[Gary Conklin]

Moshe, the tool steel that mot turning tools are made of won't get "banged up" the idea is that if your rest is banged up the tooling won't slide as easily or smoothly.

Richard, no groove just held the rod on with some magnets and ran a filet of epoxy in the V between the rest and the rod. I'll get some pics up in a few.

[Gary Conklin]

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P1010207.JPG
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P1010205.JPG
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P1010206.JPG

[Ryan Baker]

Drill rod will work fine ... you just have to harden/temper it first. Cold rolled is way too soft and will ding too easily (no improvement over the stock rest).