Tool Rest Opinions Please

[Roland Martin]

As a lot of you know by now, I recently purchased a Jet 1642. A 14" tool rest came with the lathe, and I bought a threaded post and a 4" round rest from WC.
For my previous lathe, I bought a threaded post and a curved rest for the inside of bowls from PSI, a real piece of junk IMO. PSI has some good stuff, but this rest isn't one of them. Decent rests seem to be pricey, so I would really like to have fellow creeker's opinions on which ones are liked and disliked. Thanks

[Reed Gray]

For the bowl rests, I like the Oneway big rests, inside and outside. The inside rest does have some bounce when you are out on the end of it. I will eventually see about welding one of the support fingers from their coring system to the under side of it to stiffen it up. I think Brent English should make ones like that with the drill rod on them. The drill rod is almost frictionless and can be heated, then bent, then tempered again. Brent said it would make the cost in the $100 range, which to me is well worth it. I don't like the round bar stock tool rests. They just don't feel right to me. It isn't being a little farther away from the wood, some thing else, but I don't know what. Cast iron rests tend to have more friction than steel bar ones.

robo hippy

[Roland Martin]

Thanks Reed, I don't yet have an opinion on the round bar rest, have'nt used it enough.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Roland - like everything else in turning - different things for different folks.

My everyday tool rest is an offset round bar from Monster Tools. Once I received it, I haven't used the stock Jet rest since.
http://monster-lathe-tools.com/cart.php?target=product&product_id=276&category_id=66

I also have a modular set form Woodcraft that I initially had on my old lathe and just upgraded the post. It has the steel rod on top and I use it when I turn finials so I can get in close to the wood.
http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2000391/2069/Tool-Rest--Straight--4.aspx

I also have their S rest and found it was terrible to use for bowls as the junction where the post screwed into the rest always got in the way! I did find that it was perfect to use when hollowing as I could support the system with the large S portion of the rest and use the small section as an arm rest at the same time.
http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2000391/10533/S-Bowl-Rest.aspx

I also have a couple of rests that a guy in our turning club made using flat steel bar stock. Work OK but not as smooth as my Monster!

[Roland Martin]

Steve, I checked out the Monster Tool site, seems to be a neat set-up. When you get a chance sometime, could you let me know what size bar & offset that seems to work for you? No rush, by any means. Being offset, I imagine it works decent on bowls, to a certain degree?

[Wally Dickerman]

I've had the Delta curved rest for a long time and like it. It's a bit beefier than most, which makes it more solid. I have one in both right and left hand configuration. Also, the Delta isn't as pricey as some inferior ones.

They make smaller models for the mini's.

Wally

[Bill Bolen]

I bought the 12" round bar stock curved rest from Robust. Works well and gives a bunch of support. I also bought their 9" straight rest and find I use it the most. Good stuff, decent price...Bill..

[John Tomasello jr]

My favorite is the one robust I have the rest are deltas

[dan carter]

i like the cast s-curve tool rest that cusa sells.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Lathe_Accessories___Tool_Rests___S_Curve_Bowl_Rest ___s_curve_rest?Args=

it is heavy and i don't notice as much vibration as i do from my 1" round tool rest.

[David E Keller]

I just got a two new rests from a poster on the IAP forum. He's listed in the classifieds there, and the price was great. I got two posts and three cross bars shipped for around 75 or 80 bucks. He only offers straight rests, but they are very nice. The rests are modular so you can change out the cross bar piece. It's the nicest rest I've ever used, and it's made a huge difference in my turning.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Roland - that's a 12" bar with a 4" offset. I also have a rest that Randy made that extends into the bowl - forgot to mention it.

http://monster-lathe-tools.com/cart.php?target=product&product_id=318&category_id=66

[Roland Martin]

Thanks Steve and all the input everybody has given. I really feel no need to re-invent the wheel when there is a proven source at my fingertips. Again, thanks for all the info and help freely given here.

[Reed Gray]

I also have the s curved tool rest from CUSA. I like it fine but.... One it is cast iron, and the tools don't slide over it as well. Two, if you are doing a shear finish cut with the gouge on the outside of the bowl, you have to drop the handle, and this tool rest is very wide and gets in the way, especially the bump where the tool post screws into the bottom. This isn't a problem for me as I use a scraper for this task.

I did talk to Brent about his deep bowl tool rest, and he said his bounces a bit when you are working on the tip as well.

robo hippy

[Bill Blasic]

I know that I'm in the minority but I'm not fond of the Robust tool rest. I like the cast iron rest as it just has better feel for me than the Robust. I use the Robust on occasion but mostly lend it out to my fellow club members to help them decide whether to buy one or not. That way they can make their own decisions without my input.
Bill

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Roland...I use the Robert Sorby modular system with a 6" straight and the inside curved bowl rest. Works great. When I upgraded from a Jet 1014 VS to a PM3520B it was just a matter of buying a new center post and get on with it.

[Mike Minto]

I recently purchased the complete Sorby modular toolrest system. While I like it once assembled (and I just knew this would be the case) it is a pain to take a crossbar off, screw in another, have it work loose, tighten it, yada yada yada. I'll probably keep the curved rests, epoxy them into the stems and get a different straight rest. FYI.

[Bob Hallowell]

As said everyone is different. My favorites are cheap ones I made out of 2"x2" 1/4" angle with a 1"post. made three lenghts for $20. drilled and tapped then added jb weld for extra support and they work great. I like them because I can place my fingers up against the rest to hold the tool for fine detail.

Bob