Setting the tool rest

[Walter Plummer]

Hello all. I am starting to do some spindle turning. I am finding contradictory information on what height to set the tool rest. My old books say more or less 1/8" above the centerline of the work. The newer books I have looked at say at or below. Is it just preference or does it vary tool to tool? Thanks for any help.

[Ron McKinley]

The skew and bedan will be cutting above center and near the top of the piece. The gouge should be cutting on centerline. ......Ron

[John Keeton]

Also consider that the angle of the tool needs to cause it to ride the bevel. So, there needs to be a correct combination of height and distance from the work. If your rest is too far from the spindle piece, you will lose your bevel - even if the rest is at the "right height."

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Hello all. I am starting to do some spindle turning. I am finding contradictory information on what height to set the tool rest. My old books say more or less 1/8" above the centerline of the work. The newer books I have looked at say at or below. Is it just preference or does it vary tool to tool? Thanks for any help.

Yes it depends on which tool you use, scraping tools or any tool you use in a scraping manner is used with the cutting/scraping edge at or below center on a spindle or the outside of a bowl.
Skews are most often used with the cutting edge above center, even quite a bit when doing planing cuts, spindle gouge is also used above center but usually only just so.
Then the other thing to remember is if the way you use the tool works for you, it is the right way, but these are the most often normal ways to use the turning tools, HTH :-))

[Bernie Weishapl]

As was said a lot of it depends on the tool you are using. I have mine above center line for skew and bedan. For the gouge right at center line.

[Walter Plummer]

Thanks everyone. I will try some different combinations and practice.