Articulating tool-rest support? Keep or sell?

[Jamie Straw]

Quick decision to make here. My elder blue Jet lathe came with an articulating tool rest support. Is this a good idea to keep, or should I throw it in with the lathe when I sell it?? I have a couple of inside-the-bowl tool rests a friend gave me, if that has any bearing.

[Matt Hutchinson]

I would say "Send it along." Most of those kinds of rests have too much flex and vibration. I got to use a friend's articulating tool rest, and he had complained about difficulties bowl turning. His struggles were 100% due to that rest. I would stick with a one piece banjo and not look back. :)

Hutch

[David E Keller]

I've never used one, but I think Matt's advice is spot on.

[Jamie Straw]

Thanks, Hutch. I've got my eye on the bowl turning set on the following page. Like the idea of reversible and modular. Whadya think?
http://bestwoodtools.stores.yahoo.net/tbarmodtools.html

[David DeCristoforo]

"I would say "Send it along."

Send it along indeed. I have the original articulated arm that came with my old Rockwell lathe and while it looks really cool when it's set up, it ain't too solid. Even with it being heavy cast iron and all, anything heavier than a "barely touching the wood" cut sends it into vibration mode.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jamie,

If you were to research the archives here you would find a couple of reports of Creekers whose articulating toolrest/banjo broke on them. The articulating arm is the weak point.

I would definitely find an alternative.

[Matt Hutchinson]

As far as I know, that's a decent modular tool rest system. I have been tempted to get one myself, but I have no personal experience with them.

Another way to go is to have a welder do some work for you. A few rests of different sizes would be quite easy to make, and they shouldn't cost too much.

Hutch

[Thom Sturgill]

I haven't used one of the articulated rests, but have heard nothing good about them. One of the British turners (sorry can't remember who) at a symposium last year complained that any rest longer than 4" should be scrapped. He called a member of the audience over and had him place a finger on one end of the standard rest while he tapped on the other and the audience member admitted he could feel the vibration. He claimed that using the end of the rest was a major cause of chatter.

As to the modular system, I bought one of those, and while I liked it better than the factory rest (Jet 1220) I replaced it with a 'robust-style' rest. I like those so much that a pair were the first purchases when I upgraded the lathe. I would however consider the curved bowl rests. I bought only a straight one.