Material for Tool Rest?

[Steve H Graham]

I'm going to need a tool rest for wood turning on the metal lathe. Wondering if I can get some pointers on the material.

I would guess that you want a steel that's fairly hard so the HSS will not dig into it and get stuck. Is that right?

I have a scrap pry bar. They're pretty hard, so I'm thinking I could cut the ends off and use it for a rest.

[Steve H Graham]

It would also be useful to know the desired height range for a tool rest.

[Marvin Hasenak]

You need to design and build your banjo first. I would find a piece of sheet steel, about 3/8 to 1/2" thick, about 2" wide and 12" long. Down the middle of the this cut a slot a slot 9/16" wide leaving 1/2" at each end solid, this will be where you bolt it to the ways . On one end of the mill out a 1.1" diameter hole, on this end I welded a piece of 2" length of pipe with the ID a hair bigger than 1". On the piece of pipe you need to drill and tap a hole for a bolt so you can tighten the tool rest. I used I believe a 3/8" bolt for this and heated and bent for a handle.

That will be your banjo, you will still need a piece of plate with a 5/16" hole in it, this goes below the ways and a 1/2" bolt long enough to bolt this in place.

The tool rest, use 1" steel rod, for cross bars or T, I use 5/8" rod welded to the 1" upright. Make one 6", 8" and 12" long. You want the 1" rod with the 5/8" crossbar to be approximately height of the centerline of the turning axis. You can adjust the height with the banjo by loosening the 3/8" bolt you drill and tapped in the piece of 1" ID pipe.

I would make only one tool rest to start, then make the others as you see the need for them. I would shoot pics but I no longer have this set up. Every measurement is really a guess estimate of what I think I used, you may want to double check everything before proceeding.

[Thom Sturgill]

Many wood turning tools rests are cast iron and require constant filing. Newer designs use 1/4" or so drill rod welded (or JB Welded) to a support. Look at Robust for an example.

[Steve H Graham]

Thanks for the help. I will keep referring to this as I work.

I decided to make the lower parts of the tool rest out of wood, to avoid gouging up the lathe ways. My plan is to make the slotted part from steel and screw it down firmly to the wood. We'll see if that works.

I had some live oak lying around, as the result of some tree-trimming. I know it's not good for anything fancy, but I am hoping I will be able to use it for these crude pieces, since it's free. I cut the shapes out just now, and unless they twist hideously, I will screw them together tomorrow.

[Steve H Graham]

Thanks for the drill rod tip.

I was thinking about making an aluminum rest with a long cavity to hold drill rod. I could then thread a long piece of drill rod for a couple of screws, harden it, and screw it to the rest. I have a lot of tool steel I'm not using.