If I had one complaint about the 3520b....

[Ben Pierce]

....it would be the tool rest clamp. Cheap little plastic handle is not harmonious with the quality of the rest of the machine. It's hard to get it tight enough on the tool rest post, and after a couple hours of turning, my palm is sore from handling the thing.

I'm not the most resourceful when it comes to machine parts--has anyone adapted a better handle?

[Fred Belknap]

Ben I use a double sided ratchet that I got in Tractor Supply. I put a hex head bolt in the opposite hole and tighten and it holds good. I have a 9/16"sockets on both sides so I just have to turn it over to go the opposite direction. Kind of nuisance but it works.

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

I use 2. I couldn't keep it from slipping either so I got a 2nd one. It seems to stay put with 2 most of the time. But I agree it is a disappointing feature.

[David Delo]

I could see that being a real annoyance but never had any type of slippage problem with mine. Don't seem to have to put any extra pressure to tighten or loosen.

[Hayes Rutherford]

Must be something new, mine is iron, beefy, and the tool post never slips.

[Jon Nuckles]

Agree with Hayes. Must be a recent change.

[Reed Gray]

On my A, I stripped the cheap pot metal in less than a year getting it tight enough to keep the tool rest from slipping. Replacement one went in less time than that. I had a friend make one similar to the handles on vices where it is like a T and the top of the handle slices through the vertical part. Worked much better. Back then, they had the end of the post, the part that goes up against the tool rest post, drilled out and a piece of brass inserted. No markings on the tool rest post.

robo hippy

[Mike Stephens]

Mine is also metal and came with 2.

[Justin Stephen]

Just double-checked mine when I got home. Mine is all-metal, lathe purchased 1/2013. However, if mine came with a spare, I don't know what happened to it. :)

I have definitely had mine slip from time to time, but only when I didn't tighten it well.

[Ben Pierce]

I was turning yesterday and looked more closely at the handle. It is indeed metal, but the way it's molded it has a big ridge on it. Could be smoothed off. I'm not sure why I thought it's plastic. The biggest problem is that it's too small for the leverage it needs. Mine doesn't slip either, when I tighten it well, but when you're adjusting it over and over again, it gets tiring. A more substantial handle, perhaps with a larger bulb on the end, would be an improvement IMO.

[hu lowery]

My lathe is a different brand and I definitely suffer from little plastic handles. I'm sure other big online hardware stores can provide the same things but McMaster Carr is my usual choice. They have metal handles with the repositioning feature, knobs and other handles too.

I think I'll find some straight shaft metal handles. Most of these have a ball on the end of the handle but I can cut the ball off and install a nice wooden handle of a size and shape to suit me. Do that to all of my tightening levers and then I have a lathe personalized to suit me. Might go with round knobs too, or "T" handles. Lots of options out there.

No idea where they come from initially but shooting benchrests are sometimes available with "arthritis knobs" big knobs with soft padding. If they didn't get in the way this may be the ticket for some of us. I sometimes have to move the lever from hole to hole to get it out of my way anyhow.

Just some thoughts, I don' got no 3520.

Hu

[Ben Pierce]

Thanks, Hu. Mcmaster looks like a great resource.