Robust Comfort Tool Rest vs Low Profile Tool Rest

[Edward Weingarden]

Is it just a matter of personal preference, or, does the low profile offer something that the other one doesn't? Thanks.

[Bob Bouis]

You can get your hand under the low profile more easily if you want to support the workpiece.

It's also more likely to clear the rim of a bowl in tight situations.

[Roger Chandler]

Bob mentions that the low profile allows you to have room underneath to extend a finger to the back side of a small spindle turning such as a finial to support the cut. Small diameter spindle turnings can snap in two in a heartbeat with no back support, because the pressure of the cut might be too heavy, so turners who do small spindles such as finials tend to put a finger on the backside of the turning and support a light cut equalizing the pressure from the cut and the finger support on the back.

I have both the comfort rest [15"] and two low profile rests [6" and 9"] the 6" allows me to get in close to the bottom of a bowl when finishing off the tenon to take the nub off ..........most of the time using a detail gouge that does not have much length any more these days. I use the 9" most often for general turning, but there are things that the 6" does best.

[terry mccammon]

I have some of both and find them mostly interchangeable until that occasion when one or the other is just right.

[David Gilbert]

I have 4, 6, and 9 inch low profile and 12 and 15" comfort tool rests. I use the low profile mostly (but not always) for spindle turning and the comfort ones for my larger bowls. The 9" low profile is probably my favorite of all of these. My suggestion is to buy a variety, you will love them.

Cheers,
David

[Robert Henrickson]

Low profile can help with spindle turning, especially spindles which are skinny for their length. Being able to reach around for support can be crucial. I have at least several of both types.

[John K Jordan]

Is it just a matter of personal preference, or, does the low profile offer something that the other one doesn't? Thanks.


Like others, I have the low profile in the smaller sizes, just purchased recently. I wondered the same thing and got the low-profile mostly to help get into tight spaces. So far, I'm extremely happy with all the rests (15", 9", 6", and 4"). With less steel the low profile version might be less sturdy but that might not matter much depending on the type of turning you do.

I do a lot of thin spindles that need the "left hand steady rest", but the lower profile rest doesn't matter the way I work. Unlike some, I don't reach under the rest to support the spindle. (The post gets in my way.) I put my thumb on the rest up against the skew chisel and curve the fingers on my left hand over the top of the spindle.

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I made a PDF file about this technique if someone is interested. Send a PM with an email address, it's about 660K.

JKJ

[Roger Chandler]

.... Unlike some, I don't reach under the rest to support the spindle. (The post gets in my way.) I put my thumb on the rest up against the skew chisel and curve the fingers on my left hand over the top of the spindle.JKJ

That is a great technique with a skew John. One cautionary note however......I have seen a couple of injuries, and heard of a few others, where turners got their fingers caught between the toolrest and the spindle, and the results were not too pretty. Every finger must be anchored to either the skew, the wood or the rest out of the way. One member of our turning club got hurt this way a few years ago, and in the safety section of the meeting, he passed out a handout with the title "Don't get between the bear and its groceries!" It was because he got his fingers mangled, and he lives in a wooded area just over the state line in WVA, and frequently has bears visit his home.......I guess he made his point with the safety talk, as no one else has had a situation like his since.

An experienced turner such as yourself certainly has this down pat, and second nature, but do you think your technique shown in the above pics should be reserved to small, thin diameter spindle work, and not anything over about 1.5 inches? Perhaps newbies should have someone experienced to show them the ropes the first time or two?

[Edward Weingarden]

Great info on the tool rests as well as technique. Thanks.

[John K Jordan]

That is a great technique with a skew John. One cautionary note however......I have seen a couple of injuries, and heard of a few others, where turners got their fingers caught between the toolrest and the spindle, and the results were not too pretty. Every finger must be anchored to either the skew, the wood or the rest out of the way. ...
An experienced turner such as yourself certainly has this down pat, and second nature, but do you think your technique shown in the above pics should be reserved to small, thin diameter spindle work, and not anything over about 1.5 inches? Perhaps newbies should have someone experienced to show them the ropes the first time or two?

Roger,

Thanks for the warning. I have certainly thought about that and believe me, I am VERY careful. But I think you are right, people with little experience should be warned about the finger danger, especially with bigger, heavier, and stronger wood such as the hoe handle I mention below. Same thing with long hair, long sleeves, beards, fluffy bodices, licking the turning wood, whatever. I believe I'll address the safety issues when I update my tutorial file.

When I discussed this same spindle method on another forum some years ago some people thought it was irresponsible to even mention in case a new turner tried something unreasonable and got hurt. But I pointed out that several professional and well respected woodturners have taught this method and even published it in their books.

As you questioned, I do think the risk with very thin spindles is almost nothing since most of those I do will almost break by looking at them too hard. Just kidding, but turned this thin, any issue results in the wood just falling away instantly and harmlessly. Some of these issues: a catch, the thin wood riding up over the tip of a gouge, bumping something from inattention, too much force (heavy cuts), twisted grain, bug holes or other defects, squeezing too hard with sandpaper, over-tightening the tailstock.

You may notice from the photos that I don't actually curve my fingers around the wood but hold them almost straight behind the spindle, pointed down. As you noted, anchoring the thumb firmly on top of the tool rest and against the skew helps to keep the whole hand and then the fingers in a safe position. If someone curved fingers all the way around and back towards the rest or actually grabbed the spinning wood, then yes, he may be risking an injury.

Also, notice that the tool rest is back a bit from the wood, probably allowing enough room to wrap the fingers around and stick them up into the gap. I haven't tried this but intuition suggests not doing this! I move the tool rest way back or remove it completely when sanding and finishing. I apply finish with little 1"x2" cotton strips, also perfectly safe although they are made from the otherwise horrifically dangerous woven cloth!

I've had people concerned about getting stabbed with the skew too, but I don't think that is a problem either. If you DID have a catch (and I think a catch is almost impossible planing like this) the skew would be moved back until the wood broke, which would be almost instantly. The important thing for this technique is as I believe Richard Raffan said, any pressure with the tool should be VERY light. If the supporting hand, for example, gets hot, you are using way too much force with the tool. For spindles this size, they would probably be broken by then anyway! (I did some to show at a recent club demo that were very flexible, tapered from 1/2" to 1/16" over about 26 inches, turned from soft white pine shelving board from Home Depot, using the "left hand steady rest" of course. Good fun!)

Caveat: Like anything in woodturning, there are risks and none of us should attempt or practice something he (or she) is not comfortable with.

All that said, I did turn one recently that was 54" long from a piece of maybe 2" dry hickory, using the same technique. Now THAT one would rip your fingers off if you tended to zone out and lose concentration while turning or turned while intoxicated. With a turning one like this I am careful to keep fingers straight behind the spindle, and again, use a VERY light cut. This one definitely would have benefited from a steady rest. I make handles for shovels and other things for the farm so maybe I should build a steady rest some day.

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BTW, if anyone wants to turn thin spindles but isn't comfortable with a skew, a gently curved roughing gouge works well too.

And BTW-2, my shop in East TN is always open and area turners or wanna-bees or people just passing through are welcome to visit. We are close to the junction of the major N/S and E/W interstates, I-40 and I-75. We can play with skews, spindles, sharpening, wood processing, welding, beekeeping, anything of interest! I keep at least two lathes ready to go.

JKJ