Why Robust Tool Rests Better?

[Steve Mathews]

Robust tool rests are often claimed as being the best. What makes them the best?

[Bob Bouis]

Mostly it's because the surface the tool rides on is hardened so it won't be dented by turning tools. Makes a big difference.

Otherwise they're just generally very nicely made and well designed. Robust also will repair or replace the rests for free, for life, which is nice.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Steve - like anything having to do with tools - it is a matter of personal preference. I have tool rests from multiple manufacturers, including some home-made ones but my go-to is a 9" low profile Robust tool rest. I like it best because it is strong, doesn't vibrate and the design makes it so the actual rest doesn't get in my way while turning. Also, the drill rod on top of the rest has never taken a ding - no matter how much I get bounced around when roughing.

[Bob Bergstrom]

When I upgraded from a 3520 to an American Beauty I kept the 15" cast iron tool rest and put the 15" Robust on the Powermatic. I have a 9" Robust and love it, but I turn quite a few large bowls and the 15" Robust just doesn't have enough support when roughing out big bowls. The 15" Powermatic is very stout and does not vibrate.

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

The best is really a relative term. Until one actually tries everyone on the market it's hard to say one is the best. Also what's best for one person does not necessarily mean it's the best option for everyone. This is the case for many tools not just tool rest.
I'm a meat cutter by trade and people always ask me what's the best steak. By that some people mean the leanest healthiest steak others mean the most tender or flavorful steak. Believe me there's a huge difference between the two.
Another example is turkeys a lot of people think that Butterball turkeys are the best. This is because they spend the most on advertising and have the best marketing. Again not necessarily the best turkey.
Now back to topic The Robust tool rest are in my opinion a great tool rest. However tool rest by Advanced Lathe tools ( a little known small business with little advertising) also makes great heavy duty tool rest with a hardened rod top, check them out too.

[Michael Schneider]

I was ready to put in an order to Advanced Lathe tools when I received a couple of Vicmarc's as gifts. They also have the hardened steel and a 30mm post. Note: both Robust and Advanced Lathe tools will make toolsrests with a 30mm post if you have a vic and prefer another type).

[Bill ThompsonNM]

And for reference, note that the Nova modular tool rest also has a hardened top rod. Three sizes of posts with three lengths of tool rests to fit many uses. Now why my Nova Galaxi didn't come with these tool rests is unfathomable to me.

[Roger Chandler]

I have 7 Robust rests. Ordered them to replace my factory cast iron rest. I have snapped two cast iron rests off at the post [one on my former G0698, an one on my former Craftsman 15" Vs lathe] because I was way out on the end of the rest doing tight in work with a detail or bowl gouge, got a catch, and the post snapped. Won't happen with a steel post and welded rest like the Robusts! I also have round bar rests from Bestwood Tools, but by far the my go to are the Robust rests........I have inside curve, outside curve, J-rest, low profile in 6 & 9 inch sizes, and comfort rests as well. Nothing better that I have used, including the Powermatic rests. I have turned on 11 different PM 3520b's to date, and some of those multiple times.
The hardened drill rod makes for a smoother glide across the top for cuts, and resists dings and dents that have to be filed away on cast iron rests.

[Jeramie Johnson]

Design is also key. The offset of the hardened rod on top to get the support closer to the spinning object on the bowl rests was crucial in my review. I too have a few rests, but recently added 3 more Robusts to my arsenal.

[John K Jordan]

Robust tool rests are often claimed as being the best. What makes them the best?

After I tried the Robust on good recommendation from trusted friends I bought a variety of sizes from 4" to 15" and now that's all I normally use.

I like the small-diameter (1/4" I think) hardened rod on the top. I like the design which puts the rod very close to the wood. I like the curvature of the support and the slick finish which lets my left hand glide smoothly down the rest for clean cuts with a skew or gouge. No more filing the nicks out of cast iron and waxing. Robust also has an unconditional, no-questions-asked replacement policy if you should have a problem.

I have several rests from Best Wood Tools which use (I think) a 3/4" diameter round rod as the horizontal support. I find these horrible for many things since you can't get the support point close to the wood. I have several heavy duty cast iron rests that I don't like nearly as well for reasons mentioned above - the casting is not smooth and doesn't allow a continuous glide. I have several other rests I used to like a lot until I bought the Robust.

I like the Robust rests this much: I did a demo last night at a local club I took two with me rather than risk having to use what was there. Turns out they had Robust rests too. In fact, most of the better turners I know have a Robust rest or two now.

No opinion is entirely useful without qualifications. I like to turn mostly smaller things with fine detail, long spindles, boxes, platters, and other things from dry wood. I especially love the 4" rest for small work and the 15" rest is perfect for longer spindles, bowls, and wide platters. I seldom turn bowls from big green blanks after getting bored with how easy they were. If I did regularly attack 60 lb chunks of wood with a bowl gouge I maybe I would prefer a more massive rest for that.

BTW, Brent English, the founder of Robust Lathes is approachable and stands behind everything they make. I don't know if he reads SMC but he does respond on some other forums. Someone recently had a problem with an old rest (the early rods were epoxied on instead of welded and some broke loose) and Brent responded with this: "THE REST ARE 100% GUARANTEED. If this happens to you or you bend one because you got a big catch, just return it for replacement. NO QUESTIONS ASKED. Just be sure to provide your return address. Brent English, Robust Tools. "

This article might be of interest:
http://kurthertzog.com/articles/wtd44behindthescenes18red.pdf

JKJ

[Steve Mathews]

Thanks for the comments everyone. Haven't decided on the sizes yet but I will be ordering a few Robust tool rests to try out. It's hard to ignore the glowing recommendations just about everywhere you turn.

John - Thanks for the link to the Robust write-up. You're killing me though because now I want a Robust lathe. Not only do I appreciate quality tools and manufacturing it's special when there's a good story associated with it, both of which is usually lacking with the large manufacturers or companies that just commission the manufacture of their products.

[John K Jordan]

...You're killing me though because now I want a Robust lathe....

I'd like one too. But too rich for me. Besides, five lathes ought to be enough.

JKJ

[Adam Petersen]

I have the Nova modular rests with the "hardened" bar on top. It didn't take me long to nick it. So apparently "hardened" is a relative term. They also project some vibration. I've actually taken back out my cast iron stock rest and my homemade 1" round bar rests some more lately. I prefer the shape of the Nova, but I think it doesn't have the mass to absorb much and the bar on top is not as hard as I thought it would be.

[Ralph Lindberg]

Interestingly I saw Robo's prototypes for his new tool rests at the Oregon symposium, while obviously inspired by Robust they were improved in several ways I really liked
I'm looking forward to when Reed gets them done and on the market.

[Steve Mathews]

Interestingly I saw Robo's prototypes for his new tool rests at the Oregon symposium, while obviously inspired by Robust they were improved in several ways I really liked
I'm looking forward to when Reed gets them done and on the market.

What were the improvements?

[Brice Rogers]

I think that my favorite tool rest is my copy of the Robust comfort rest. It is made out of hot roll steel without the hardened bar on top. Some day I may attach a drill rod to the top. But it hasn't got too dinged up from roughing. I file it briefly once a year. I also have made some curved rests for bowls, a "diving platform" one to go into hollow forms, a round bar one and a few narrow ones to get into coves. All are welded steel.

My least favorite tool rest is the 14" cast iron one that came with the Griz. lathe. I periodically read of people who have broken a cast iron tool rest. It apparently is not uncommon. But I've never read of someone breaking a steel tool rest. Personally, I think that the use of cast iron for a tool rest (especially the larger ones) is a very poor application. Cast iron is very brittle. The only reason for using cast iron is it is cheap and easy to cast. The first iron bridges used cast iron members. After several bridges collapsed (for the same basic reason why CI tool rests break) they went up the technology curve to reduce the carbon content needed to produce steel.

[Steve Mellott]

I also have the Nova modular tool rest system with the "hardened tops." Mine are also quite dinged after several months use. The flexibility and price of this system are very good, but the quality - not so good.

[Jeramie Johnson]

Interestingly I saw Robo's prototypes for his new tool rests at the Oregon symposium, while obviously inspired by Robust they were improved in several ways I really liked
I'm looking forward to when Reed gets them done and on the market.

What were the improvements?

I am curious also, as I have his roborest for the grinder. His site still states "coming soon"

Maybe he can give us a sneak peak, if it does not break forum rules.

[Brice Rogers]

I really like the shape of my Robust comfort rest - - it is a homemade look-alike. I was trying to use it for doing shear cuts using a skew to turn a pen. At about 9" long, it is too big to get real close to the pen blank. I didn't like the overhang from that situation.

So I made a new one that is 5-1/2" long and is the same basic shape as its big brother. The only difficulty I had was in making the welds look nice. They are strong but I wanted them pretty. Luckily I have a grinder. :D

357939