Some Really Nice Tool Rests (pics)

[Bill Grumbine]

Greetings all

It has been a while since I posted any pics of anything, and these beauties just arrived, so I thought I would post some pictures of them.

I have really be enjoying my Vega bowl lathe, but it needed a couple more tool rests to maximize its potential. So, I emailed Randy at monster-wood-tool.com and ordered up a couple of his tool rests.

<img src= "http://www.enter.net/~ultradad/superiortoolrest01.jpg">

This is the 12" straight rest. I ordered it with a 4"/8" offset for those occasions when I want that long reach into the bottom of a bowl. The post is 1 1/4" for the Vega and the rest itself is 1" in diameter.

<img src= "http://www.enter.net/~ultradad/superiortoolrest02.jpg">

This is the bowl rest. It is fairly close in radius to the BWT curved rest that I have on the Poolewood, but it is a lot heavier at 1" in diameter compared to 3/4".

I haven't had a chance to take them for a spin (so to speak), but they look like they are going to be real nice in use.

Bill

[Jim Becker]

Those look extraordinarily well made, Bill.

[Ernie Nyvall]

Nice tool gloat Bill. I've been to that site and he does make some nice stuff. Gonna have to be thinking about some myself for my new lathe.

Ernie

[Travis Stinson]

Those look very well made. I'm going to try to roll my own. If my hack-job welding doesn't cut it, I'll be giving Randy a shout;) .

[John Hart]

Very nice! I've been looking for exactly what you've shown Bill. They look like I can't afford them though! :(

[Dick Parr]

Those look great Bill. Thanks for posting.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Bill they look great and well made.

[Dominic Greco]

Bill,
Thanks for emailing me the contact information for ordering these tool rests.

A note to all: I was lucky enough to see these tool rests in person. They are extremely well machined and are VERY hefty. I doubt I could fabricate anything like this with my resources. And so far, no after market tool rests I've seen can match these.

When Bill emailed me the URL (http://www.monster-wood-tool.com/wst_page5.php), I immediately went to that website and looked over what this gentlemen had to offer. I recommend that you do the same.

The 1" dia x 12" long "Super Bar" retails for $69.95. The curved Super Bowl Rest retails for $76.50.

[Gary DeWitt]

Hefty looking tool rests, alright. I looked up that lathe earlier today and, yup, want one of those someday, too.
Any thoughts on round rests compared to edged rests, as far as being able to get closer to the work?
Also, I'm curious if anyone has ever nicked a hss tool rest with a hss tool. I'm getting real tired of filing the cast iron one (why would anyone build a rest out of cast iron??!) but if I'm gonna spend that much, I'd like to know if they're going to last. I don't have the equipment to smooth out a nick in hss, since it can't be filed.

[Jeffrey Smith]

I've got several of his rests and love them. I also have his bowl sanders and they are top quality also. IMHO they are worth every penny you'll pay for them.

[Gary DeWitt]

Thanks, Jeffrey. I liked everything I saw on that guy's site. I'm still turning on a small lathe, but when I upgrade, I'll probably spring for one of everything he sells. In the meantime, I'm considering adding a small bar of HSS to the top of the rest I have.

[tod evans]

pretty nice bill! heres a 5 min. hillbilly rig

28775

[John Hart]

Tod...how you you have that inserted?

[Glenn Clabo]

I won't get involved...I won't get involved...I won't get involved...in this spinning wood stuff.

[tod evans]

john, it`s just a piece of angle clamped to the factory rest, nothing fancy at all.......

[John Hart]

That's pretty cool Tod! Glenn might want to get involved....but I sense he's on the fence.:D I might have to try that.

My rest is too short too often....

Hmmm...Ok, I could say something crude right there...but I won't.:p

[Carole Valentine]

I won't get involved...I won't get involved...I won't get involved...in this spinning wood stuff.

Ha! You're here aren't you? You are already lost...accept the fact and get on with it.:D:D:D

[Andy Hoyt]

I won't get involved...I won't get involved...I won't get involved...in this spinning wood stuff.

Glenn - Subs and missiles are round and spinny looking too. You should be right at home:D

[Bill Stevener]

Hefty looking tool rests, alright. I looked up that lathe earlier today and, yup, want one of those someday, too.
Any thoughts on round rests compared to edged rests, as far as being able to get closer to the work?
Also, I'm curious if anyone has ever nicked a hss tool rest with a hss tool. I'm getting real tired of filing the cast iron one (why would anyone build a rest out of cast iron??!) but if I'm gonna spend that much, I'd like to know if they're going to last. I don't have the equipment to smooth out a nick in hss, since it can't be filed.

This may shed some light on your question about the cast iron tool rest.
A mild steel, as in cold rolled round stock will hold up some what better than the cast, however still requires attention at times. If the dressing of the cast rest annoys you, purchase a length of HY80 steel and affix it to your rest. You will never nick or mar it, however you best bone up on dressing up your tools. Best to maintain the rest, than additional work added to the sharpening of the tool. The choice is yours, one or the other will scratch, nick, dent and or abrade. Try honing, just a bit, by taking the edge off of your tools, this helps a lot.

Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>:)

[Bill Grumbine]

Hefty looking tool rests, alright. I looked up that lathe earlier today and, yup, want one of those someday, too.
Any thoughts on round rests compared to edged rests, as far as being able to get closer to the work?
Also, I'm curious if anyone has ever nicked a hss tool rest with a hss tool. I'm getting real tired of filing the cast iron one (why would anyone build a rest out of cast iron??!) but if I'm gonna spend that much, I'd like to know if they're going to last. I don't have the equipment to smooth out a nick in hss, since it can't be filed.

Hi Gary

Sorry to be so long in responding. The new year brought some petty vandalism to my shop and I was busy with a police report and building a window. Then I was busy sitting in a dark shop with my S&W .357 and a spotlight waiting to see if it was more than just a kid breaking windows. Nothing last night, but I had two window problems over the past three nights, so I will try again tonight. The shop is alarmed, but that just tells me someone is in there. The cops' response time around here is about 30 minutes for something serious, and can be hours if it isn't.

Every tool rest I have ever owned has needed some maintenance. Even a round bowl gouge will cause some dimpling eventually due to the pounding it gives the rest. Cast iron rests are the worst in my opinion. I think they come with the lathes because they are cheap and easy to make. It is sort of like buying a $2000 table saw and it comes with a $5.00 blade.

If I need to do very close delicate work, a round tool rest is not always the best choice. I have a couple of angle iron rests made by a neighbor years ago, but even with a drill rod for the top edge, they get dinged too, especially from scrapers and skews. I sand all my rests from time to time with 320 or 400 grit paper, and I wax them on a regular basis.

For most of my work, I prefer the round rests. I can get them deeper into bowls than most other designs, and because they are round, I can move the tool around a lot easier to get different angles. The one place I find them truly deficient is if I need to get in close on the face of a large turning. Then the banjo gets in the way because the rest does not project out far enough to get it close.

As far as the lathe itself goes, if you don't need one for spindles (long spindles that is), you would probably never look back once you got one in the shop. :D

Bill

[Bill Grumbine]

pretty nice bill! heres a 5 min. hillbilly rig

28775

Tod, is that a T-124 I see there in the picture? I owned one for a while, but got rid of it since the job for which I bought it did not pan out. I replaced it with the Vega, which is a lot more fun as far as I am concerned.

Bill

[Gary DeWitt]

Bill,
Thanks so much for the long reply. It's experience like your talking that makes forums like this so valuable to all of us.
Sorry to hear about the vandal, I hope you don't have to shoot some idiot. And make sure he's armed if you do. The DAs are real picky about stuff like that.
I know one gun range owner who got so tired of being burglarized, he rigged his place to maim anyone who came in. He found blood, but never saw the guy or had a problem after that. I happen to like small antique animal traps, they've been effective in driving off unwanted "visitors" in the past. I know you have more than one building to protect, you might give these a thought. Good luck and keep us posted.

[tod evans]

Bill,

I know one gun range owner who got so tired of being burglarized, he rigged his place to maim anyone who came in. He found blood, but never saw the guy or had a problem after that. I happen to like small antique animal traps, they've been effective in driving off unwanted "visitors" in the past. I know you have more than one building to protect, you might give these a thought. Good luck and keep us posted.


pungi sticks:)

[tod evans]

bill, yes it`s a 124. most of the turning i do anymore is furniture parts and i`m not ashamed to cheat at all :) i envy your polewood, someday i`ll try more artistic stuff but for now beans are what`s important.
tod

[John Hart]

pungi sticks:)

You know...you can poison those too! Doubly effective! ;)