Curved tool rests?

[Dean Matthews]

Who has them? And were did you get them? I am wondering it they would help me out a bit.

[Steve Busey]

One source is highlandwoodworking dot com, go to woodturning, then lathes & accessories.

[Rich Stewart]

I got mine from PSI. 20 bucks. A real help when turning deep bowls and such.

[Dean Matthews]

One source is highlandwoodworking dot com, go to woodturning, then lathes & accessories.

Do you have any positive or negative experience with one over the other?

The OneWay style curved rest seems to be a good way to go. I have also seen the roundbar type as well.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dean,

I bought a set of Robert Sorby modular tool rests from the Cutting Edge. I only had a chance to use it once before tearing my lathe down and finishing my shop. YES! I found the curved one a real boon when turning bowls!

[Reed Gray]

If you turn bowls specifically, or anything else that has curved shapes, then you need curved tool rests. You will not have to adjust the banjo or tool rest nearly as much as you do if you have a curved rest. I have the ones from Oneway, the curved one for the outside of the bowl, and the one for big bowl insides. They used to make them long enough for the PM lathe but shortened the posts for their 16 inch lathe. I don't know if they will special make one for you with the longer post. I do like the bar shape as compared to the bent round stock. You get the actual resting point nearer the wood. For smaller bowls, I use the s curved one from Craft Supplies. It is cast iron, and works on both inside and outside. The one down side to it is that it has a broad hand support area which gets in the way if you are doing the shear cuts with your handle down, and the blade up. I don't use this cut so it doesn't matter to me.
robo hippy

[Dean Matthews]

One of the areas I have consistent issues with is the bottom of the bowl towards the wall.

One issue I have is that the bowl gouge handle get caught up in the lathe bed (using a Jet Mini) and the other is that I am often hanging off the tool rest.

Can't fix the lathe bed thing (short of a shorter handle) but I can fix the tool rest.

I think my biggest problem will be finding a rest that I like with the 5/8" post.

[Rich Stewart]

The one I described from PSI is a 5/8. Works great on my jet mini. Can't go wrong with it.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dean....You might consider the Robert Sorby or any of the modular rest systems. I bought mine and used it with my Jet Mini. Now my PM3520B is here and all I have to do is order a $12.00 new post and it will work on the PM3520B I have sitting in my shop in the crate. Later today I will be placing that order and hopefully later this week I'll set up that new lathe!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Dean I went down to my local welder and had them made. I had a set made for my Rikon out of 3/4" stock. One was a offset (3" on one side of the post and 6" on the other), a curved rest and a 4" rest for the small stuff. I am having a set made for my Nova out of 1" stock and the same as above. Cost me $75 for 6 of them.

[Dean Matthews]

I think Bernie has the right idea... but my spin would be that I would tell my wife I need to invest in the welding equipment so I could do it myself. =)

I've always wanted to learn how to weld. :D

[Steve Schlumpf]

Dean - I just posted a gloat a couple of days ago about my new tool rests (from Monster Tools) - one of which is a curved bowl rest. Haven't put the curved rest to use yet but I know it is going to work great! Just another option for you to consider.

[Hilel Salomon]

I've got the modular ones made by best tools (2 sets) and two sets made by John Lea. I like Lea's stuff better because it is rigid. You might try emailing him at Email: John.Lea@asu.edu.
I have the double straight and the deep curved sets from Lea.
Regards, Hilel.