Tool Rests for a 3520

[Jim Evans]

I've got my 3520 on order but I did not buy the curved tool rests. This leads me to a couple questions.

Should I have bought the curved rests form Powermatic?

If not, does anyone have any recommendations on a good system?

I've seen several with different configurations that look good on a website and in catalogs but not sure how they work in real life.
I've been burnt before believing all the glowing words in a catalog thinking this is what I need.

Thanks for the help.

[Larry Marley]

Hi Jim,
I have the curved tool rest from Powermatic. It was bundled with my 3520B. I am not a huge fan. The casting and machining is crude. The angel of the rest is just awkward. It is a little thick for smaller bowls. I want a curved rest that is very smooth for both the tool and my fingers.

looking forward to some good advice on this..

Larry

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jim,

My first lathe was a Jet VS Mini. While in Houston last summer my youngest son took me to "The Cutting Edge" store. In stock they had the Robert Sorby modular system. I bought it with a couple of straight rests and a curved bowl rest. When I upgraded to a PM3520B I contacted them and they shipped me a 1" threaded post. It cost $11 IIRC and now with a 5/8" post and a 1" post I can use the modular system on either lathe.

[Larry Marley]

Hey Ken,
I was concerned the rest would loosen on the post.
Sounds like it's not a problem...?

[Reed Gray]

I got the cirved rests from Oneway, and really like them. They are 1 1/8 high, and 1\2 wide. You do have to make sure that you get the ones with the longer posts for the PM. The inside rest does get a little bouncy when you are all the way out to the end. The only other long inside rest that I know of is from Robust. I think he uses round stock, which I don't like as much as the bar stock. He said his gets a little bouncy out on the end as well.
robo hippy

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Larry I used it for several months on the Jet with no problems. I've only turned a couple things on the PM but it's worked well there so far. Just recently I was playing with 2 new Lacer skews trying to learn to use them. I've always used a regular skew and it is one of, if not my favorite tool. I bought 1 1/4" and a 5/8" Lacer at The Cutting Edge while I was there last summer but hadn't had the opportunity to learn to freehand sharpen or use them. So I spent a day in the shop playing with them. I ended up taking the PM toolrest off and using the Sorby modular and like it much better than the standard rest for skew spindle work. Loosen on the post. Not once.

[Ken Glass]

Jim,
I thought the Powermatic Curved rests were too thick, so I made my own. I used 1" round stock 5-3/4" long for each post, and the rest is 3/16" thick. The inside one is 6" long and the outside one is 9" long. I made the radius' to suit my turning habits (LOL). I even painted them to match the Monster. I have a total of about $9.00 in the two. Even if you had to pay to have them welded at a machine/welding shop the cost would be less than $20 each. Just a thought.

[Jim Evans]

Thanks for the ideas.
Has anyone used this system from Best Wood Tools?
It looks interesting but a lot more expensive than the ones Ken made. I really have to find a friend that welds!

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/bestwoodtools_1996_1860547