Teknatool Nova Tool Rest Modification

[Mike Minto]

After dealing with numerous nicks in my cast iron toolrests, I asked a fellow to weld a cold rolled steel rod onto the tops of them, sorta like the ones I see Robust selling on theirs. I like it - smooth, harder than cast, I'm enjoying them, so far. Anyone else do something like this? Mike

[Jerry Gerard]

I'll keep that in mind when mine start to go south on me . What size is that rod 1/4" ?

[Mike Minto]

Jerry - yes, 1/4 inch cold rolled - the BORG had hot and cold rolled rod, I opted for cold thinking it would be tougher - am I right / wrong, do you know? I wanted to use stainless, which I was told could be welded to the cast iron of the rest, but it was not easily available to me, locally. Mike

[Nathan Hawkes]

I don't know of the specific properties, but I just got one of the OneWay "inside" curved tool rests, made of stainless steel. It is a complement to the 12" cast iron rest that came with the lathe. I like the shape of the rest a lot; it really helps keeping close to the work. Long story short, the gouge vibrates a LOT more on the stainless steel rest than the cast iron. To be fair to OneWay, the rest I'm comparing it to is flat on top, not round, so it could be the shape of the contact point, not the metal composition; I'm not sure which. In any case, I think if I ever make my own or have some made, I'll just go with rolled steel, not SS. my .02

[Jerry Gerard]

Jerry - yes, 1/4 inch cold rolled - the BORG had hot and cold rolled rod, I opted for cold thinking it would be tougher - am I right / wrong, do you know? I wanted to use stainless, which I was told could be welded to the cast iron of the rest, but it was not easily available to me, locally. Mike

Mike
Cold rolled is usually harder until you weld on it , during the high heat of welding it looses some of that hardness . Nothing to be concerned about . Cold rolled is higher priced too and a cleaner metal . Here's link with more differences between the two . http://www.metalreference.com/INFO_Cold_Finished_Steel.html

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Hi Mike
Cold rolled steel is harder from being worked, after welding it to your rest it will basically be as hard as hot rolled steel, neither being very hard and neither is most SS.
Rounding over the edges of your tools would be a good idea, so they slide easier and are less likely to nick the rest.
If that doesn't do it, epoxy on a piece of hardened drill-rod or even HSS, I know some turners that did this with good results.

[ron hossack]

i ditched the cast iron tool rest because it was rough and now use this

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/rhossack/Lathe006.jpg

[Gordon Seto]

epoxy on a piece of hardened drill-rod or even HSS, I know some turners that did this with good results.

I believe that is how the Robust tool rest is made. I have the Oneway and round tool rests, these are the best. Tools glides along easily. They allow closer to the work and room for under hand grip than the round tool rest.

It may also be a good idea to saw off the bottom corners of the tool rest. You may be able to get closer for interior of your bowl.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

There is one thing I would consider. As we harden one of the parts(the toolrest) but not the tool, the tool can become softer than the rest. If this happens, you will get the dings that you got on the 20.00 tool rest on the 150.00 tool.

Whichever part is softer WILL take the abuse. A file will clean up the edge of the tool rest, in a very short time. and is less costly than a tool.

Just MHO.
Bruce

[Leo Van Der Loo]

You are right about that Bruce, the hardest piece does win out, however the harder materials are not as easily damaged, still that's why I said to round the tools edges, that would help a lot.
I have very seldom nicks on my steel toolrests, but have them occasionally on the soft Chinese toolrest of my mini-lathe, a file and wax treatment puts me right back into business ;-))

[Gordon Seto]

There are different degree of hardness. Normally what dings the tool rest is from the sharp square tool edges like the skew, parting tool or bedan. The rod on top of the Robust tool rest is round, and I believe they are not as hard as Rc 60 plus like our turning tool. I never see any damage done to the turning tools yet.
The drill rods are not pre-hardened, we have to heat and quench them to make them hard.