I started getting the review of the G0632Z thread off track (didn't want to do that) so I'm starting a new thread. My Grizzly rest was made to a budget. Nothing wrong with that. In fact it's kind of good as I didn't pay more for something that I may never use once I upgrade. It's cast steel or ductile iron and no matter how much I smooth it out I feel it's making it harder for me to smoothly slide the tool across it. In part my skills have plenty of room to improve so it's not all the rest's fault.
I haven't looked at too many rests yet but I do know I want one that has a harden steel surface. I looked at Robust and I think the comfort style would best suit me as I usually hold the handle with my right hand and use my left to guide the tool with my thumb on top and fingers under it. My current rest is 14" long and I haven't had an issue with it being too short or too long but I've mostly only turned bowls and platters.
So what are the opinions of the veterans? Robust makes a 12" and a 15" long rest, will the 15" long rest start to be an issue if I'm using the tail stock? Right now the only real reason I could see for the 14" wide rest is to reach into deeper bowls. I wouldn't be opposed to getting a second rest, maybe a J rest over a curved rest for the inside of bowls if needed. What other brands should I be looking at? On the Robust website the show a low profile rest with the turner's fingers on the backside of the rest. I've never done that. In fact I treat the rest like a guard rail (read it on-line somewhere) that only the tool crosses it. Is that a technique that more advanced turners use? Is there an advantage?