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Thread: Opinions - Curved tool rests versus "j" curved tool rest for bowlls

  1. #1
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    Mar 2005
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    Opinions - Curved tool rests versus "j" curved tool rest for bowlls

    I have a PM 3520 and don't care for the PM "s"curved" bowl rests that I got when I bought it from an estate sale..

    Looking for advice on curves tool rests to help with the inside of bowls. Are the "J" curve or the more gradual "C" curved best?

    Which brand is better? Robist, Robo, or others I am unaware of?

    Thanks
    Ricc

  2. #2
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    Feb 2012
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    I had the Robust curved rest and sold them with a lathe. I didn’t particularly like them. I converted to the Robust J rest and use those often. There will be those that love their curved rest, but not me. I tended to follow the curve of the rest sometimes instead to what the bowl shape should be. I have RobustmJ rest, but have seen many like the Robo rest.
    When working I had more money than time. In retirement I have more time than money. Love the time, miss the money.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
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    Hoschton, Georgia
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    I have the Robust curved bowl rest and I don't find it very useful. When I swing the tool, the handle hits the back of the rest as I'm trying to transition to the bottom of the bowl. If it's a deep bowl, I'll use the 12" cast iron tool rest that came with my lathe. If I were to do it again, I would go with the J rest. I use my 9" Robust comfort rest for the majority of my turning.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Midland, MI
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    I've had similar experience to posters above. I have the Robust curved rest designed for inside of bowls. I rarely use it because of the gouge handle hitting the back of the rest. It does work fine if you're using a scraper on the inside, but I don't do that very often.

    I have the Robust large J rest and like it a lot, use it on most of my larger bowls, especially any that are relatively deep. Haven't tried J rest by any other manufacturers so can't compare.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Wayland, MA
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    I have both the Robust curved and J and use both regularly, depending on the shape and size of the bowl I'm working on. I must be doing something wrong, I've never hit the back of the rest with my tool. Without standing at the lathe I'm having trouble even envisioning how that might happen.

  6. I use both the inside and outside curve Robust rests. I also have the 14" "J" rest, which is used mainly for deep walled forms. For an open bowl, I much prefer the inside curve rest, and for the outside the outside curve rest. The design allows one to keep the gouge supported closer to the bowl than a straight rest, which I also have 3 Robust sizes. The close gouge support is critical for shear cutting with the wing of the gouge, riding the bevel while the handle is held low. A far superior finish off the tool, ready for 220 grit or sometimes 320 grit.
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  7. #7
    I have one of the old curved Robust inside bowl rests and never liked it. I have one of the inside curved bowl rests from Oneway and never liked it either, in part because it would bounce when you were working on the very end tip of it. The problem with the curved rests like them, which are sections of a circle, is that you have to move the banjo around far more than what I felt was necessary.

    Not sure if this is appropriate, so moderators can remove if necessary, with the J rest and mine, you set the post up near the rim of the bowl, and then pivot it in as you turn out the inside of a bowl. This is far more efficient. The hook on the end fits into the transition area of the bowl and you have a straight part for going across the bottom. You can't do that with a straight rest. I have seem some who use the straight rest angling down the side of the bowl, and then to finish the flat part of the bowl, they angle it the other direction, away from the rim. Seems to work okay.

    I guess I should add here, that I have found this J style of rest very good for the outside of a bowl as well as the inside of the bowl, so I don't use the outside curved rests any more. Also, they work very well on the outsides and some times the insides of hollow forms. Inside depending more on how big the opening is, so maybe better for 'vessels'...

    robo hippy
    Last edited by Reed Gray; 06-27-2020 at 11:49 AM.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Peoria, IL
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    I have both the curved rests from Oneway and a J rest from Hannes Tools. The Hannes rest is made from large diameter bar. I love them on large work like 12" bowls and larger. I don't use them on smaller work, except for pieces that are over 5" deep when I use the J rest.

  9. #9
    I have a Laguna 2436 and have just been using the rest that came with it (12”) but want to try a more specialized rest. I’m looking at the Roborests and Robust J-rests. I turn a little bit of everything but would like this most for bigger bowls (12-18”). What’s the difference between the 9” or 14” rests? Is one size more versatile? I don’t have a lot of space and don’t want multiple rests hanging around.

    thanks,
    Tom

  10. #10
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    There is a noticeable difference between Robust 9” and 14” rest. I have both. For shallow bowls the 9” is adequate, but for deeper bowls I prefer the 14”. Think of it as a 12” straight rest vs. a 6” straight rest. I don’t have or have used the Roborest, but it gets good reviews.
    When working I had more money than time. In retirement I have more time than money. Love the time, miss the money.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by William C Rogers View Post
    There is a noticeable difference between Robust 9” and 14” rest. I have both. For shallow bowls the 9” is adequate, but for deeper bowls I prefer the 14”. Think of it as a 12” straight rest vs. a 6” straight rest. I don’t have or have used the Roborest, but it gets good reviews.
    Thanks for the info William. Would the 14” also work okay in shallow bowls?

  12. #12
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    Sep 2013
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    I bought the 9" first, it's so small I've never used it. I don't see an advantage to it over a straight rest. The 14 is very useful for any bowl where a curved rest would be useful. The 9" might be useful in a small diameter deep vessel. For a more-or-less hemispherical bowl it's too small for a big bowl and not very useful for a small one.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    As an owner of zero J rests, what is the advantage over a plain straight bar rest........ I have S rests and understand the interference problem, but I think a J rest would offer no advantage on the interference with the back of the gouge on deep bowls.
    Apologize for being ignorant in advance. No flames please.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Thomas Wilson80 View Post
    Thanks for the info William. Would the 14” also work okay in shallow bowls?
    You could use the 14” for shallow bowls. The 9” is just a little easier to maneuver. I can make a small lidded box with a 12” straight, but the 6” straight is easier to use. If I were to buy one it would be the 14”. The 9” is for smaller turnings and will not replace the 14” on larger bowls.


    Kyle, the difference between the S and the J is that you can position the J closer at the transition of the bowl and still have a straight section fo the bottom of the bowl. The S is a continuous curve where the J is a 90 degree bend. I had a S rest with my old PM 90, but prefer the J rest over that.
    When working I had more money than time. In retirement I have more time than money. Love the time, miss the money.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by William C Rogers View Post
    Kyle, the difference between the S and the J is that you can position the J closer at the transition of the bowl and still have a straight section fo the bottom of the bowl. The S is a continuous curve where the J is a 90 degree bend. I had a S rest with my old PM 90, but prefer the J rest over that.
    Thanks for the info. I see. Most pics of J rests I seen have a very short 90 degree section. I'm thinking that this is pretty useless. But if it were longer, more like an L, I can see it working and working well. Thanks again. Will go look for one that is long. Wish I had an anvil, I could reshape one of my S rests.

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