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Robo Rest

Joined
Jan 31, 2020
Messages
181
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132
Location
Hoschton, GA
Wow! I've been putting off buying a roborest for my bench grinder for a while. I just ordered one. Looks like just in time. Thanks for the great innovations and tools Robo Hippy. Enjoy your freed up time and less headaches.
 
Joined
Jul 18, 2018
Messages
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Location
Baltimore, MD
I received mine yesterday. Boy, your shipping department could give lessons to lots of other suppliers! Thanks Robo! I painted it Powermatic yellow (mustard?) today. Looking forward to using it tomorrow.6ABA36C9-11B9-4153-B9ED-1562F918EFAA.jpeg
 
Joined
Aug 14, 2007
Messages
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Location
Eugene, OR
My shipping department is me.... Been really busy the last week.... I try to pack them so even I wouldn't be able to damage what is inside...

robo hippy
 
Joined
Dec 15, 2017
Messages
255
Likes
140
Location
South Plainfield, NJ
Wow! I've been putting off buying a roborest for my bench grinder for a while. I just ordered one. Looks like just in time. Thanks for the great innovations and tools Robo Hippy. Enjoy your freed up time and less headaches.
I just ordered one, too. I usually procrastinate a long time, too, but knowing the grinder rest won't be available much longer put a fire under me.
 
Joined
Feb 25, 2018
Messages
117
Likes
123
Location
Novi, Michigan
Got mine this morning, many thanks

RoboRest1.jpg


And two hours later the bowl turned into a flying saucer and scattered debris over 900sqft, still haven't found all of it.

BrokenBowl(1).jpg


Rookie mistake, forget to check the tightness of my chuck.

Chris - I see you have a Magport box in the background (next time get your bike in the pic!). I'd love to hear your thoughts about them. I emailed them some questions earlier in the year. They never responded so perhaps they closed up shop.

Thanks!
 
Joined
Mar 1, 2020
Messages
89
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85
Location
Lebanon, TN
Chris - I see you have a Magport box in the background (next time get your bike in the pic!). I'd love to hear your thoughts about them. I emailed them some questions earlier in the year. They never responded so perhaps they closed up shop.

Thanks!
I have Magports on most of my tools that have 4" ports. I have two drops that terminate in 4" flex hose with Magports on the end. These two drops service about 8 different machines, so I switch between machines quite a lot. Although a little pricey, I absolutely love them. I stretch out the 15ft 4" flex hose quite often, but the magnets are strong and I've yet to have a dust connection come apart while the tool is in use.


Sorry for the thread hijack
 
Joined
Aug 14, 2007
Messages
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Location
Eugene, OR
I am a day or three behind on getting stuff out the door. Been swamped. Thanks every one!!!

robo hippy
 
Joined
Oct 25, 2020
Messages
224
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180
Location
Minneapolis, MN
@robo hippy and Robo-users, for a 16" lathe (Vicmarc VL200), will the medium size tool rest do everything that the small tool rest will do, or is it best to have the small tool rest in addition to the medium?

I don't mind buying both, but if the medium does everything the small rest will do just as effectively, I'd rather just buy one rest.

Thanks,
Steve.
 

odie

TOTW Team
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Dec 22, 2006
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@robo hippy and Robo-users, for a 16" lathe (Vicmarc VL200), will the medium size tool rest do everything that the small tool rest will do, or is it best to have the small tool rest in addition to the medium?

I don't mind buying both, but if the medium does everything the small rest will do just as effectively, I'd rather just buy one rest.

Thanks,
Steve.

I bought both. I have several inside tool rests from other manufacturers, and I've found that using a longer one when a shorter one will work, means the tool rest must be outside of the bowl, and generally in your way. The answer is "yes", the medium rest will work, but if you have both, you will appreciate having the convenience of using the correct rest for the job.:D

-----odie-----
 
Joined
Oct 25, 2020
Messages
224
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Location
Minneapolis, MN
I bought both. I have several inside tool rests from other manufacturers, and I've found that using a longer one when a shorter one will work, means the tool rest must be outside of the bowl, and generally in your way. The answer is "yes", the medium rest will work, but if you have both, you will appreciate having the convenience of using the correct rest for the job.:D

-----odie-----

Thank you @odie, both it will be.

I am tempted to buy the longer post version for 20" lathes and cut the posts. The 16" rest posts will work, but my Vicmarc rests have posts of 4" long, .5" longer than robo's. Have you cut the post on yours yet? Does a 4" grinder cutting wheel make quick work of the cutting? Or is it a hardened steel that will be a pain to cut?

Edit- I just went and did some careful measuring at my lathe, the small and medium Robo tool rests for 16" lathes will work just fine. @robo hippy I just placed an order for one of each with the 1" post (VL200 uses a 1" post). Looking forward to putting them to work.

Steve.
 
Last edited:

odie

TOTW Team
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Have you cut the post on yours yet? Does a 4" grinder cutting wheel make quick work of the cutting? Or is it a hardened steel that will be a pain to cut?

Hi there, Steve. You'll be glad you have both, I'm sure! :D

I didn't need to cut the Robo-rest posts. My banjo is a dogleg style that accepts the longer posts. My original plan was to get a larger lathe, but for now, I'm keeping my Woodfast lathe. (I reserve the right to change my mind on that, at any time! ;)) Having the longer posts means that if I ever do purchase another lathe, I wouldn't have to get new tool rests.

The last time I did cut one of the tool rest posts, I did it the old fashioned way.....hacksaw! :eek:
If any tool rests have a hardened rod, I'm not aware of it.

Happy turning!

-----odie-----
 
Joined
Aug 14, 2007
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Eugene, OR
There are 30 mm posts for the Vicmark lathes. As to which one do you need, well, of course you need both... You can turn bigger bowls with the larger rest, and you can turn smaller ones with it as well. Mostly if you turn a lot of both, then having the smaller rest for smaller bowls means you don't have to adjust the banjo as often. More difficult to turn larger bowls and platters with the smaller rest.

robo hippy
 
Joined
Oct 25, 2020
Messages
224
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180
Location
Minneapolis, MN
It's been a long time since I've stood at a Woodfast. Nice, classic lathe.

Both my Vicmarc VL200 and my (recently sold) VL300 use a 1" diameter post. The 200 banjo was built for the 1", and the 300 has a sleeve built into the banjo hole bringing it down from 30mm to 1". Both machines came from Craft Supplies in the very early 00's, I'm not sure if the VL300 banjo sleeve was/is a CS exclusive, but I'm guessing here in the USA 1" is far more typical than 30mm.

Thanks for your help.
Steve.
 
Joined
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30mm is not common. I had to order it from the east coast. Some day the US will go metric....

robo hippy
 
Joined
Oct 25, 2020
Messages
224
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180
Location
Minneapolis, MN
There are 30 mm posts for the Vicmark lathes. As to which one do you need, well, of course you need both... You can turn bigger bowls with the larger rest, and you can turn smaller ones with it as well. Mostly if you turn a lot of both, then having the smaller rest for smaller bowls means you don't have to adjust the banjo as often. More difficult to turn larger bowls and platters with the smaller rest.

robo hippy

Ordered Thursday morning, got 'em Monday morning, the fit is perfect (1" post for the USA Vicmarc VL200). Thanks robo!

Now, what color to paint them...?

Steve.
20201109_121938.jpg
 

odie

TOTW Team
Joined
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Panning for Montana gold, with Betsy, the mule!
Ordered Thursday morning, got 'em Monday morning, the fit is perfect (1" post for the USA Vicmarc VL200). Thanks robo!

Now, what color to paint them...?

Steve.
View attachment 35827

You'll be glad you have both! :D

I didn't bother to paint mine, but I did make a couple notches in the post for height adjustments. ;)

-----odie-----
shop photos november 7 2020  (8).JPG
 
Joined
Oct 25, 2020
Messages
224
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180
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Yeah, painting does seem like a chore. I'll probably just put a good carnuba paste wax polishing on them from time to time, just like the lathe bed.

Steve.
 
Joined
May 8, 2019
Messages
319
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142
Location
Funen, Denmark
I would recommend at least some kind of rust protection.
Instead of Reed's famous "Mambo Pink" I chose a dark blue - more in the line with the rest of my workshop.
 
Joined
May 29, 2019
Messages
1
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0
Location
Melrose, NY
Robo Hippy
As usual, I’m a day late and a dollar short. Will anyone else be manufacturing your Robo Rest in the future? I’ve been trying to find one used to no avail.
Thanks.
 
Joined
Jan 23, 2020
Messages
689
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955
Location
Shingletown CA
No wonder he is going out of business; how can a human even respond to all those questions?
 
Joined
Aug 14, 2007
Messages
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Location
Eugene, OR
I have sent all parts, pieces, and schematics to some one. He said 'some time after the first quarter of this year'. This includes both the bowl rests and the platform. I would expect a few changes....

robo hippy
 
Joined
Feb 26, 2019
Messages
1,813
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1,415
Location
Lebanon, Missouri
I received my small and medium rests a couple of months ago. Fit great on the Nova Galaxi (16” swing), and work great.

Yes Robo, please keep us in the loop on a new mfr/supplier. I wanted a generic mount platform but they were sold out.
 

odie

TOTW Team
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
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Panning for Montana gold, with Betsy, the mule!
I received my small and medium rests a couple of months ago. Fit great on the Nova Galaxi (16” swing), and work great.


That's what I found, too. These are great tool rests. It's great to have exactly the right tool for the specific task, and these have been a wonderful addition to my tool rest corral. :D

-----odie-----
 
Joined
Jan 18, 2022
Messages
16
Likes
0
Location
Bangor, ME
I have sent all parts, pieces, and schematics to some one. He said 'some time after the first quarter of this year'. This includes both the bowl rests and the platform. I would expect a few changes....

robo hippy
Robo, where would someone look for one of the med rests w/ 1" post, and one ouf your platforms for use on a Wolverine set up? Thank you
 
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
1,265
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992
Location
Erie, PA
Reeds Robo Rest are the best. Here is an article I did on Reeds equipment.
 

Attachments

  • Reeds Woodworking.pdf
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Bill Boehme

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TOTW Team
Joined
Jan 27, 2005
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Dalworthington Gardens, TX
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pbase.com
Robo, where would someone look for one of the med rests w/ 1" post, and one ouf your platforms for use on a Wolverine set up? Thank you

You’re about a year and a half too late. If it’s any consolation I’m the only other person on this forum who doesn’t own a robo rest. :rolleyes:
 
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