Adjustable sliding tool rest?

[Greg Hislop]

Hello all- New to the forum, introduced myself about a month ago. So i more or less make baseball bats on a cheap lathe i purchased. The tool rest that came with the lathe is about 8" long, very difficult to adjust, involves using a ratchet to loosen a lag bolt, then sliding the whole contraption horizontally, then retightening. Had to shim it up with a chunk of 2x4 to get the thing close enough to the bat blank, and had to put the post holder on the metal frame because the screw holding the post wasn't strong enough causing the tool rest to fall through. Also because I have a horizontal extension (bat blanks are 37") I have to remove the entire setup, put it on the other side, then reposition it and tighten everything. Here the setup (try not to laugh):



So basically I'm looking for a new tool rest with like a tightening arm or something so i can just loosen the arm, slide it horizontally, then retighten it. I've looked all over the internet and can't find anything. Any ideas where I could get something like that?

 

[Tom Lucas]

Why not fabricate a 38 - 39" rest that uses 2 banjos? Robust I think will make one for you.

 

[Steve Tiedman]

Hi Greg. I don't know what kind of lathe your using, but looking at that bed and the rest in your photo, honestly, you may find that a third party banjo (the base that secures to the lathe bed) may cost more than the value of your lathe.

And banjos are not universal in the design and clamping mechanism, it may not be possible to find a third party banjo that will work.

Can that lathe manufacturer sell you another banjo? You could have two banjos on the lathe with a single long, custom tool rest that spans between them.

Thinking of the future, are you planning for an eventual lathe upgrade? My first idea, a Jet mini lathe with a bed extension, that may get you to the bat length you need.

I hope you find a workable solution.

 

[R Henrickson]

Why not fabricate a 38 - 39" rest that uses 2 banjos? Robust I think will make one for you.

You can make one (or two) banjos from wood which will work well enough for bat production. I used scraps of oak to make one.I found a long (2-post) tool rest long ago for cheap so I use that (see first photo). Use posts made from steel rod or wood. The tool rest can be made from wood, perhaps with a metal cap.

Or you can make the entire assembly from wood as in the second photo -- the setup used by a leading Windsor chair maker (Curtis Buchanan) to make hundreds of fine chairs. Some pieces he turns are at least 30" long. Certainly the least expensive solution, and one which definitely works.

 

[Richard Coers]

I would not put another penny in labor or material in that lathe. It's all about making a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Not to mention the safety issue of using threads in wood to work on a vibrating machine. The vibration will compress the wood fibers and enlarge the hole.

 

[hockenbery]

Also because I have a horizontal extension (bat blanks are 37") I have to remove the entire setup, put it on the other side, then reposition it and tighten everything. Here the setup (try not to laugh):

if you haven’t aready done so, consider connecting with a local chapter of the AAW. Chesapeake Woodturners are probably the closest. They meet in Annapolis. Great source of information, support, and friendship. they may have a way for you to get some time on bigger lathes.

In the meantime @R Henrickson has a good suggestion. You can build a long tool rest from wood or angle iron and mount it with two supports. that will solve your immediate problem

this thread has a lot of ideas for long homemade tool rests. - worth reading for you

Need 38" long tool rest

I plan on turning some 38" long spindles that will become the back legs on some ladder back chairs. I just fabricated a bed extension for my General lathe so I can go to 47". Most of the long tool rests I've seen are fabricated to fit into two separate banjo's. I've also seen a couple that...

www.aawforum.org

 

[Greg Hislop]

Thanks guys, these are helpful points.

 

[Steve Tiedman]

Money not withstanding, baseball bat production seems like the perfect reason for a Record Power Herald lathe with bed extension. Problem is, it's stated as a 20" lathe and 16" extension, so on paper the max. stock length is 36" on this setup. You mentioned blanks are 37" long, can 36" make your bats?
RP Herald lathe

Any Herald/bed extension owners out there than can verify max length between center? Is 37" possible? Or add a second bed extension.

They could probably special order a second banjo for you, too, then you could build, or have built, a custom long tool rest to span the 2 banjos.

 

[Dean Center]

Two thoughts. First, you should buy a replacement tool rest that comes with a lathe attached. Al Hockenbery's suggestion of checking with the local clubs is spot on. Somebody in a club within 2 hours driving distance is right this minute thinking he should sell his lathe and it could be yours at a decent price.

Second, if you're going to turn baseball bats, you're going to have vibration issues. If you don't have a spindle steady, I would strongly recommend you start turning at the tailstock end, finish a short section, then move to the next section closer to the headstock, until you're done. Mounting with the handle toward the headstock makes sense to me, but I'm sure somebody on here can come up with a logical reason to mount it the other way around. Whichever, start at the tailstock end, instead of how you've been doing it, and it'll be easier and more accurate.

 

[Adrian Wilson]

Another vote for a log tool rest and two banjos, factory or DIY. This is my logest one, runs the whole length of the bed. I think there is a thread on the go here about long toolrests (sometimes called chairmaker's rest if you are googling).

 

[robo hippy]

Well, you could make one out of plywood, and epoxy a piece of A drill rod on top. Maybe a piece of oak or hickory with a rabbet for the drill rod. The vertical and base would make a L, and clamps should hold it in place. That would be the easiest way to do it that I can think of.

robo hippy

 

[john lucas]

Here is what I made. I had to make 6 bats exactly the same. Fortunately when I had to turn some 48" pieces I made the banjo and a long tool rest. While I was at it I made 4 more rests just in case. This one worked perfectly for this project.

 

[hughie]

It looks like the bed is made from square tube, if thats the case, you will be to some extent behind the 8ball no matter what . But yeah make a tool rest specific to your needs, its something most turners get into eventually

 

[odie]

Two thoughts. First, you should buy a replacement tool rest that comes with a lathe attached.

Ha,ha.....I see what you did there Dean!

Probably the best advice in this thread.

-o-

 

[Greg Hislop]

Yes, I know but it’s all I can afford right now. I wish I had a better option but it does the trick for now. Thanks guys for the suggestions