Long tool rests.....use 'em if you got 'em.....but, use their advantages wisely!

[odie]

The best place for your turning tools, are as close to the post as is practical.

Those long tool rests are great, when you need them.....but use their advantages wisely.

To make the point, imagine a tool rest a yard long with a single post. If you are turning at the very end of the tool rest, you are going to get some visible and noticeable flex. The same principle applies, no matter how long the tool rest is.

......Soooooo, the rule that should apply here, is to turn close to the tool post, if the option is available.

-----odie-----

 

[robo hippy]

I have wanted long tool rests for turning table legs. The 2 foot ones all seem to come with 2 posts. I think I saw one once that was wood, and at least 2 feet long. If I did one like that, I would want to epoxy some hardened drill rod on the top. My PM 3520A had a 14 or 15 inch tool rest, which snapped off. They then started making them 12 inches long. The first one was all cast iron. Now days, I wouldn't want any tool rest that didn't have the drill rod on it.... Kind of like variable speed on the lathe. Once you use it, you never want to go back....

robo hippy

 

[Tom Albrecht]

When I was turning staircase spindles and newel posts on a regular basis I had a custom made 1" X 36" rod with two posts and optional drilled and tapped spots under the rod for post positioning. I also used a beefy piece of hard maple that was 3" high with 2 posts. I suppose there was some flexing going on in the initial roughing and shaping cuts that I just expected and learned to deal with. By the time I was into any fine detail cutting I would switch to a single post 12" rest and start moving my way down.

 

[hughie]

I have a couple longish tool rests made from 25mm and 30mm hardened linear bearing rods, very stiff due to the hardness and no or very little wear so no dressing needed. The down side is they are fussy in the way have to weld them, you find out rather quickly if you get it wrong

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

This is a single post rest that I used for short baluster turning and once properly positioned it need not be moved until all were done which in this case was about 75. The process was simply put a blank in, turn the area between plinths for the turned details too the max diameter, mark the detail high lights as shown on the attached drawing, with a parting tool turn the marked points to the diameter specified and with a skew or detail gouge turn to the contours on the drawing.
I also have a 2 post 4 foot rest similar to this.

 

[R Henrickson]

I picked up this two post tool rest (26") long ago, for almost nothing ($10 or so), when some dealer put it on clearance. It was been very handy for turning Windsor chair legs and back posts, and a few baseball bats. Much preferable to using a shorter rest, especially for long sweeping curves. Given the two posts, it required a second banjo. I made one from scrap oak. Rock steady. And no cost.