When turning a bowl, what’s you go to tool rest length?
-
December 2025 Turning Challenge: Single Tree! (click here for details) -
Congratulations to Bob Henrickson, People's Choice in the November 2025 Turning Challenge (click here for details) -
Congratulations to Steven Gordon for "Dropped Ice Cream Cone" being selected as Turning of the Week for December 8, 2025 (click here for details) -
Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.
Tool rest length?
- Thread starter Webb Willmott
- Start date
I use my 12 inch for most of my bowl and dish turning. I have a six and 4 that I use for smaller stuff like ornaments.
Depends. The word "bowl" is non-definitive. Maybe indicate the size of the bowl.
I might use a different rest for this one than others.
JKJ
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2004
- Messages
- 9,304
- Likes
- 6,058
- Location
- Lakeland, Florida
- Website
- www.hockenberywoodturning.com
Most any straight rest will work for me.
For bowls in the 10-18” diameter I start with a 14” center post ONEWAY toolrest.
For hollowing bowls above 12” diameter I switch to a 14” Robust J rest
For finishing the bottom or foot I use a 6” robust comfort rest. This gives close in access close to the center post.
With any tool rest i want to work as close to over the center post as possible
Hollowing a big bowl I will work near the end of the 14” j rest. Robust makes a fine rest but still need to be making lighter cut this fare from the center post
For bowls in the 10-18” diameter I start with a 14” center post ONEWAY toolrest.
For hollowing bowls above 12” diameter I switch to a 14” Robust J rest
For finishing the bottom or foot I use a 6” robust comfort rest. This gives close in access close to the center post.
With any tool rest i want to work as close to over the center post as possible
Hollowing a big bowl I will work near the end of the 14” j rest. Robust makes a fine rest but still need to be making lighter cut this fare from the center post
Last edited:
I start out using the 12" tool rest and for years used it inside and outside but once I got a set of Reed Gray (AKA Robo Hippy) curved tool rests that's all I use for the inside. They are sturdy and vibration free all the way to the very end. It is a shame he is not making them anymore.
It’s about tool overhang. Curved rests will reduce overhang in most situations. Continuous curve rests in the ID are problematic - as you near center, angling the tool handle down some and it comes back toward you, the rest gets in the way.
For shorter bowls, up to 3-4” depth, straight tool rest, up to 12” long depends on bowl dia, works fine. Deeper bowls, or larger ~ 8” and up, I use @robo hippy ’s curved S rests. Keeps the rest out of the way of the tool. I have his small, ~6” from center, and medium, ~8-1/2” from center. Robust has some very similar S rests now. The Robust J rest works well for deep narrow bowls. I also have a Robust curved outside rest I use if the bowl size is right. J
For shorter bowls, up to 3-4” depth, straight tool rest, up to 12” long depends on bowl dia, works fine. Deeper bowls, or larger ~ 8” and up, I use @robo hippy ’s curved S rests. Keeps the rest out of the way of the tool. I have his small, ~6” from center, and medium, ~8-1/2” from center. Robust has some very similar S rests now. The Robust J rest works well for deep narrow bowls. I also have a Robust curved outside rest I use if the bowl size is right. J
Like most I generally use a 12” straight for most of my stuff, sometimes I use a curved rest depending on the profile of what I am doing. In my limited experience rest height is more important that profile.
Bob
Bob
I haven't seen where you added more detail to your question, the point of the silly picture of the tiny bowl.
I still think there are too many variables for one "go-to" answer, at least for me. What's your go-to tool, your go-to grind?
My go-to rest is what ever works best for that turning. Outside or inside? 4" or 20" bowl? End grain or face turning? Shallow or deep? Shape of the rim (flared out, closed)? Turning with finesse or prone to catches? Production speed record or relaxing, zen experience? Species - basswood, cherry or osage orange? Soft, wet wood, twice or once-turned? Hard dry wood?
I have a variety of tool rests. More important might be the tool: the diameter and exposed length of the tool shaft, the grind, the length of the handle, body support and motion. Rough or finish cut? The depth of the cut makes a big difference as well as the turner's experience and tool control.
And the type of the tool - bowl gouge, carbide, scraper??? I sometimes shape almost the entire bowl, inside and out, with one or another Hunter tool with fairly short handles. I often switch tools (and rests) to experiment during the turning. I'm retired, don't turn to sell, don't get in hurry, primarily turn dry wood.
So my "go to" tool rests are 4", 6", 9", 12", 14", some Robust comfort or low profile, some BWT modular, box rests, and some specialty custom rests. Depending. All are within arm's reach and take only seconds to swap. Maybe I have too many tool rests - if I had just one I'd use it.
I use whatever rest that's on the lathe at the moment, "short", "medium" or "long". Seems most new lathes nowadays may come with something shorter and something longer for convenience-sake. If what's mounted isn't long enough, or too long, for the process, I change it. if the work is small or short and a longer rest is interfering at the tailstock or headstock end if the work, I change it. No big whoop.
John, me thinks you think too much and have too many tool rests to complicate the contemplation. 
I’m willing to be you have one tool rest that has more time on it than the others as evidenced by worn off paint.
It’s a simple question - Do you have a go to, as in favorite, tool rest?
I’m willing to be you have one tool rest that has more time on it than the others as evidenced by worn off paint.It’s a simple question - Do you have a go to, as in favorite, tool rest?
John, me thinks you think too much and have too many tool rests to complicate the contemplation.
It’s a simple question - Do you have a go to, as in favorite, tool rest?
My thinking is simple. Favorite rest is what works with what I'm turning. Favorite person is the one I'm with. Favorite car is the one I'm driving.
I tried every tool rest out there, and none of them worked the way I wanted them to, and that is why I made my own. I tried the Oneway inside rest, and it was fine as long as you never went all the way to the end since it would bounce. Robust made an inside and outside rest, and I didn't care for those either. My favorite was a small cast iron one from Craft Supplies, blue, and an S curve, but more of a hook than on the one I made. Robust is now making my inside rests, the small and medium ones. As near as I can tell, it is the only bowl rest that was designed by a bowl turner. Not sure if Robust makes their other rests any more or not. I did find out that my bowl rest works very well on the outsides of bowls as well as the insides. I never will understand why people use straight rests for turning bowls since bowls are round and not straight.... That S curve has a prupose, you work the rim, then turn out the inside and you just have to pivot the tool rest in as you turn out the inside of the bowl, no wiggling the banjo all over the place.
robo hippy
robo hippy