What size tool rests do you use?

[Hartwell85]

I got a new Rikon VSR lathe for Christmas and it came with a 6" tool rest. I bought a 3" tool rest for pen making. I also plan to do spindle turning and bowl turning. Other than having the 3" & 6" tool rests, do I need other sizes? Maybe a curved rest for bowl turning?

 

[jttheclockman]

I use many different sizes depending on the project. 6" for pens is pretty much standard and stays on the lathe for most jobs. 3" is way too small in my opinion. You can not get the tool to ride the entire blank without worrying it falls off. Less things you have to concentrate on when turning makes for a better job. Again my opinion.

 

[monophoto]

My lathe came with both 6" and 12" tool rests. I rarely use the 12" rest. The 6" rest broke, and I replaced it with something I found on Amazon.

I also have a 3" toolrest that I made - a piece of 1.5" mild steel angle attached to a mild steel post. I followed directions included in a YouTube published by Rick Morris (Rick Turns) except that he brazed his tool rests. I'm not set up for either brazing or welding, so I just drilled and tapped a hole in the post, and used a machine screw and lockwasher to attach the arm. It's worked fine for at least five years, but I suppose I should wait a while to know if its a permanent solution before recommending that approach.

I also have one of those s-shaped rests that are made for bowl turning - not something that I use all that often.

 

[montmill]

The most stable position on the rest is over the post, the further away you go the less stable. Something to keep in mind.

 

[Valleyboy]

You want to get nice and close to the workpiece for best tool control. You may find with a long tool rest you end up having to back it further away from the workpiece because the live centre/headstock/chuck are in the way. That's not ideal.

I tend to use the longest I can to allow me to do the job, but I'd rather too short and move it along a little than too long and being far away from the work.

I have turned quite a lot of bowls and I can appreciate the idea of a curved toolrest but I always did just fine without one.

Cheers
Ash

 

[KMCloonan]

My Laguna 1216 came with an 8" tool rest, which, as Ash pointed out, tends to bump up against the headstock and tailstock when I am making pens (which is all I do lately). I asked Rick Herrell to make me a 4" long tool rest with a flat top, and I have used this almost exclusively since he made it. The length is perfect, as I can run the length of most blanks, and the tool rest fits nicely between the headstock and tailstock, so I can get really close to the blank.

 

[egnald]

I ditched the tool rest that came with my lathe and bought a complete set from Rockler.
The 6-inch is the one that normally resides on my lathe and I use it for pens and other assorted 5-inch or less turnings.
I switch in the 4-inch one for bottle stoppers and other short stuff so I don't have to extend my tailstock quill so far.
And, I use the 10-inch one for turning longer stuff.

If I were starting over I would consider a set of Rick Herrell's tool rests, probably the ones with the flat profile ground into them; however, I do really like (and have gotten used to) the lower contour "swoop" on the Rockler tool rests. Part of my hand rests on it and it helps me guide the chisel more accurately.

Regards,
Dave

 

[howsitwork]

I made a series of curved rests from thick pipe section cut up and welded. Fir bowls close to the work helps but , as mentioned , you dont want to be too far from the rest stem . One of mine is 10" long curve and really it's too long for anything but REALLY DELICATE cuts . The 6" curved one gets most use but as Ash said you can get by without it most of the time

 

[MRDucks2]

I have 4", 6", 9", 10", 12" and 13". The 6" is used a lot right now. The longer ones will be used on my future pepper mills.

 

[jttheclockman]

You want to get nice and close to the workpiece for best tool control. You may find with a long tool rest you end up having to back it further away from the workpiece because the live centre/headstock/chuck are in the way. That's not ideal.

I tend to use the longest I can to allow me to do the job, but I'd rather too short and move it along a little than too long and being far away from the work.

I have turned quite a lot of bowls and I can appreciate the idea of a curved toolrest but I always did just fine without one.

Cheers
Ash

Not so with carbide. You need to be further away than with standard HSS tool The tool prevents this because of the construction.

All my toolrests are the Robust tool rests. Like them alot.

 

[InkyMike]

I use the 4" and 6" that came with my lath - I also just made a 2.5" rest out of stainless rod to better get between the centers when turning individual pieces between centers. @rherrell will custom make them for you as well.

 

[bsshog40]

I only had a 12" that came with my lathe. Good for long stuff. Rick made me a very nice 6" that I use most the time.

 

[Valleyboy]

Not so with carbide. You need to be further away than with standard HSS tool The tool prevents this because of the construction.

All my toolrests are the Robust tool rests. Like them alot.

I use carbide and you still want to be as close as possible with the toolrest. Your distance from the workpiece certainly shouldn't be defined by other parts of your lathe blocking your toolrest because you're using one that is too big. Not only is it bad practice it for turning technique it is also less safe.

 

[Valleyboy]

Q

 

[thewishman]

I use a 3" most of the time. Also use a 1.5" sometimes.

 

[Valleyboy]

Not so with carbide. You need to be further away than with standard HSS tool The tool prevents this because of the construction.

All my toolrests are the Robust tool rests. Like them alot.

That may be your personal experience but here's my carbide next to my preferred hss tool (30 degree skew). The construction of the carbide tool allows me to get closer with my toolrest than the hss tool because the flat part of the hss tool, which sits on the toolrest, starts further back from the cutting tip on the hss than the flat part of the carbide tool does. It's the same for my other gouges.

 

[bsshog40]

I'm a little confused on how a person can turn pens with a 3" or even 1 1/2" rest. Most pen bodies are a little over 2". So that would be at least 5" including bushings. Granted single body pens might be a little under 3" total. I like to have a rest that has at least a longer length than the wood I'm turning so I can stay even all the way across my project. Just curious.

 

[InkyMike]

I'm a little confused on how a person can turn pens with a 3" or even 1 1/2" rest. Most pen bodies are a little over 2". So that would be at least 5" including bushings. Granted single body pens might be a little under 3" total. I like to have a rest that has at least a longer length than the wood I'm turning so I can stay even all the way across my project. Just curious.

Some of us turn the cap and body separately between centers.

 

[jrista]

Some of us turn the cap and body separately between centers.

Yup. In fact when turning between centers, even with TBC bushings, a 6" rest is usually too long. I've been wanting to get a 3-3.5" tool rest for a while, so I could get it a little closer at times, as my current rest (I think the smallest I have is over 4") can't be put too close, otherwise it touches the live center.

 

[jttheclockman]

That may be your personal experience but here's my carbide next to my preferred hss tool (30 degree skew). The construction of the carbide tool allows me to get closer with my toolrest than the hss tool because the flat part of the hss tool, which sits on the toolrest, starts further back from the cutting tip on the hss than the flat part of the carbide tool does. It's the same for my other gouges.

View attachment 348106

I just find that the distance is greater with a carbide than a HSS tool I use the Easy Wood Tools.

 

[jrista]

I just find that the distance is greater with a carbide than a HSS tool I use the Easy Wood Tools.

In the majority case it definitely is. I can't speak as much to skews, as I am not very good with them, but carbide vs. pretty much any other tool I have, except maybe my parting tools, is usually that the carbide overhangs more than the other tools. With a proper gouge, I can get the tool rest within a millimeter or so of the blank, whereas with carbide that is definitely not the case.

There are undoubtedly exceptions, but most of the time, you need a bit of overhang with the carbide tools for them to work right.

 

[thewishman]

Yup. In fact when turning between centers, even with TBC bushings, a 6" rest is usually too long. I've been wanting to get a 3-3.5" tool rest for a while, so I could get it a little closer at times, as my current rest (I think the smallest I have is over 4") can't be put too close, otherwise it touches the live center.

The right size rest makes things so much easier.