# DIY Tool Rests



## bogmonster (16 Aug 2014)

I am planning on making up some tool rests. I have seen a few previous posts both here and elsewhere but just wanted to get some additional input. I might try some round rests similar to the Sorby offerings. First question is do I make hardened rests or will mild steel do? My gut feeling is that as these will mostly be used with bowl gouges with nice curved shafts, mild steel will probably last quite well. Hardened rests are problematic as the only real option is either a one piece construction or a mechanical joint between the stem and the rest (welding heat treated steel will just temper it to the point that you may not have bothered - hardening afterwards will probably fracture or severely weaken the weld). Sorby gets around this with a threaded assembly. I don't have a metal lathe but a friend can turn shoulders on stems for me to cut threads with a die. However, I am rally not convinced this is not overkill? If I go with mild steel I can just stick weld the stem to the rest - my welding ain't pretty but stick welding can be mighty strong.

So, I think I have probably decided on mild steel... The next question is what diameter? The stem is 1" and I am tempted to go for 1" rests as well. These will result in more of a gap between the fulcrum and the cutting edge but I think I would rather that with a heavier rest - any thoughts? Out of curiosity, anybody know what diameter the Sorby rests are, I am thinking 3/4"? Even bending the radius in 1" steel will be a challenge (without marring the surface with lots of tool marks) but I think a flypress, jig and forge should get the job done. 3/4" would be much easier to bend...

Another issue with 1" might be the amount of profile deforming when making a curved rest. Might just need to experiment with that - kind of depends on the radius of the curve.

Anybody tried this? What has your experience been?

I have already salvaged the cast bowl rest off my old lathe. This is a really great rest and it has a separate steel stem mounted in a hole that is mighty close to 1" , just need a bit of fettling to get a fit. There is also a really nice heavy steel rest with a 30mm fixed stem. Thinking about how I can get that down to a 1" stem.

Of course I could just buy something. I do wonder with the Sorby set, does the stem not come undone while in use? Sure, most of the force is downwards but not all. Also, I am not that keen on the price if I can make something equally functional for a fraction of the cost.

BM


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## Spindle (16 Aug 2014)

Hi

Unless you need something bespoke I wouldn't bother making tool rests, they're cheap enough to buy.

Every rest I've used has been cast steel and if I do put a nick into the surface it's easy enough to polish it out again - no need to worry about hardening.

Bending / forming 1" bar without serious amounts of heat is going to be very challenging.

I can't comment on the Sorby system as I've never used one but I do share your concerns about it loosening in use.

Regards Mick


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## duncanh (16 Aug 2014)

I've been using the Sorby modular rests on and off for 10 years and never had one loosen on me. I don't use them every day but they get regular use when I'm making short spindle projects. I like them a lot although I rarely use the curved ones which I bought.

The stem is also useful as a side handle on the Sovereign system handle when hollowing


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## Phil Pascoe (16 Aug 2014)

:idea: Got any scrapyards near you? If you can sort the post, you could possibly find something like a wheel maybe that had a part that conformed to the curve you needed and cut it out with a disc cutter. Weld it on and boom boom.. just a thought...


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## bogmonster (16 Aug 2014)

Found a rusty old bit of 25mm round and a shorter piece of 1" round in the garage. Just cleaned them up and welded together into a straight t-rest. Phone battery is dead so no photo yet but just off to test. Spent most of the time cleaning up the rust 

Will let you know how I get on. If this works I will buy some heave flat, maybe 10mm x 30mm to make some OneWay style curved rests. That will have to wait until next week so I can source the steel.

I think the 1" round for the straight rests looks OK and much easier to align for welding. I have excelled myself on dodgy welding this time  

BM


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## bogmonster (16 Aug 2014)

Here tis:

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5569/14747648608_3d14994dee_c.jpg

Very early impressions are that it works fine and dandy. Really quick and easy to make a as cheap as chips. 

BM


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## WoodMangler (16 Aug 2014)

I made my own 'Sorby-like' rests from 1" round mild steel. I found that they got 'nicked' very easily by sharp-edged tools like v-tools and scrapers. In the end I got tired of filing them smooth, and bought a set of genuine Sorby rests instead (the steel is harder, no nicks). You might do better with hardened and tempered silver steel or case-hardened mild steel, but it's a lot of metal to heat to the required temperature. I've had no trouble with the Sorby rests unscrewing themselves at inconvenient moments, either.


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## Spindle (16 Aug 2014)

WoodMangler":324uz520 said:


> I made my own 'Sorby-like' rests from 1" round mild steel. I found that they got 'nicked' very easily by sharp-edged tools like v-tools and scrapers. In the end I got tired of filing them smooth



Hi

It's worthwhile knocking the sharp edges off of scrapers, skews etc. with a stone - it stops them damaging or snagging on the tool rest.

Regards Mick


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## bogmonster (16 Aug 2014)

Not had many issues on cast rests in the past. The one tool I have that tends to damage rests is a fluted parting tool so I wrap masking tape around the shaft. The sharp flute edges are important (if I ever grind that far back). My scrapers are either rounded or ones I only use flat or ones with tips mounted on round shafts.

I do little spindle turning so 98% of the time I will be using a bowl gouge.

I will push on with MS and see how it works out. Very little time and money.

BM


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## chipmunk (18 Aug 2014)

Before I had my metalworking lathe I bought some M12 x 1.25 taps and put my own mild steel tops on the Sorby posts (they are the cheap bit). 

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Cutting-Tools/Taps/Serial-Taps---Metric-BSW-BSF

They do nick eventually but I've made sure that all my tools have rounded corners and only very occasionally is draw-filing necessary and TBH unless I'm thread chasing it doesn't cause much trouble anyway.

I have never had any trouble with the posts coming undone either but you could always try some threadlock if it bothers you.

I wouldn't bother trying to bend round bar (too much gas required and then how do you make sure it'll be level?). My bowl rest is rectangular (long side upwards) and it works ok.

HTH
Jon

PS: Forgot to say that to drill and tap the cross-bars square, trap them between the 4-jaw chuck jaws flat against the face of your chuck and drill with the tailstock. If you have a handwheel you can tap that way too without disturbing the cross-bar.


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## SimonT (20 Aug 2014)

chipmunk":3dir6pyt said:


> Before I had my metalworking lathe I bought some M12 x 1.25 taps and put my own mild steel tops on the Sorby posts (they are the cheap bit).
> 
> http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Cutting-Tools/Taps/Serial-Taps---Metric-BSW-BSF
> 
> ...



sounds very interesting (and clever) would be interested to see them if you had any pictures, particularly the bowl rest as this too is something I'm considering making, I know there cheap enough to buy (but wheres the fun in that?) But I enjoy making my tools and rests for my purposes and lathe.

so im guessing you have inter-changable tool rests? Are they quick to change over or would you say its easier to make individual rests?


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## chipmunk (20 Aug 2014)

Well to be honest the toolposts are cheap enough that it doesn't make sense to keep unscrewing the rests.

The bowl rest is here...






It's made of 20x10 rectangular MS bar (B&Q) entirely bolted together with M6 stainless countersunk hex-head screws (Screwfix).






I'll be honest, it's not the most rigid rest in the world but it's fine for finish scraping - less good for heavy duty roughing out with a big bowl gouge.

I also have a hollowing gate I made for my Big Brother. More fun than buying one.






HTH
Jon


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## bogmonster (20 Aug 2014)

They look great Jon. I had a go today with my boy. He needed some photos for another purpose so I have some to share:










































The round rests were heated in a propane forge and shaped and then welded. The flypress is being used to cold form some straight rests that will be like the Robust rests. Did not have enough stock to complete the stems. I will be epoxy glueing a stainless rod to the top of the rest (apparently this is what Robust does and apparently it is strong enough). To be honest the stock for the 'Robust' rests should have been 10mm wider and the curve is a bit shard - re-sused an existing bending jig that wasn't quite right for the job but it will do for a prototype. Although the flypress bend the 14" rest with no issues, the feeble jig meant the edge was not straight so needed to tweak it on the anvil. It would have better to hot form the 'Robust' rests but today was as much about playing with tools as it was about making stuff.

BM


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## bogmonster (21 Aug 2014)

Jon, planning to re-make my hollowing jig for the new lathe and thought about making a gate. At £42 for the big brother one I think that is a big incentive. Looks easy enough with simple tools. Although you have probably done a neater job than I will manage. Just planning to cross drill round and hacksaw and file out top.

BM


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## chipmunk (21 Aug 2014)

Hi BM,
LOLs - Well you didn't let on you had a propane forge for heating the 1" rounds! 
Those rests look very smart indeed. 

One of the things that I find a bit frustrating with the round rests I've made, is that the toolpost is too close to the workpiece - especially if the cross-piece (like the Sorby ones) is smaller diameter tahn the toolpost. It'd be nice to offset the rest forward of the post.

The hollowing gate was just a lump of 1 1/2" MS cross drilled and then opened up with hacksaw and then file, as you are planning. Now with the milling slide on the metal lathe it'd be a tad easier but it wouldn't work any better. The short tenon on the base needs to be a snug fit into the cross-bar so it's held vertical.

I like the idea of the hardened rod on top of the MS rest but I am not entirely convinced it's needed. I'd be interested to know if you find it helps.

Jon


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## bogmonster (21 Aug 2014)

Everybody has a gas forge right? If not, they need to get one, really great piece of kit and easy to make. The propane forge is used for quick projects or when I want to make multiples (as it does not get too hot to burn steel when multiple items are in the forge. I also have a coke forge which is much more capable but because I need to work outside it takes a bit more time to set up so only used when I am doing a full day smithing or when I need the extra heat it delivers - my propane forge does not get hot enough for forge welding. Also, tempering in a gas forge is not as easy. So everybody needs a coke forge as well 

As for the rests, I found they worked really well but so far I have only roughed a couple of bowls so early days. I could take quite aggressive cuts with minimal flex and they definitely aid getting a good profile quickly with minimal tool rest movements.

I think I will make a tighter profile internal rest and a platform rest as well.

The 'Robust' rests will mainly be used for spindle work I would think. 

BM


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## procell (21 Aug 2014)

Looks like you have everything you need to produce a range of rests to suit your needs. When you go into full time production let us know. I am sure there are a few here who would love some custom made tool rests.


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## bogmonster (25 Aug 2014)

Slow day today but did get some shed time. Finished up the Robust style rests:
















Waiting for the paint to harden a bit more before testing them but initial impression is that they will hold up well. Epoxy glueing the stainless on was a bit of a PITA but I have the knack now. To get a good bond I keyed the surfaces (a couple of passes over bench grinder coarse wheel corner).

Whilst I had the paint can I tarted up a rest I rescued from the old lathe - sentimental value:






Finally started on a disc sander table:






I have got myself a M33 tap so plan to make a couple of new sanding discs and vacuum chucks. Also need to make a grinder pedestal as the wall mount is incompatible with the new layout with the new lathe.

Who knows, I might actually turn some wood soon 

BM


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## bogmonster (26 Aug 2014)

The epoxy really does work! Tried the rests out today and make a point of bashing them about rounding off some 4" square ply with a roughing gouge for another project. Also I am amazed at how ridged they are considering they are only 6mm thick flat. The long rest is 14" and I purposely used the end. I guess the strength comes from the curved profile in the same way that angle section steel is impressively strong.

The robust style rests will not be my go to rests for bowls but for spindles I am happy.

BM


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## Robbo3 (27 Aug 2014)

Bm - Thank you for showing us the results of your efforts. I find it fascinating because you show both skills & equipment that I am unlikely to acquire.

I thought at first that you made the rest by flattening some angle iron but after a second look it seems like you used a tubular rest, inverted in the fly press, to produce an angle along the length of some (1/4" - 6mm ?) flat bar. I didn't know the fly press could produce such power. Edit: I see you said it was 6mm thick in your last post.

Was the rest welded to the stem? If so, presumably the weld is able to withstand the stresses involved without further bracing. 
Also, & here's where I show my lack of metal working knowledge, why not weld the rod to the top of the rest rather than epoxy it?


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## bogmonster (27 Aug 2014)

Hi Robbo, 

The components are:

Stem - 1" mild steel to fit my banjo - cut at an angle.
Body - 60mm x 6mm flat hot rolled mild steel - this is bent to whatever the angle is in the flypress and then stick welded on the stem.
Edge - 6mm stainless steel rod epoxy glued to the top of the body

The reason to glue as opposed to weld is that the heat from welding will temper the hardness of the steel used for the edge (and possibly warp it). Also welding dissimilar metals is either very tricky or simply not possible. I may have got away with a lower temp approach like silver solder but epoxy works well it appears. The reason to use stainless is that it is already supplied in a hard state (does not need to be hardened like medium carbon tool steels).

My flypress is a Norton No6. Notionally that is supposed to be about 6 tonnes of force although with a fair wind of the bar will probably deliver much more. It weighs about 450kg on the bench and 'walks' across the floor when used in anger. Can't bolt it down as the screed is thin so have to use scaff bars to lever it back from time to time. A hydraulic shop press would be better suited to this task but I don't have one and in general the flypress is better suited to what I usually want to use it for - it is a very tactile machine.

As for the rest of the kit, only collected it recently, I am a hobby blacksmith so tools of the hobby 

BM


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## Robbo3 (29 Aug 2014)

Bm - Thanks for the explanation. 

What made me ask was that Richard Stapely at Lamar Crafts welded his rod on top but re-reading the page I see he used silver steel whereas you used stainless steel.
- http://www.laymar-crafts.co.uk/tip47.htm


Know what you mean about the fly press walking. IIRC the one we had, where I used to work, was a number 5 & even though it was bolted to the floor we had to tighten the bolts after every session.

Not only do you have the skills & the tools but also the space to use them. Can't see anyone doing what you do in a wooden garden shed. 

Another satisfied AW1628VS owner.


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