Excuse the mess

[GrahamRounce]

Anyway, as I was saying
Thanks to all for suggestions. In the end I got a DML36SH (swivel-head) and cut the bars down by a foot.
Also, I have the bowl banjo on the left end and the normal banjo on the bed, with a home-(actually the metalwork place up the road)-made 22" angle-iron toolrest straddling them, so I should be able to work tabletops up to maybe 20", as long as they're not too heavy and I keep the speed down to a sane level...

Actually the Very Long Toolrest seems pretty solid!
Here's a pic:

Graham

 

[Jenx]

Looking good !
Would you see a need to perhaps plate those gussets in the angle-iron ?
Maybe help to really solidify that tool-rest 8)

Looks a good work-around though.. remember to let us see the 'goods' once you've turned the tabletop

 

[GrahamRounce]

Call me naive, but I thought welding a 19mm post on each end would be about a tenner, but it was £25, and would have been another £10 for extra little plates over those gaps. He did reinforce the bends with extra welding though. I might have been spoiling the ship for a hap'worth of tar, but it seems very solid. I suppose all the force is down, which is how the front part is strongest.

Can you tell me how far below the centre it should be? At the moment it's about 5/16" below, which feels a little high?

Thanks,

 

[Jenx]

I guess it depends on which tool you are using at the time, and what type of cut you're taking with that tool, Graham ...

Its quite variable, depending on the tool, the type of cut and indeed on the style and technique of the turner, as to where the toolrest sits, relative to centre.

I.e. What works for me , regarding approach angle with a 3/8" bowl gouge, may be radically different from what works best for you ....
I'm guessing it'll be a case of 'suck and see', and fine-tune as necessary !
:lol: :lol: :lol: