New tool rest for lathe

[Wood&StuffLtd]

 

[Inspector]

That's more of a safety railing. Is it stiff enough at the tips to keep from vibrating?

Pete

 

[Wood&StuffLtd]

It is made of 25mm dia stainless steel 1500mm with 2 x 25mm stems 150mm. So far it works well and hardly any vibration. As shown it uses 2 banjos. The Axminster 406 Trade lathe has an extrnsion each end. I have a commission to make standard lamps.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

How do you propose to get a hole down through them? That's why they're usually sectional. Unless you're running a groove down through two pieces and glueing them back together, of course.

 

[Wood&StuffLtd]

Will be made in two parts. The longer part will be drilled and the reversed. I have the Axminster set for long boring but a Zoro 8mm dia 1000mm long borer bit. It will be made out off 100x100mm beech from a slab.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The bit looks interesting - have you used it before or did you buy it for the job?

 

[Wood&StuffLtd]

I had it made. i bought the 25mm dia stainless steel from Metals4U. 1x 1500mm long and 2 x 150mm long. 500mm spacing. Cost of metal £106. Local welding firm for the 2 welds £60. All inc VAT. Extra Axminster banjo £86. I plan to make 4 standard lamps for family members. It would have been cheaper in mild steel but the stainless wont rust in my unheated workshop.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

No, I meant the drill bit.

 

[Wood&StuffLtd]

I bought a 8mmdia x 1000mm long drill bit from Zorro Tools. Cost £20 inc vat and postage. I haven’t used it yet but bought it for the job.

 

[Eric Roy]

That's more of a safety railing. Is it stiff enough at the tips to keep from vibrating?

Pete

I think I would share Pete’s concern, but do hope that chatter doesn’t derail your plans. It would be great to have an update when you have tried it in anger.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I had it made. i bought the 25mm dia stainless steel from Metals4U. 1x 1500mm long and 2 x 150mm long. 500mm spacing. Cost of metal £106. Local welding firm for the 2 welds £60. All inc VAT. Extra Axminster banjo £86. I plan to make 4 standard lamps for family members. It would have been cheaper in mild steel but the stainless wont rust in my unheated workshop.

It would have cheaper to buy four standard lamps.

It'll be interesting to see how well the bit stays on centre.

 

[joethedrummer]

,, i,ve welded up a few toolrests, but yours for length is in another world,,,, can you make one 30 foot long i,m making a flag pole,, but seriously that is beautifully made,, well done,

 

[Wood&StuffLtd]

Phil, you are right it would have been cheaper to buy a few standard lamps. I have to blame Covid for the increase in my woodturning as we used to spend nearly half the year traveling Europe or flying out to Tasmania. As you can’t take it with you I have spend a pound or two on woodturning gear over the last two years. My wife, two daughters want a standard lamp each as do my two older grand daughters so five it is. Plus all the fruit bowls, trinket plates and “Dad can you make a fruit bowl for so and so as as I have to give them a wedding gift etc” I also experimented with abstract art woodturning and carving similar to some of the American woodturners. All good fun.

 

[Wood&StuffLtd]

So far so good. 100mmx100mm x 1070mm (4”x4”x42”) turned in the round. Small amount of vibration right at the end whilst roughing using 2”wide roughing gouge until nearly round. If I did this commercially I would remake the rest with three uprights and a third banjo, but that is maybe a bit over the top! Very pleased so far though.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Why the need for 4" x 4"? Rather wasteful, I'd have thought. If you've not done them before put your holes through next. Sorry if I'm teaching granny to suck eggs. If your posts were closer to the ends you'd get less vibration - the centre would at least be supported from both ends.

 

[Wood&StuffLtd]

Phil, all advice and comment appreciated. Yes holes are next job. The 4”x4” is to allow a sweep curve from the base to the top. The lengths were the only ones available at the time. I take your point over the support distances and if I did it again i would take that into account.

 

[Sheptonphil]

Why the need for 4" x 4"? Rather wasteful, I'd have thought. If you've not done them before put your holes through next. Sorry if I'm teaching granny to suck eggs. If your posts were closer to the ends you'd get less vibration - the centre would at least be supported from both ends.

I thought holes went in very first thing and then turn around the hole so it is the centre of the finished piece, not after roughing.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

One or t'other. The piece is probably much more balanced after roughing and there's no real downside to doing it first, you waste couple of minutes, that's all.
Actually, thinking about a good reason for putting the hole through after roughing is that you can see a little more easily whether you've bulk enough left if the hole drifts.