# Aftermarket tool rests



## ChiknNutz (Apr 22, 2011)

I have on order one of the Rikon 1216 mini lathes from Woodcraft (Black Friday sale). It comes with a little 4" rest and so I got to looking at what else is available. I have found some but they seem really proud of them for what they are. I was wondering if anyone knows about someone that makes them for less than $50+ for something around 6" or 8" long. The Rikon uses a 5/8" dia post. Seems to me that this is a stupidly simply affair to weld a couple of 5/8" dia rods together to form a TEE. Heck I could do that but I don't have a welder (not sure why I don't, now that I think about it).


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

I agree, I think its rediculous what they want for a couple small pieces if steel and a weld. I'm going to be eventually welding some up for myself because I only have a 6". I'd be willing to weld you some up for cost but I cant make no promises as to when. Ive been meaning to make some for myself for months now and havnt gotten around to it.

I guess since I offered, I should also mention that I am not a certified welder. Just a weekend warrior that happens to own a small MIG.


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## ChiknNutz (Apr 22, 2011)

I smell a business opportunity knockin'! I'm not certified either, but have done a fair amount of welding over the years, I even took a welding course in college (Arc, MIG, TIG, etc.). I've been wanting a welder for years, but never have pulled the trigger on one...cuz then I'd need metal-working tools. My wife already thinks I'm a tool-whore as it is.


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

I've got Robust tool rests in both my lathes and they're worth the money.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

+1 with Sawdustfactory. I feel the Robust tool rests are the best. I appreciate not cheap, but high quality.

The sweeping curved design is a pleasure to use.

If you make your own, consider welding some hardened steel on the top edge. Robust has drill stock welded on the top of their tool rests. Very strong and do not ding easily. I have had a number of unintended "tests" of the resistance of the top to marks from various tools.

Also if you make your own, and have the equipment for drilling and tapping, consider making the top replaceable so that you can keep the shaft in place and only change out the length of the top.

Look at the Woodcraft system for reference.

http://www.woodcraft.com/category/2000391/woodcraft-lathe-tool-rest-system.aspx


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## texasfl0od (Nov 28, 2012)

i have several tool rests that i have aquired over the last few years but i use the "oneway" inside and outside curve tool rests the most . very solid and curved very well for bowls and vessels . as i said very solidly built - very little to no chatter !


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## fboyles (Nov 7, 2012)

I have one pen under my belt now so I'm FAR from an expert but I do like to stretch my dollar. I'm planning on buying this tool rest set for the same lathe. I feel for the price I can at least figure out what makes a good tool rest or one that doesn't.


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## ChiknNutz (Apr 22, 2011)

I saw those, but some of the reviews say there are "way too short" to use with the Rikon. Did you see those and if so, how did you overcome those objections?


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## fboyles (Nov 7, 2012)

No, I didn't see the review on the posts being too short. I'll go out and measure the one that came with the Rikon. 
Yep... I'm glad I didn't pull the trigger on this one as it will be too short.


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

I have made my own tool rests both from round stock and from flat stock that I welded at at angle. However my favorite ones come from www.bestwoodtools.com and from http://www.turnrobust.com/
The Bestwoodtools rests are made from a low vibration steel that comes from NASA. I'm not sure I can detect the lower vibration but they don't ding up and your tool rides really smooth. My favorite one is a 9" that is mounted off center. This allows you to rotate the tool so the either the long or short part goes in the bowl or outside. That's been really handy.
The Robust tool rests and incredibly comfortable with a hardened bar on top. This is my favorite tool rest by far. I have the low profile rest because I like to wrap my hands around it to support thin workpieces with my fingers. 
They are worth the money in my opinion. I know I'm a cheap bastard but eventually I spring for the good stuff and in this case it was definitely worth it.


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

so with a midi lathe like my delta 46-460 what would be wrong with these from woodcraft like dave showed?


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

This couldn't be more timely. I only have a 12" rest and I'm totally jammed up when working on something small. My Delta has a 1" post and the Delta aftermarket rests are inexplicably too short. So I'm looking too.


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## fboyles (Nov 7, 2012)

Here are a few pics of the 4" Rikon tool rest


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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

fboyles said:


> Here are a few pics of the 4" Rikon tool rest


Wow, my post alone is 5". Those are small.

Sent from my Galaxy S2 using Woodworking Talk


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## RusDemka (Jun 9, 2012)

oldmacnut said:


> Wow, my post alone is 5". Those are small.
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy S2 using Woodworking Talk


Mac, you should post a picture of the rest i had my guy weld for you...:yes:


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## Bozwell (Nov 25, 2012)

fboyles said:


> No, I didn't see the review on the posts being too short. I'll go out and measure the one that came with the Rikon.
> Yep... I'm glad I didn't pull the trigger on this one as it will be too short.


 I've got the Rikon 1216 and heard the same thing about tool rests being too short. I think I'm going to have to commission one of the machinists in our maintenance dept. to a special project


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## fboyles (Nov 7, 2012)

Found this rest. Looks pretty good for the price. I think the short rest are made for a 10"> swing and since the Rikon is 12" it doesn't reach.


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

I don't want to hijack the thread but this looks like a good place to ask. Is there an advantage of a flat tool rest verses a round tool rest? I had never thought about it but we had a presenter at a club meeting using a club lathe and he complained about not liking the round tool rest.
Tom


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

TomC said:


> I don't want to hijack the thread but this looks like a good place to ask. Is there an advantage of a flat tool rest verses a round tool rest? I had never thought about it but we had a presenter at a club meeting using a club lathe and he complained about not liking the round tool rest.
> Tom


This may be personal preference more than night-and-day differences.

A flat rest like the Robust is able to have the point of support of the tool be placed closer to the wood, so less overhang for the tool. You may feel the difference is perhaps only 1/2in, but for some folks and some operations it makes a difference.

Some folks like to use a grip which wraps around the rest. Some will find round better for this, some will find flat better.

A round rest in some cases may be easier to maintain the distance of the tool, e.g., when using a skew trying to get a round cylinder.


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

I've got one round rest (shaped like a letter J with the post nearer the straight end than the curve), a couple of regular rests, and a square bar that can be pushed inside a hollowed out box to help when scraping the bottom.

I like the regular rests best for roughing a cylinder. The spindle roughing gouge takes a bit of a hammering while the blank still has corners to knock off, and it's easier to keep the cutting edge elevated (avoiding a bad catch).

That said -- it's personal choice, and I probably don't do the same thing every time :laughing:


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