Tool Rest Design

[Mobyturns]

I will often take the time to watch other experienced & not so experienced turners in action when at participation style events.

One thing that I often see is a turner struggling with a poorly designed tool rest.

What are your views on the ideal tool rest - for bowl or spindle turning or a great "universal" design?

Do you prefer over hand or under hand grips while turning? Does the tool rest design matter?

Important points to consider imo as I believe the cross section profile of the tool rest affects spindle turning more so than for bowl turning.

My views,

More vertical profiles with a "cove" on the turners face of the rest such as the ones shown at http://www.woodfast.com.au/index.php?p=1_8 allow the turner to use an underhand grip & run their LH (or RH) index finger as a guide, i.e. to follow the tool rest giving more stability and allows the fingers to act as a "depth gauge."

Angled tool rest profiles are more difficult to use for spindle turning as the turners fingers cannot follow the guide and in some cases with "flatter angles" the fingers are well away from where you need tool support so it becomes quite difficult to use underhand grips while spindle turning. These are more suited to bowl turning. http://www.vicmarc.com/default.asp?contentID=727

Similar issues occur with the spindle/detail gouge as the index finger is often used under the tool rest with the thumb "anchoring" and guiding the spindle gouge as it is held between the thumb & index finger (forefinger).

The taper of the bottom of a tool rest may create issues as well. Sharp angles / corners become uncomfortable and the overly large bevels mean you loose support at times as there is not a long enough useable section of the tool rest.

I believe most of the problems turners have with a skew chisel are actually tool rest design problems.

[pommyphil]

Yes I agree with your profile idea, especially for spindle work.
Welding toolsteel round bar on top would help those flat angled ones,gives a bit of a cove for the index finger and the harder steel prevents nicks and dings.359888Phil

[greyhound]

Do mainly spindal turning and just love the design of the wood fast rests because of the large cove

[Picko]

I do mostly faceplate work and didn't realise how good the woodfast rests were until I used something else. I must add a bar to the top of my short home made angled one - thanks Phil.

[Woodturnerjosh]

I haven't used the Woodfast rests but I have a couple of the new vicmarc ones (see Pommyphil's picture) but I do find them a bit large for an underhand grip (for my hands anyway). I rather like the look of these http://www.turnrobust.com/tool-rests/ their comfort rest looks similar to Vicmarcs but they also do a low profile one which looks really good for underhand grip. I'm going to have a crack at making one of their internal curve bowl rests (shipping to Australia puts them at around $200) and if that works I might make some others. I was thinking of using linear bearing rod for the bar at the top....

[hughie]

I haven't used the Woodfast rests but I have a couple of the new vicmarc ones (see Pommyphil's picture) but I do find them a bit large for an underhand grip (for my hands anyway). I rather like the look of these http://www.turnrobust.com/tool-rests/ their comfort rest looks similar to Vicmarcs but they also do a low profile one which looks really good for underhand grip. I'm going to have a crack at making one of their internal curve bowl rests (shipping to Australia puts them at around $200) and if that works I might make some others. I was thinking of using linear bearing rod for the bar at the top....

The linear bar will work you may have to heat it up prior to welding. I have used quite a few of them over time

[chuck1]

At home I have flat bar 40 mm and 50 mm on an angle to the toolpost and have ground the top corner off so the tool should be supported as close to the timber.
I have a fair collection of toolrests from 80mm to double posts rests up to a metre long
For bowls I have curved round bar and flat bar rests.
At work the rests are vertical on the posts. Not overly keen on that style.
All the tops are filed smooth to help tools slide. Which seems to be over looked by some

[powderpost]

When turning I use both an overhand and underhand grip. I prefer an overhand grip for heavier cuts. I need to easily and comfortably, use my index finger under the tool rest, especially with fine detail cuts and thread chasing. The early Woodfast rests were pressed heavy sheet metal, I found them uncomfortable and they flexed a bit. I made my own using 50 x 10mm bar about 15 degrees off the vertical. I welded a 10mm round bar to the top. The new cast Woodfast tool rests with the "cove" at the top on the turners side I find very comfortable, but I did spend some time smoothing the "cove" with 320# wet a & dry paper, wet. The top is slightly rounded and is soft enough to keep smooth easily, with a water stone or file. gave me a tool rest made from pressed steel with the support essentially vertical but only about 3mm thick. I have come to like this format, especially for spindle work. I do demand that the top edge and the back be smooth.

So my conclusion is that for my style of work, I will use either the Woodfast style or a tool rest with the near vertical section, for general spindle turning but depends a little on the project at hand.

Jim

[hughie]

I use my own design of tool rest either round or square from 20 dia to 25 dia, square 25mm. As to grip method it will vary depending on what I'm doing add to that my grip is slightly different when changing hands :U Have yet to successfully duplicate the grip back and forth, but they both work for me so far.
As what I turn, hollow vessels rarely do any spindle work and if so its just tool handles, once in a while an open bowl . With that I might add I use a couple of laser controlled hollowing rigs which completely changes everything in so far as grip goes.

[Paul39]

All the tops are filed smooth to help tools slide. Which seems to be over looked by some

Not ignored more than once when ones skew falls into a trench on the tool rest during the final smoothing cut on a spindle.