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WillyInBris
4th April 2007, 06:11 PM
Hey ladies and gents,

I have a MC1100, anyway it came with a tool-rest but when I make pens etc I cant get the rest close enough as its to wide.

Can different widths be brought? I was having a look at the Carbatec site but couldn't find any.

If worst comes to worst I will get my mate to arc up his Mig and make me a couple when he gets back from his vacation in a month or so but ideally I would like one sooner.

Thanks in advance.

Skew ChiDAMN!!
4th April 2007, 06:17 PM
Yep, you can buy 'em.

I just had a look at Jim Carroll's site, but these (http://cws-store.yahoostore.com.au/cgi/index.cgi/shopfront/view_by_category?category_id=1107145008) were all I found. I'm pretty sure that he also carries the modular rests, where you buy just the appropriate stem and then can screw on variously shaped & sized round rests. Wouldn't hurt to ask him...

Having a tame engineer nearby works out cheaper IMHO though. :wink:

GordRocks
4th April 2007, 07:10 PM
I just ordered one from www.woodzone.com (http://www.woodzone.com) that should do the trick for me. But if it's smaller you want, do you have a hacksaw handy?:)

.....Gord

rsser
4th April 2007, 07:24 PM
Yep; see The Woodsmith for the Sorby modular jobs, and search the Timbecon site for toolrests.

Hi Skew; seems I'm following you round today ;-}

ciscokid
4th April 2007, 08:51 PM
Having a tame engineer nearby works out cheaper IMHO though. :wink:

There is no such thing as a tame engineer. :;

WillyInBris
4th April 2007, 09:03 PM
Has anyone tried the Sorby modular jobs, Its got me interested especially the S shape for bowls?

rsser
4th April 2007, 09:33 PM
Nope.

There are other S rests out there made of plate rather than rod which seem stronger than the Sorby looks.

I was brought up in the school of curved rests ;-} and like them cos you can get in close to reduce chatter.

Anvil used to make a range of S and C rests to order.

Skew ChiDAMN!!
5th April 2007, 12:18 AM
You'd be the bloke to ask then, Ern...

When spindle turning, I prefer a plate rest 'cos you can place the edge that actually supports the tool closer to the cutting face than you can with the tubular type. (Unless you're scraping. :rolleyes:)

But when hollowing narrow forms, (eg. deep goblets) the curvature of the bowl tends to interfere with the bottom of the rest... so I've been using a thin rest which, of course, is more prone to flex and cause chatter. Do you think a tubular S-rest might be more practical then? I'm pretty sure the Sorby S-rests come in 3/4" or 1" stock and it'd take a bit to flex that...

Not that I'd buy a Sorby rest, mind, I'd much rather buy a bottle of a local friends' favourite vintage. :wink:

DJ’s Timber
5th April 2007, 12:48 AM
You'd be the bloke to ask then, Ern...

When spindle turning, I prefer a plate rest 'cos you can place the edge that actually supports the tool closer to the cutting face than you can with the tubular type. (Unless you're scraping. :rolleyes:)

But when hollowing narrow forms, (eg. deep goblets) the curvature of the bowl tends to interfere with the bottom of the rest... so I've been using a thin rest which, of course, is more prone to flex and cause chatter. Do you think a tubular S-rest might be more practical then? I'm pretty sure the Sorby S-rests come in 3/4" or 1" stock and it'd take a bit to flex that...

Not that I'd buy a Sorby rest, mind, I'd much rather buy a bottle of a local friends' favourite vintage. :wink:

Skew, you got a 25mm or 1" banjo. Got a few laying around here if you want to try one out

rsser
5th April 2007, 07:27 AM
When spindle turning, I prefer a plate rest 'cos you can place the edge that actually supports the tool closer to the cutting face than you can with the tubular type. (Unless you're scraping. :rolleyes:)

But when hollowing narrow forms, (eg. deep goblets) the curvature of the bowl tends to interfere with the bottom of the rest... so I've been using a thin rest which, of course, is more prone to flex and cause chatter. Do you think a tubular S-rest might be more practical then? I'm pretty sure the Sorby S-rests come in 3/4" or 1" stock and it'd take a bit to flex that...


Skew, that's exactly the trade-off with the plate type. You can see how Vicmarc works the trade-off by tapering the wings of their S rest.

Mind you, with my bigger rod rests you have the same issue: with 1" rod you're moving the fulcrum away from the stock and you need the clearance within a hollow form to do that. The medium S rest uses 3/4" rod and that works nicely; you can lay a small bowl gouge on its side with the shank near horizontal and bore into forms. (I think you might have made this one for me DJ; two shanks ago).

The plus with C rests is easier external bowl shaping than with a straight rest. You have more consistent support around the profile and can use the rest as a guide to achieving the profile.

These days I use the curved rests less and less for internal work though, having the Munro hollowers and now the brilliant Proforme job. They require less bending over.

tashammer
5th April 2007, 09:06 AM
i wonder if a canted lens shaped profile might be better? i seem to remember quadrant sectioned lathe rests (just in case you might not know, i am about 30 years out of date.)

rsser
5th April 2007, 09:38 AM
Should do.

Bending them would be a challenge wouldn't it?

Skew ChiDAMN!!
5th April 2007, 03:08 PM
Your way ahead of me then, Ern. I've barely started using S-rests, I think it'll be a long time before I outgrown 'em. :D


Skew, you got a 25mm or 1" banjo. Got a few laying around here if you want to try one out

DJ, from memory my MC-900's are 15/16" or 31/32" or some equally stupid figure. Just an RCH under 1" anyway, but enough to matter. :rolleyes:

Dean
5th April 2007, 04:20 PM
Hey ladies and gents,

I have a MC1100, anyway it came with a tool-rest but when I make pens etc I cant get the rest close enough as its to wide.

Can different widths be brought? I was having a look at the Carbatec site but couldn't find any.

If worst comes to worst I will get my mate to arc up his Mig and make me a couple when he gets back from his vacation in a month or so but ideally I would like one sooner.

Thanks in advance.


Re the Sorby modular rests, see http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com/reviews/sorbymodulartoolrest.htm

Re the shorter toolrest. I got a short one from Vermec on the Northside of Brissy. Works great for pens. $40 off memory.
http://www.vermec.com/

China
5th April 2007, 10:13 PM
Woodfast machinery make tool rests, the used to make them to order I don't know if they still do

hughie
6th April 2007, 12:47 AM
If worst comes to worst I will get my mate to arc up his Mig and make me a couple when he gets back from his vacation in a month or so but ideally I would like one sooner.


Willy, dont buy em get your mate to make them. Imho they charge to much for them.
Do a search and you will pull up some interesting post with pics. There should be couple of threads on tool rests.

sori for the hijack... Ern aint the Proforme the mother of all slicers..:U

Arriba
6th April 2007, 03:25 AM
You said "I cant get the rest close enough as its to wide."

Have you thought about cranking the tailstock adjustment out to extend the tailstock and thus give more space for the tool rest? Then you are held off only by the depth of what is in the tailstock, rather than the with of the tailstock assembly. Worked for me.

rsser
6th April 2007, 08:29 AM
Hi Arriba, welcome to the nuthouse. Introduce yourself.


sori for the hijack... Ern aint the Proforme the mother of all slicers..:U

Yep, she's a gem; I was amazed. Can be fast or fine. Doesn't pull down at the bowl inside transition the way a cup cutter does. If only the shaft were another 75-100 mm long ... I might have a go at fabricating one myself. And btw, don't waste your time with the Woodcut scraper discs. They're midget. The teardrop from Sorby is a better option and a close fit on the shaft.

And to continue the hijack ;-} ... Mik have the old Proforme ProMaster handle at a good price. It's set up for 1/2" shafts but you can remove the sleeve and insert shims in the handle to take 5/8". It may also cope with 3/4" - not sure without it in front of me.

GC
8th April 2007, 12:15 AM
what hughie said,

I had a mate weld up some, you get exactly what you want cheaper than buying

GC

rsser
8th April 2007, 12:35 AM
The rod or plate has to be heated and bent as well don't forget. Takes a bit of gear and skill. Some of my rests had bends that were rough.

CHJ
10th April 2007, 01:20 AM
I have started making some rests up of a modular nature, adding top plates,extensions etc. as I need to meet a particular support need, they are not welded, just bolted together with good quality 6mm skt hd csk screws.

http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?p=168521#168521

The curved sections are made from reasonably high carbon "gauge plate' so are quite stiff.

Sorry for the UK forum link ref. but am away from Uk and my files at this moment.

Might give you some ideas.

scooter
10th April 2007, 06:46 PM
Thanks for that, Chas, haven't heard from you for a while.


Cheers.................Sean

CHJ
10th April 2007, 07:12 PM
Thanks for that, Chas, haven't heard from you for a while.


Cheers.................Sean

Yeh, been a bit lax on the www browsing front, been a bit busy with machine upgrades and a bit more metal turning.
Besides with John and Janet causing mayhem down under the last six months I thought it as well if the brits kept quiet for a while.