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Morbius
6th January 2013, 01:06 PM
Hi All!

I am looking for a 6" tool rest with a 1/2" shaft for my Carba-Tec mini-lathe.
I haven't had much luck looking for anything similar to the original parts, so have been considering the Robert Sorby system.

Can anyone tell me if it is any good, or offer suitable alternatives?

Thanks,

Craig

Jim Carroll
6th January 2013, 04:08 PM
The sorby system only goes down to a 5/8" toolpost.
Check your post size

turnerted
6th January 2013, 04:20 PM
If you can't find one, I suggest you take your original toolrest along to an engineering firm and ask them to knock one up for you. Better still, find a mate with a welder.
Ted

dr4g0nfly
6th January 2013, 05:33 PM
I agree that the Sorby system is the immediate thought. But I don't particularly like the round bar to turn over.

When I bought my new lathe it only came with a 14" long rest (far to long for many things). So I found a local engineering works and for a very reasonable cost they cut me a couple of 1" x 7" bars and a couple of bits of 4mm plate and welded me up 2 tool rests to my specification.

Always an option.

Jonzjob
6th January 2013, 08:10 PM
It looks as if they go down to 1/2"

Robert Sorby Modular Tool Rest System at The Best Things (http://thebestthings.com/newtools/sorby_modular.htm)

DJ’s Timber
6th January 2013, 08:25 PM
The sorby system only goes down to a 5/8" toolpost.
Check your post size

Umm Jim, you might wanna retract that statement :B

According to your website, you can get them in 1/2"

Mobyturns
6th January 2013, 09:10 PM
[
Umm Jim, you might wanna retract that statement
According to your website, you can get them in 1/2"

We all make mistooks - RS have them listed as 1/2" available. I purchased one by mistake too! :-

I have the 5/8" & 1" tool posts with the 768 Box Platform. Very handy for use with a custom front & side cutting scraper for boxes and making rings for spin tops. :D

Jim Carroll
6th January 2013, 09:28 PM
Thanks DJ will have to fix that as we have never stocked that size and just checked their pricelist and not listed.

Will have to do some checking when we get back

Dalboy
7th January 2013, 07:52 AM
Robert sorby start at 1/2" Modular Tool Rest System (http://www.robert-sorby.co.uk/modular-tool-rest-system.htm)

chuck1
7th January 2013, 08:43 AM
I went to the local steel shop and purchased bright bar in the required diameter and 40 by 10 flat bar and 50 by 10 think ive spent $100. spoke to my friendly metal worker next door and I now have 12 toolrests the longest being 960 with two posts, these are the other sizes 800, 600, 400, 300, 200 ,200 off set 50mm, 100 and 80. for my leady lathe I used the 50by 10 and have a 400 and 200. wish I had of used 50 by 10 for all of them!

Jonzjob
7th January 2013, 09:25 AM
Crickey Chuck, you will now be known as "Any time, any where, any place" just like the old Martini advert!

I make do with the standard 10", I think, and 4", I also think, cast iron and the standard curved, round, tool rest that comes with the big bowl extention for my Record CL1 and it has done me well for the past 16 years or so.

Why buy more I ask me?

chuck1
7th January 2013, 11:11 AM
hehehehe I turn balusters for work so I set the tool rest up once and turn the required amount in the old Hyco lathe and I won't be getting more tool rests any time soon!

hughie
7th January 2013, 03:54 PM
I always advocate making your own tool rests.That way you get what you want and for a very reasonable price. Ok you have find a tame welder, but even if you pay a local shop to weld it you will still be out in front.

DJ’s Timber
7th January 2013, 09:52 PM
Hi All!

I am looking for a 6" tool rest with a 1/2" shaft for my Carba-Tec mini-lathe.
I haven't had much luck looking for anything similar to the original parts, so have been considering the Robert Sorby system.

Can anyone tell me if it is any good, or offer suitable alternatives?

Thanks,

Craig

Have you had any luck getting something sorted yet?

I've got some 1/2" bright steel round bar here and scrap flat of which I can weld up for you for and post to you for the cost of postage, just need to now how much offset for the rest and minimum length of post.

Morbius
8th January 2013, 05:40 AM
Have you had any luck getting something sorted yet?

I've got some 1/2" bright steel round bar here and scrap flat of which I can weld up for you for and post to you for the cost of postage, just need to now how much offset for the rest and minimum length of post.

That's a generous offer! Thank you. No I haven't sorted anything out yet. I can easily measure the post and get back to you this afternoon, but I have no idea about offset. I am very new to turning.

Craig

DJ’s Timber
8th January 2013, 07:09 AM
Don't worry about the offset, I'll be able to work it out for you. It's the angle of how much the flat leans over.

Morbius
8th January 2013, 09:52 PM
Don't worry about the offset, I'll be able to work it out for you. It's the angle of how much the flat leans over.

Thanks very much for that! I would much rather get a locally made product :)

I measured the shaft and it is an inch and a half long, while the rest is 3 inches long.

Here's a low-quality picture of the tool rest which gives a bit of an idea of the angle.

248717

Please PM me with payment details.

Regards,

Craig

DJ’s Timber
8th January 2013, 10:52 PM
The pic tells all the info apart from 2 things, height to top of rest from bottom of post and offset from centre of post to outer edge of rest. Have edited your pic to show measurments I would like.

Morbius
9th January 2013, 06:21 AM
Thanks for clarifying that. I'll grab those as soon as I get home from work tonight.

Craig

Morbius
9th January 2013, 08:27 PM
Sorry about the wait!

The height is 2 1/2 inches and the offset is 1 inch.

Again, thanks very much for the help!

Craig

DJ’s Timber
9th January 2013, 10:28 PM
No worries, spent the whole day on the road in the truck, same again for tomorrow but early finish so should have it done tomorrow arvo and posted Friday for you :2tsup:

Morbius
9th January 2013, 10:46 PM
Please PM me with payment details. I'll send a postal address shortly.

Craig

DJ’s Timber
9th January 2013, 10:59 PM
Please PM me with payment details. I'll send a postal address shortly.

Craig

Replied to your PM :2tsup:

DJ’s Timber
22nd February 2013, 04:47 PM
It took a while, but it is finally done :D

Will be in the mail Monday :2tsup:

255271

255272

255273

Morbius
22nd February 2013, 06:20 PM
Please let me know how much I owe you. That is just brilliant!:2tsup:

Thanks so much!

Craig

Morbius
27th February 2013, 01:41 PM
DJ,

Thanks so much! I've already taken it out to the shed to check it out and it is a beauty! :2tsup:

I have a little time up my sleeve tomorrow to finish of the extension, so will get to try it out!

It looks rock solid and fits perfectly. The angle is spot on for my tools being able to reach the centre easily and the post is long enough to adjust as much as needed, without being too long and getting in the way. Just brilliant!

Picture of DJ's tool rest from the front in my lathe. 255847

Picture of DJ's tool rest from the side in my lathe. 255848

A couple of action pictures should be available once I get that bed finished :)

Regards,

Craig

Tim the Timber Turner
28th February 2013, 10:23 AM
Just a couple of comments.

With regard to the square cut end on the toolrest.
You will not be able to use it inside smaller diameter turnings like bowls, the bottom corner will foul and you will not be able to get the tool rest close to the work.
More versitile if you taper the underside of each end.

Your lathe stand looks very nice.
However if you intend to leave the lathe in the position shown in the photos a couple of things will happen.
1: You will need to bend over to use the lathe.
I hope your back is stronger than mine.

The hight of the stand is one of the most important, if not the critical thing to get right.
Hand on shoulder and measure the point of the elbow from the ground.
This is the hight the spndle should be

2: When turning you will not be able to drop the handle of the tools down because they will foul on the stand.
This means that on some cuts you will not be able to present the cutting edge at it's optium angle.

Could I suggest you move the lathe forward so that it is flush with the front of the stand?
This will eliminate both problems.

Cheers

Tim:)

Morbius
28th February 2013, 12:06 PM
Tim,

Thanks for the tips. I am not sure that I want to get into bowl turning with this lathe, it seems a little small. If I do get into that, I'll have a yarn to DJ about the wisdom of trimming the tool rest down (or not).

I am not sure that I want to move the lathe forward. I need that space for the duplication jig I want to mount there.

From what you say, I've obviously made a rooky mistake with working the height out. How did you determine that my lathe wasn't high enough?

Thanks,

Craig