A couple of newbie questions

Longer tool rest on a mini. There are a few things to consider.

Remember that when you get a catch (and you will get catches), the farther you are from the center of the tool rest, the more dramatic the forces on the rest, the rest's post, and the banjo are going to be. I've seen a number of mini rests sheared off due to catches -- the size of the rest and post are pretty marginal at best.

Also, the farther you get from the rest's point of support, the more vibration will affect things. I was turning on a store's Delta 16 inch machine (don't remember the model) and got significant vibration when supporting the tool near the end of a 12" rest. In fact, I found the outer several inches to be unusable and resorted to repositioning the rest so as to keep the tool near the middle. And, this rest had considerable more beef than the mini rests.

So, I'm not saying you have a bad idea, just that there are some issues to consider.

Bill

Olebiker wrote:

"Bill Rubenstein" wrote: (clip) I've seen a number of mini rests sheared off due to catches -- the size of the rest and post are pretty marginal at best. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Bill, with all due respect, I believe these have fractured in bending--not sheared. Jet toolrests, from my experience, are often broken in this way. If the OP makes or buys a toolrest of steel, these failures will be much less likely.

I made a toolrest out of round steel, in the shape of an "L," with one leg longer than the other. By reversing it in the banjo, I can have a longer or shorter toolrest. By swinging it 180 degrees in the banjo, I get almost all the advantages of a long toolrest and a short toolrest at the same time.

A really long toolrest is useful mainly for long spindles.

As I recall, Harbor Freight tool handles are are not too short. I think as you gain experience, you will find them adequate. Long handles are needed on long bowl gouges, which you will not be using on a mini.

I replaced the tool rest on my jet mini with one from Craft Supply. It is a round rest and has held up well.

Hi Dick, How bout them Noles! Hope you got to the NFWT. Are you going to Eustis? Long or short, thick or thin, you should expect to reposition a tool rest frequently and change rests as situations change. As you know, keeping the tool rest free of nicks, at a satisfactory height relative to you and the tool, distance from and position to the surface being cut are all important elements in the turning process. IMHO, cam clamps and banjos that are moved about easily and stay put along with better tool rest design (they used to be called hand rests) have made moving the tool rest an integral part of the turning process. Some dangerous abortions are still out there. They should be replaced _before they fracture.

Like backing a trailer with a long tongue, a long tool handle mostly allows for comfort and better control of movements, not for brute force. Even for deep hollowing there are better ways to stabilize the tool.

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

I made a 10" tool rest on my midi soon after I got it, and it worked fine- it was two pieces of (5/8"?) rod welded into a T-shape.

That being said, I don't think it really helped that much with anything but learning to shear cut with a skew on longer spindles. about 99% of the time, I just used the tool rest that came with it.

I guess what I'm saying is, it's got it's uses, and there's no reason not to make one- but I wouldn't go too far out of your way to do it.

Hey Arch. Even us Seminole fans are singing the praises of the Gators after last night. My Gator son-in-law will be hard to live with for a while.

The North Florida Woodturners moved their meeting from Jan. 2 to the

17th. I plan to be there. I won't be at Eustis this year. I'm so new to all this that I did not hear about it until too late.

Your comment about keeping the tool rest free of nicks was appropriate since I have found that I had to file mine to get rid of some nicks. The tool rest that came with the Jet Mini seems to be made of awfully soft material.

Yesterday I turned a small bowl out of a pice of sweet gum that I picked up out of a neighbor's yard. The wood is really light colored, but with a little spalting. I brought it in the office this morning and filled it with paper clips. I realize now that I need better lighting in my gara... er, shop. Under the office lights I see some rough spots I need to clean up.

This is just too much fun.