New Tool Rest (small gloat)

[John. B]

New lathe! came with an enormous rest, not much good for pen turning.

So, Made my own! turned up on my little engineering lathe from a length of scrap 28mm mild steel bar.

What do you think?

Old one.

New one

just right. custom length :lol: :lol: :lol:

John. B

 

[big soft moose]

looks good - not being a metal worker i will probably wind up buying a short rest from axminster - not that i do many pens anyway - what i really want is one of those curved rests that goes inside a bowl.

 

[CHJ]

Neatly done John.B, mind you don't get the bug though, could find yourself looking for somewhere to store them :lol:

 

[John. B]

Very nice Chas, I didn't notice any welding? :? how are they (other than the bolted ones) held together? :shock:
I particularly like the bendy one :lol:

John. B

 

[Steve Jones]

Nice work John, can I ask which centre that is in your tailstock mainly because I could do with replacing mine

Regards

Steve

 

[treeturner123]

Steve,

Looks like an Axminster with interchangable heads, very useful, see Axminster on line for more details

Phil

 

[John. B]

Hello Steve,
Phil is correct in that it is an Axminster 'Multi-head live revolving centre' to give its correct title. I've had one for many years.
They sell them now for £48.90 with three tips. Extra tips go for £8.75 each.
As I've got a metal lathe I tend to make my own tips, I've got a whole bundle of em. Some with a nylon heads for things like cups and goblets.
Others with cones with different degrees of sharpness.
Never had a problem with it, highly recommended.

Edit...... I have just noticed they are doing a package deal, adding the other three tips giving six all told. For the same £48.90 price tag.

John. B

 

[CHJ]

Very nice Chas, I didn't notice any welding? :? how are they ....

Silver soldered John, don't have a welding kit.
Does take a bit of patience getting the heat into the bigger stock but it's a my usual metal bonding method.

 

[Steve Jones]

Thanks for the info John & Phil, it might give me an excuse to visit Axminster Nuneaton !

Steve

 

[stevebuk]

that looks the business john, got to get myself one of the smaller rests for just the same reason, the one on the nova is way too big for pens.

 

[wabbitpoo]

What do you think?

I think your shop is way too clean. I bet you just make tool rests all day and never turn anything woody!

 

[dickm]

Silver soldered John, don't have a welding kit.
Does take a bit of patience getting the heat into the bigger stock but it's a my usual metal bonding method.

So what's your heat source? I've got a big Sievert propane torch, but even that won't heat a lump of steel that size for silver solder.
Usually fall back on the old Oxford oil-cooled welder for this sort of thing, but it's not a precision tool :?

 

[CHJ]

So what's your heat source? I've got a big Sievert propane torch, but even that won't heat a lump of steel that size for silver solder.

I have a small propane torch for general 'bulk/background' heat
used in conjunction with a small canister MAP torch for the Hot source to provide that extra lift to temperature in the joint area.

I use them in a reflective 'brick' hearth I picked up at a model engineering show, sort of compressed mica slabs with a heat reflecting wadding lining for the base.

I really need to get a decent propane torch to run off my big cylinders for improved economy if nothing else.

We regularly used plain domestic gas many years ago silver soldering large brass waveguide flanges but I guess they were burning a fair volume and used in a firebrick hearth.

One trick I have used in the past has been to heat the largest items on a gas stove/burner first but his is of course dependant on the ability to assemble/jig a hot component for final soldering.

 

[treeturner123]

Steve, and others,

Axminster were giving out 10% discount flyers at the Interbuild expo for use in the new Nuneaton branch. Even if you don't have one, it might be worth while asking when you go.

Phil