tool posts & rests

[lurker]

I have a 10" long cast one that came with the lathe but its getting a bit battered

so, I thought I'd make myself some tool rests.
I have some thick wall stainless steel (25mm) tube for the posts.
Looking for ideas and inspiration.

I don't have facilities to weld the SS so the making of the T is a problem, but I am hoping clever folks here have ideas.

Also regards the rest itself; are you all using round bar or what?

If all else fails I might splash out on the Sorby system unless you have better suggestions

 

[CHJ]

Not sure tubing will be rigid enough for something with a 5" overhang and the clamping bolt would deform it I suspect.

The only ones I've made have been turned up from MS stock for the stems and either Silver Soldered or bolted together with 6mm CS Screws.

Mixture of Blade and Bar.

 

[lurker]

wow!
fast reply Chas, many thanks

The tube has a 3mm wall (nuclear grade pressure pipe 8) ), but I agree I need to be careful.
My thinking was to fill it with (turned to size) nylon rod and then fit a rawlbolt (simply because I have these already)
But I might buy sorby posts and just DIY the rests

Thanks for photos; that's the inspiration I was looking for.

 

[CHJ]

Think 10mm wall on a 25mm dia. pipe is rigid enough.

You could Tap the bore to take a threaded spigot/stud for the cross bars to screw on to.

 

[lurker]

Think 10mm wall on a 25mm dia. pipe is rigid enough.

You could Tap the bore to take a threaded spigot/stud for the cross bars to screw on to.

was a typo now ammended

 

[TFrench]

If you buy the sorby stem I have the taps for the toolrest Jim.

 

[marcros]

IIRC the post is the cheaper part of the Sørby system.

Also worth checking what is available- Stiles and bates made some, I think. Certainly one of the bigger turning suppliers made their own.

 

[pollys13]

I bought a 25mm diameter Axminster Evoulution tool post http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-ev ... s-ax960635 They don't do a 30cm round bar to fit on top. http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-ev ... to-st-pp-1 So I bought a 30cm length of 303 grade stainless round bar and got a machinist to tap a thread in the base so I could attach the bar to the post. So got the length I wanted and saved a few quid too, also gave my mate a bit of work. Can get longer lengths than 30cm on Ebay.

 

[pollys13]

Not sure tubing will be rigid enough for something with a 5" overhang and the clamping bolt would deform it I suspect.

The only ones I've made have been turned up from MS stock for the stems and either Silver Soldered or bolted together with 6mm CS Screws.

Mixture of Blade and Bar.

Nice work.

 

[Honest John]

I have one of the Stiles and Bates round bar jobbies and use it a lot. Can't remember how much it cost, but I dont remember it being expensive. It was some years ago!

 

[dcmguy]

If you decide to biy rather than make, you might want to look at the Robust toolrests ... maybe not cheap but good choices of size & shape ...plus supposedlydingproof (they say)

http://www.philironswoodturning.co.uk/l ... price-list

http://www.philironswoodturning.co.uk/l ... -toolrests

http://www.philironswoodturning.co.uk/l ... -toolrests

 

[lurker]

I bit the bullet and bought a Sorby 25mm tool stem.

Does anyone know what the thread size is?
I have lots of taps (but few dies) but can't see one similar. As I anticipate making my own rests i may need to unchain the wallet again

Had assumed it was a "m" but it looks a bit finer.

Tom, I know you kindly offered a loan but it might be something I will want to use regular ish

 

[marcros]

I have seen a couple of things online saying M12 x 1.25. I don't have a thread gauge to check my own.

 

[lurker]

I have seen a couple of things online saying M12 x 1.25. I don't have a thread gauge to check my own.

For anyone else looking for this tool post thread size:

Marcos was spot on.
I bought these
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01 ... UTF8&psc=1

and am now fabricating some rests to suit my needs.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I edited post1026835.html#p1026835 to include that.

 

[Robbo3]

Thanks marcros & phil.p.
Very helpful.