# Making tool rest.



## woodtickgreg (Jan 2, 2021)

I'm making some tool rest so I thought I would show how I'm doing them. These are pretty basic and not as fancy as the stainless steel curved rest I have made in the past, kind of experimenting with the curved rest. All of the post are from 4140 CroMo steel, its tgp which means turned, ground, and polished. Its pricey stuff at $16 a foot. I use it because it is very hard and doesn't ding or dent easily. All of the materials I am using for the tops of the rest is salvaged material I dumpster dived for when I worked at a roll forming company.

Even though the 4140 is hard it can be cut with a Sawzall as long as you go slow and don't overheat the blade. I found that 14tpi blades worked the best, I used 5 blades total.



Materials cut to rough size. Round bar for the curved tops is 3/4" stainless. I don't know if it will be stiff enough without a under brace but I'm trying it out anyway. I can always add a stiffening brace later if I get cbatter.



The curved flat bar rest should be much stiffer.
stiffness is important so you don't get chatter from the rest flexing.



This one with the short post is for the short Texan.  



This will be a box rest. It'll work great with carbide chisels when turning lidded boxes. 



A bunch of rough materials cut to size.

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 8


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Jan 2, 2021)




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## woodtickgreg (Jan 2, 2021)

Now that all the post are cut I chucked them up in the Ole southbend metal lathe to face them and chamfer them so they will be easy to insert into a banjo.



I oiled up the southbend metal lathe and got to work.



Here's a before and after pic, facing them and chamfering them not only looks better but it makes it easier to insert into a banjo, plus it feels better in your hand too. After cutting them I hold a file against them while they are still turning in the lathe, it rounds everything off so there are no sharp edges.



Definitely looks better I think. 



This is after all the post have been machined and the top bars ground so there are no sharp edges. I also rounded the corners of the box rest.
Ready to be welded at this pointe, maybe tomorrow.

Reactions: Like 3 | Way Cool 5


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## trc65 (Jan 2, 2021)

Thanks for showing your process. Interested in the welding process, especially with the dissimilar metals.


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## Maverick (Jan 2, 2021)




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## woodtickgreg (Jan 2, 2021)

trc65 said:


> Thanks for showing your process. Interested in the welding process, especially with the dissimilar metals.


As long as I keep the heat up and get good penatration it will be fine. The stainless is 304 so it is a low grade of stainless and it will bond. I have done this before with stainless and CroMo and I've never had one break apart. Just crank up the heat! Having the metals clean is a big help too. I'll be mig welding this stuff.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## Wildthings (Jan 2, 2021)

A bunch of those are curved or bent. How'd you do that?


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 2, 2021)

Wildthings said:


> A bunch of those are curved or bent. How'd you do that?


I didn't, lol. I used to work for a roll forming company and I dug in the scrap bins all the time. The curved ones where roll formed cut offs.
But I have been thinking of making a press to bend metal for curved rest.

Reactions: Like 3


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 3, 2021)

Then again, I'm still in good standing with the people at the roll forming company and it would probably be loads cheaper just to have them bend some stuff for me as needed..........

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Tony (Jan 3, 2021)

woodtickgreg said:


> Then again, I'm still in good standing with the people at the roll forming company and it would probably be loads cheaper just to have them bend some stuff for me as needed..........


I would think you could still dumpster dive there.


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## Gdurfey (Jan 3, 2021)

Greg, didn’t you get that nice metal chop saw? Educate me again, why didn’t you use it? I just haven’t done enough metal working. I was thinking of doing some rests, but was going to use some mild steel from the farm supply store and practice.


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 3, 2021)

Gdurfey said:


> Greg, didn’t you get that nice metal chop saw? Educate me again, why didn’t you use it? I just haven’t done enough metal working. I was thinking of doing some rests, but was going to use some mild steel from the farm supply store and practice.



The only reason I didn't use the metal chop saw on this was because I just didn't know how hard the 4140 crmo was and I didn't want to destroy a $100 carbide metal cutting blade just to make a few tool rest. Trashing a few Sawzall blades was an acceptable loss. If I make some more of these rest I'm going to experiment with some other cold rolled alloys and I'll use the chop saw for that.

Reactions: Useful 1


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 3, 2021)

Tony said:


> I would think you could still dumpster dive there.


Maybe.......dunno how they would feel about that. Was different when I worked there.


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 3, 2021)

Temp in the garage after I turned on a couple of space heater to take the chill off.



Terribly inadequate but better than nothing.



Getting better, lol.



A couple of test to get the heat dialed in. Top 2 where pours because I forgot to open the gas regulator after I turned the gas on, lol. Bottom left a little cold, bottom right is all the way up.



Tested on so.e scrap, didnt clean it just hit it. Ugly but it penetrated OK to me.





My little home welding station.



Welding magnets are a big help holding things square and in position.



When possible I try to center the top bar on the post.



I hit this again to fill it, but I think I'm getting a good bond.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 3


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 3, 2021)

Now that I'm done in the garage it's starting to warm up, lol.



2 inadequate heaters are better than no heaters.



A pile of hot tool rest.



These need to be cleaned up yet, some booger welds need to be ground back, weld spatter knocked off and the post polished so they slide in and out easy.





For those that where wonduring if you can weld 2 different metals together here ya go. Plenty of penatration because I had the heat cranked up all the way. 4140 CroMo welded to a 304 stainless steel top bar.



Next I'll wire wheel everything, sand as needed and then buff the post. Cold rolled top bars will need to be filed and ground to remove the mill scale and make the surface smooth so the turning tools slide across the bar smoothly.
But I'm getting there.

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 4


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## William Tanner (Jan 3, 2021)

Enjoyed the slide show. I see the satisfaction in making your own tools.Thanks.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 3, 2021)

William Tanner said:


> I see the satisfaction in making your own tools.Thanks.


That is exactly why I do it. Very perceptive of you to see that. I do think of myself as a maker, making tools is just one more part of the experience. I'm not much of a welder but I can stick metal together, lol. I made my welding table so that I can weld things at home. All of this gives me great satisfaction using the tools that I made.

Reactions: Like 1 | +Karma 2 | Sincere 4


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## JR Parks (Jan 4, 2021)

Thanks for the “backstage” on tool rest construction

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 5, 2021)

Here's the next step, wire wheeling them to clean them up a bit. Next I'll remove any weld spatter bbs that remain, then some light grinding off the booger welds. I'll also buff the post.

Reactions: Like 4 | Way Cool 3


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 9, 2021)

Working on the rest again, first thing I did today was grind back some of the weld with a bench grinder.
Then I went out to the garage to use the air compressor and a right angle die grinder.



After the bench grinder.



And then smoothed with a 36 grit disc. I did take it to 80 grit after this and then a scotch Brite disc.



Was cold in the garage today, got it up to 50 degrees with the electric heaters but the floor was still ice cold so my Mickey mouse boots where needed.



After a couple hours with the heaters on.



Starting to smooth out the mill scale on the top of one of the bars. I used a flap disc on a 4" grinder for this step so I could keep it flat.



Here's my set up for the work to remove the mill scale.



It came out pretty nice.



This is what the mill scale looked like after wire wheeling it and before the flap disc work.



Final step was to burnish it with a scotch Brite disc on the angle grinder. Tools will definitely slide across this very nice now.

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 6


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 9, 2021)

They are coming along, look much nicer now. Hopefully tomorrow I can start buffing the post.



Here's some for ya to play with @Tony

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## Tony (Jan 9, 2021)



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## Eric Rorabaugh (Jan 9, 2021)

That is an old mcculloch saw there


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 9, 2021)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> That is an old mcculloch saw there


Yup, 1960's 10-10. I had one like this that I restored, was a beast! Unfortunately it was stolen. This one is on the bucket list for a restore, but parts are very scarce for it. Maybe someday.


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Jan 9, 2021)

I used to have an old one in the building. Let me see if it's there and what model it is. If it will work for parts you need, you can have it.

Reactions: Way Cool 1 | +Karma 3


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 10, 2021)

Well I got Tony's rest done today, mine need more work. For so.e reason mine have a lot more weld spatter on them so they will need to be filed and sanded before buffng a bit.
I test fit them all on my laguna and the rikon just to make sure there was no irregularities in the post.



This one may be useful for box making to keep things square. If its too long for your lathe Tony you can cut the arms down with a hacksaw or Sawzall. 





Here's a box rest for hollowing the inside of turned boxes.



A side profile.



It will support the chisel when reaching deep inside a narrow vessel. 



Here ya go Tony, this should give you a good start with your new lathe. All cleaned up and ready to be boxed for shipping. 



A flat bar curved rest. This one would be best suited to shape the outside and bottom of a bowl before reversing it to hollow the inside.



Same with this round bar.



I just realized I didn't make a mirror image curved rest for hollowing the inside. Oh well, I get you one when I make another batch.

Reactions: Like 2 | Way Cool 4 | +Karma 1


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Jan 10, 2021)

Greg, when you start a new batch let me know.

Reactions: Like 1


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 10, 2021)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> Greg, when you start a new batch let me know.


What are you looking for?


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Jan 10, 2021)

I like that flat rest. May be interested in another.


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 10, 2021)

K, I'll need to source some more steel for those.


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## Tony (Jan 10, 2021)

Those are great brother, thanks!!!!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Alan R McDaniel Jr (Jan 10, 2021)

Great looking "Brand New" tool rests! You can't buy'em like that in the store!

But,

I'm sorry, 46 degrees is NOT warm!

Alan

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 2


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## T. Ben (Jan 11, 2021)

Alan R McDaniel Jr said:


> 46 degrees is NOT warm!


46degrees is sleeveless t-shirt weather!!

Reactions: Funny 3


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## Tony (Jan 11, 2021)

T. Ben said:


> 46degrees is sleeveless t-shirt weather!!

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Sprung (Jan 11, 2021)

Greg, those look great. I'll get in line with Eric, lol. Whenever you're making more, I'd be interested in buying a flat rest, with the top being about 1" wide to fit inside some small boxes I started some time ago - but never finished.

Reactions: Like 4


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## Tony (Jan 21, 2021)

Came home to a box of SWEET tool rests today, thanks my brother!!!!

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 3 | Sincere 1


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## Barb (Feb 19, 2021)

I'd like to get in line as well with buying a flat rest and a curved bar for the inside of a bowl if possible. :)

Reactions: Like 1


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## woodtickgreg (Feb 19, 2021)

Once it warms up a bit so I can be out in the garage without my snot freezing ill be making some more. I gotta pick up some more flat bar stock and round post material.
What I need to know from you guys is what is the diameter of your post, and what does your current flat rest measure from the top of the rest to the bottom of the post?

Reactions: Like 1


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## Lou Currier (Feb 19, 2021)




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## Barb (Feb 19, 2021)

woodtickgreg said:


> Once it warms up a bit so I can be out in the garage without my snot freezing ill be making some more. I gotta pick up some more flat bar stock and round post material.
> What I need to know from you guys is what is the diameter of your post, and what does your current flat rest measure from the top of the rest to the bottom of the post?


Cool! Post diameter is 1” and the length from top to bottom is 5 7/8”.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Mike Hill (Feb 19, 2021)

If like one of those flat bar hopping rests also. And a curved inside bowl rest.

Reactions: Like 1


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## woodtickgreg (Feb 20, 2021)

Wow, I didnt really expect this much interest in my tool rest. I think what I should do is start a new thread on them when I start making them again. It's the only way I'll be able to keep it all straight and fair, especially on the curved rest as I dont have much material for those and once it's gone it's gone. Plus each person's lathe will have different size post and height requirements.

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