Knowledge You Can Build On — Est. 1998
Toolrest broken!
Robert Cox
>Well, put a gig, barely fit!, pice in the Mini today.
Out of balance, barely clearing the ways, concrete block stand moving, etc.
But I stayed cool and went to work. Kept out of the way in case it came off the faceplate.
But, PING!, off snapped my toolrest.
Any recomendations for replacement?
I'm thinking order up some 5/8" rod and hit the welders up for a favor.
Re: Toolrest broken!
JL
>I have been looking at some of the ones offered by Highland Hardware - but there are many good ones out there. Do a search for tool rests in Turning since November and you will find a few links.
Re: Toolrest broken! *LINK*
Sean Troy
>Check out the ones John Lea makes for the mini. Good luck, Sean
http://www.woodturningtools.net
Re: Toolrest broken! *LINK*
Mike Schwing from Md.
>I just bought a new one and I'm pretty thrilled with it. Check the linked thread below, and the guy who makes them chimed in, too. I've also bought nice rests from BestWoodTools.com
Tool Rest discussion
Unbreakable tool rest?
Fred in NC
>But breakable banjo ? Where is the weak link ?
HIJACK!!!!! *LINK*
Don Henthorn
>I got tired of filing the tool rest on my old Blount so I epoxied a 5/16" drill rod on top and it worked fine. I have been wondering about doing the same thing for the Jet mini tool rest. Not only would it help eliminate the filing but I think it might also provide some protection from breaking. Comments?
http://users2.ev1.net/~henthorn
Welcome to the Jet Mini Club!
John Crissman
>Bestwoods.com is my best suggestion. Good quality stuff.
For hte low cost solution get the 5/8 post and screw on rest from Woodcraft.
Re: HIJACK!!!!!
RonZ
>Excellent idea!
Re: Drill Rod, yes and NO!
Mark Mandell - Gone Round In Jersey
>Don,
A piece of O-1 rod will be harder that your cast iron, of course, but it will still get small nicks or dents. It will not (IMO) reinforce the iron rest if glued on, and might pose a real danger because when the glue breaks (guaranteed to happen), you've now got an uncontrolled piece of steel to get caught in the spinning workpiece and launched at your heart and other vital organs.
Attachment can be safely done, I think, by evenly bronze brazing the rod to the cast piece. Remember, though, that brazing heat (1500* or so) can nicely harden the steel and casting making them quite brittle and subject to fracture. Heat treating will then toughen things up and remove any heat-induced stress in the casting. You can do so in your oven set to 500 for about 3 hours and then cooled slowly, or by "roasting" in the coals of a charcoal BBQ fire and removed when cold.
Mark
Also, as several folks educated me on..
Mike Schwing from Md.
>The reason toolrests are softer than your tools is for a good reason. It would really stink if your tool was getting dinged instead of your toolrest.
I don't ever need to file my toolrests, but I do run a piece of drywall sanding mesh across them every few minutes to keep them smooth. The tiniest little nick can really frustrate you with delicate details and finishing cuts. I have a big heavy duty rest that I use when truing up a blank - I don't mind if it gets abused, and another round rest for shaping and finishing work.
Sanding screen will last for months when sandpaper gives up in a few swipes.
Re: Steel vs. Steel
Mark Mandell - Gone Round In Jersey
>I use a 1" drill rod rest for roughing as well as my interior curved bowl rest, but prefer to get the pivot point closer to the wood for fine and finish cutting than the beefy round rod rest will allow. Since most all my tools are HSS (M2 to 2060) they win in any contest with the drill rod; they pick up marks and rubs but not dents.
M
Second endorsement for John Lea
Wayne Cooper Charlotte NC
>I just ordered a new tool rest from John Lea. What a nice guy. He helped me select the one that would be the best for me as a bigginner.
Wayne Cooper Charlotte NC
Re: Toolrest broken!
Richard Allen
>So how old is your Mini and where did you buy it.
If you bought the Jet mini from Woodcraft less than a year ago they will almost certianly replace the broken tool rest for free, on the spot. That's what happened to me.
Good Luck
Re: Toolrest broken!
Robert Cox
>Good idea! It was my Christmas present.
Re: Steel vs. Steel
John Trant (Baltimore/DC area)
>Also, the drill rod (as purchased from Enco, etc) is fairly soft until hardened so it should not dent your tools. The tensile strength of annealed (soft) drill rod is sufficient for most styles of tool rests.
John
Re: Steel vs. Steel
Don Henthorn
>Mark, I like the rest as close to the work as I can get it. I have four 1 1/4" X 3/8" thick scrapers that I made from 02 and the bevel is long enough that I really have to set the rest back quite a ways to avoid having the cut just depress the tool because it is not being supported on the bottom of the steel. I sure like those scrapers though.
Re: Drill Rod, yes and NO!
Don Henthorn
>I no longer have the lathe but the glued on rod had stayed secure for a number of years. Of course I really believe that epoxy has a limited life simply because it is plastic and you are probably right about it letting go sooner or later. I wasn't present at my auction so I don't even know where the lathe went.
