WOOD LATHE TOOL REST

At a recent woodturning club meeting I saw something I just had to have. It is a tool rest like I had never seen before. I was told that it was purchased at Rockler.  Later I saw theses tool rests at the Rockler store. I was shocked at the price. So I decided to make my own.

This rest consists of 1” diameter round stock, but only because that is the diameter of the tool post holder on my lathe. Other lathes may require different sizes.

The post requires a thread on the end to fit into a counterbored and tapped hole in the rest itself.

I made one rest 6” long and the other 12” long. I thought I would want more, but these have worked so very well that I don’t think any more lengths are necessary.

I am so happy with this setup that I am going to trash all the rests that I made by welding bar stock to round stock. This is easier to use and requires much less storage space. Here is a picture of one in use.

In case you are wondering, the three pieces would have cost approximately $80 at the store. Mine are not as pretty as the store bought ones. But I really don’t mind.