3520B+Robust Tool Rest ?

[Scott Hubl]

I Need a smaller tool rest, The 14" wide OEM is too big.

I have several other tool rests for bowls even the Sorby modular round bar ones, the box one for deep hollowing.

I have plenty actually, but I only like the round bar ones for some things.

I am looking at the Robust tool rests and thinking a 9" one, maybe a 6?

For small stuff like lidded boxes,pens and Kit type projects.

For the 3520B what shaft length did you get for it? They have 3 or 4 lengths to choose.

And then, the Low Profile or the Comfort Rest?

And Why you chose it and would you change it now that you have it?

Any other tool rests you like with your 3520B?

Thanks.

[Bob Varney]

You need the long post for a 3520b.
Some places that sell the Robust tool rest only have the short(or regular) tool post
so make sure it is the long post.

Bob

[Tony De Masi]

Contact Jeff Nicol, here on the Creek. He will make you whatever you want. He made me a 12" for a fraction of what you would pay for the Robust.

[Tim Rinehart]

Mark, good questions and Tony's suggestion certainly bears merit...I got mine from Jeff and have been extremely pleased.
I will say I like the larger rest that allows you to cradle the side of your 'guiding' hand while turning. However...that being said, a smaller profile rest would provide some ability for this, but with better reach inside smaller diameter turnings.

All in all...I got a 12" and a 6" from Jeff (in larger comfort rest fashion) and am quite happy with versatility offered.

[Mitch McGee]

I got the 14" & 6" Powermatic rests with my 3520B. I purchased the Robust 9" and 4" rests. The long post version fits the monster.

I don't use the Robust rests much. The blade edges are sharp and make it 'uncomfortable' to wrap my finger around the post. The 9" drill rod is aligned perfectly; but, the 4" has a crooked drill rod. The skewed drill rod makes it difficult to align the 4" to the ways.

Cheers,

[Dan Forman]

I love my Robust rests. I have a 9" comfort rest, and a custom 2" one for pens. The small one features the shorter blade (that the bar is welded to) , the longer one is the full sized blade. The shorter version is much easier to wrap your finger around if you need to support the workpiece with your finger.

Dan

[Mike Stephens]

I bought the 6" low profile for my 3520b. I went for the low profile so I could steady a spindle by reaching under the rest with my left hand. I like the rest very much and would love a low profile 9" a 9-10" comfort and a 14-15" comfort.

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

I use the rest made by Advanced lathe Tools LLC. They have a hardened steel rod top & are built like a tank. I use a 3", 6", & 12"

[Christopher K. Hartley]

I have two comfort rests on my Robust and you can not beat them.

[Reed Gray]

I have the Robust 12 inch and bowl rests. Love them. Drill rod is far superior to cast iron, or cold rolled steel. Never found anything sharp or uncomfortable about them. I don't do thin spindles, so wrapping my fingers around them hasn't been a problem.

robo hippy

[Scott Hubl]

Thanks for the replies guys.

What started this little quest was I headed out to a semi nearby woodcraft because I saw they now carried the Robust tool rests and have heard good things about them for a long time now.

I wanted to turn some pens, bottle stoppers, a scratch awl kit, and some other "kits" I have had sitting here for a long time.
Since I bought my 3520B I have only turned some Bowls on it, and sorta left the pens and small stuff forgotten.

I really wanted to turn that scratch awl kit, and the OEM 14" tool rest is just to big and long for these pen mandrel kit projects, so I grabbed my Sorby round bar modular tool rests I had bought and didn't like it for this type thing.(Not used to using the round bars I guess) and I do like to wrap my right hand around the rest for support as my left hand can get fatigued on me and cramp up since my injury.(I am a Lefty) Hand feels to close to the work using the round bar tool rests for me and my situation. For wrapping your right hand around it for support.

I like to hold the tool with my right hand semi wrapped around the tool rest for support, when my left hand cramps, I can (well have too) let go of the handle in my left hand and rest my hand while holding on to the tool and tool rest in my right, that gives me a chance to relax my left hand and open and close it before it and my fingers lock up in cramp mode, once that happens its 30 minutes of massaging my forearm and stretching out my fingers against the wall to get my arm to relax and uncramp. By then I just usually go watch TV for the rest of the day and evening. I have found that if I try using it again too soon, it just locks up on me pretty quick. So I have to do little stints of turning at a time and Stop myself Before I start getting that cramped feeling in my hand/arm.(Or else I pay for it with locked up cramping)

So anyways, I measure the OEM Shaft length at 4-1/4 and head on over to Woodcraft. Joe the manager is setting up toolrest Displays and says they just got the Robust rests in.
I say, Good, because that's Exactly what I came in for. Now I am looking at them and ask for a tape measure and they all are a 1/2 inch shorter, but Joe INSISTS they will fit and work with my 3520B, (I Knew it wouldn't, I KNEW it) but I let him talk me into believing it would so I bought the 9" comfort one, drove home with it and a bunch of other goodies and as soon as I parked the car went to the garage and sure as I inserted it saw it was Not gonna work as Joe had insisted it would.

Had to drive all the way back to woodcraft the next day to return it, as soon as I walk in the door with it, he starts apolgising (sp) saying once I left the store he started to Think about what I was saying and why I did not think this one was gonna work. Seems Woodcraft only carries the short shafted ones, but he will order me up Any one I want, but thats yet Another trip to go pick it up.

So I think I will just save myself the trip and call Robust direct and after reading the posts think I have decided to order up 2.
The 9" Comfort Rest Long Post and the 6" Low Profile Long Post (so I can wrap my right hand around it) for support and small stuff like finials.

The Woodcraft trip wasn't a total bust, I did get some Jimmy Clews DVD's to watch, I got Turnaround, Turn it On (3DVD Set) and Turn it Up (3 DVD Set), and they had just tossed some bottle stopper/scratch awl sized blanks in the 50 cent pen blank bin.
Purpleheart for sure and I think Canary Wood, (their pretty Yellow), took $8.50 worth of them, thats all there was in the 50 cent bin.
So I will try turning a Purpleheart Scratch Awl. (Got 6 blanks of Purpleheart so I should get one turned I like. LOL)

Thanks for your input.

[Scott Hubl]

Contact Jeff Nicol, here on the Creek. He will make you whatever you want. He made me a 12" for a fraction of what you would pay for the Robust.

Got any pics of them?

Thanks

[Scott Hubl]

Just got off the phone with Deb at Robust and ordered up the 9" Comfort Rest and the 6" Low Profile Rest.

Hopefully have them some time next week.

[Dale Bright]

Got any pics of them?

Thanks

Scott, there is a pic of the 12" rest I got from Jeff Nichol in post #36 here:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...aser..../page3

I also got a 5" rest from him and the the 2 of them with shipping was quite a bit less money than one of the rests you just ordered

Dale

[Scott Hubl]

Thanks for the link with the pic Dale.

I looked on his website saw other tools he sells, toolrests weren't on it. Even his Video with a 3520b is using the OEM 14" tool rest

I wanted these Now, maybe next time I want to add a different sized one I will try contacting him.

Is that a hardened steel rod on top ? They look nice, I may see what he can do and order up the opposite size/style ones I just ordered from Robust. Does he make the Low Profile copy as well as the Comfort Rest shown?

Thanks again.