Tool Rest nicks

[Cathy Schaewe]

I have 3 Nicols rests for my Jet 1642, and one for my delta. They are sooooo much better than the ones that came with - I was filing them down on nearly a daily basis. I might need to do that to the one I use most, now, after about 6 months ... but not for another couple months. Maybe. Can't beat them.

[Art Kelly]

... I've also heard that you can epoxy hardened steel rods to the too of an existing rest, but I've never tried.

If you're into the metallurgy thing, you can make a "shoe" for your toolrest. I make mine out of 1018 low-carbon steel which I heat treat in a charcoal fire and quench in water. (No tempering is necessary.) Low-carbon 1018 is harder than the cast-iron tool rests like Delta or Rikon, but softer than High-carbon or High-speed steels, so it won't wear your chisels. You still have to round the corners on skews. A little higher carbon content--1040/50--would be better, but I can buy 1018 right up the road.

I like mine--it's gone a couple of years and is about ready for replacement. I attach it to the tool rest with JB Weld.

$0.02
Art

[Tim Thiebaut]

Jeff Nicols was kind enough to take time out of his holiday to write me back via email this morning, and I placed an order for both a "6 & "12 inch tool rests, thanks for all of the info and recommendations everyone, merry christmas, Tim

[Jeff Nicol]

If I did not have to make waffles for Christmas brunch I would be out in the shop still going like a madman! I have been cleaning and cleaning and cleaning some more!! So hopefully after today I can work at a much more organized pace. I am tired of moving 200lbs of wood to get to the bench and back again to get to the planer, and on and on! The woodstove has been filled 2 or 3 times already with buried junk wood that had cracked or was to small to do anything with.

Thanks for the compliments and reccomendations and have a Very Merry Christmas!

Jeff

[George Clark]

Tim,

Brent English, owner of Robust is a member of this forum also. His tool rests are available direct from Robust or from numerous suppliers. I'm not familiar with the Nicol rest, but I can assure you that the Robust rest is one of the best on the market. No affiliation, just a satisfied customer. BTW we are talking about tool rests and not steady rests aren't we?

http://www.turnrobust.com/

George

[dan carter]

I made a couple of tool rests using epoxy to glue 1/4 drill rod to angle iron. Didn't work very well. But, after welding the drill rod, they work well. Probably the real discussion could be the soft tool rest that came with your lathe. I regularly turn on my 46-460 and 3520B. I clean and wax the rests the same, but the Delta nicks much easier and more the the Powermatic. There doesn't seem to be many drawbacks to the 46-460, but this is one.

[Ray Bell]

Congrats Tim, you wont be disappointed in the Nicols tool rests. He does nice work.

[Ron Bontz]

The robust are very nice rest that I use now. Also the thompson skews are already rounded providing you can catch one.

[Mike Peace]

A belt sander works well to aris the edges of all of your scrapers, skews and parting tools to reduce the nicking. I keep a piece of candle wax handy and wipe the rest every day.