# DIY interchangeable tool rest



## jacksdvds (Jun 13, 2015)

Background:
I have a Grizzly G0766 lathe, with a 22" x 42" capacity. The banjo has a 25MM tool post hole. There are no suitable aftermarket tool rests available. Standard tool rests are total inadequate to do all but the most elementary turning. I am bored with elementary turnings.
Solution: 
I searched for answers to being able to support a gouge deep inside of a hollowing. One that would allow me to make the "one last cut" without a catch or castystrophic failure in the chuck. I don't like having a blank rocketting toward me. It hurts! I found one company that sold Modular "Interchangeable tool Rests", where the rest portion was interchangeable with the tool post. "Great idea", is said.I could have the right rest for the situation at hand and change to a different rest when the situation changed. Alas, it didn't fit my lathe and naturally was very costly because they held all the cards. Re=engineer their's or make my own? I sat at my CAD program and doodled until a way to manufacture what was needed without needless and very expensive machineing or casting of parts. I purchased 25 mm round stock for the post and much cheaper 1" round stock for the rest, some 3/4" heavy duty nuts and 2 inch bolts and designed this system. Now I have a rest with upto interchangeable 8-12 inch depth outside or inside of my hollowing with a curved, straight or any other configuration necessary that supports my tools. Some welding, some grinding, I can now vary the depth of the tool rest from the post. I tapered the under side of both the top bar and the gusset so I could place the rest closer to the bottom of the hollowing. Shown is the curved rest plan and example.


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## Wildwood (Jul 22, 2012)

Looks good, nice job!


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## Bill7255 (Feb 23, 2012)

You did a good job. However Robust has the rest you made and they will make it with the 25mm post. I don't have the grizzly, but have the PM 90 that has a 1 1/8 post. I had Robust make me 5 post after I raised my lathe. I bought both the inside bowl rest, outside bowl rest, "J" rest and two straight rest. Of course not inexpensive, but a very good value. I really do like the Robust rest.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Can you not just use 7/8" posts? I believe it was Sears who used a banjo that size.

I like your ingenuity though.


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

Nice flexible design. As an alternative, Its very easy to enlarge the tool post bore to 1". 25 vs 25.4mm is only 400 um or .016", .008" wall thickness. A 1" drill bit in a hand drill will do it. Mostly removine burrs and hi spots from the surface, at least thats how mine was.


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## jacksdvds (Jun 13, 2015)

> Can you not just use 7/8" posts? I believe it was Sears who used a banjo that size.
> 
> I like your ingenuity though.
> 
> - Rick M


I tried that and was not confident of a stable rest without an additional locking fastener.


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

Cool project, but I'm not sure I see the advantage… Why did you decide to go this route, rather than just weld up a solid tool rest in the shape you desired with the round bar stock you had?

Cheers,
Brad


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## jacksdvds (Jun 13, 2015)

> Cool project, but I m not sure I see the advantage… Why did you decide to go this route, rather than just weld up a solid tool rest in the shape you desired with the round bar stock you had?
> 
> Cheers,
> Brad
> ...


1. The additional nut allows me to change the amount of overhang when inside of a bowl.
2. I have several configurations for the top rest, e.i. straight, curved, short, etc.
3. This fits both Grizzly lathes I own.
4. Doesen't require any accurate machining.
5. Besides welding, I can accomplish new designs as needed.
6. I am a DIY as much as I can.


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## BDH (Jan 9, 2018)

Jack - I have the same lathe, and same frustration with the post diameter. Thinking of doing the same thing you did. It's been a year since you built it. Are you happy with the design? What would you change?


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## jacksdvds (Jun 13, 2015)

> Jack - I have the same lathe, and same frustration with the post diameter. Thinking of doing the same thing you did. It s been a year since you built it. Are you happy with the design? What would you change?
> 
> - BDH


I use them almost exclusively when bowl turning. I would use 5/8" round stock for the rest bar. I am also having made a 2" wide "L" shaped 8" x 2" x 1/2" thick flat topped rest where the short leg offsets the post by 2" for bowl bottoms. I hate chatter when the tool hangs over the rest so far. It will attach to the same post.


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