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Homemade Magnetic Mini Tool Rest to turn Wood or Soft Metal

E

Elektrishun

Well-Known Member
Homemade Magnetic Mini Tool Rest to turn Wood or Soft Metal on South Bend 10K Horizontal Drive Lathe


Not going to say much other than I had a simple criteria for making this little monstrosity:

(1) Build only with materials on hand if possible ( <- the only thing purchased was the magnetic base).

(2) Focus more on making a working tool rather than a pretty tool. Mistakes will be made but fix or modify design and press on.

(3) Design so that it can be easily installed on lathe, without tools, and without modifying the lathe.

I haven't tested it yet. Trial run coming soon.

Table 1.jpg
Table 2.jpg
Table 3.jpg




Table 4.jpg
Table 5.jpg
Table 6.jpg
Table 7.jpg




Tool Rest 1.jpg
Tool Rest 2.jpg




Tool Rest 3.jpg
 
Hey, I thought you said you were just a sparky? That looks great! I have done some wood turning on my myford a few times, and always just clamped a bar in a toolholder for a tool rest. This looks much nicer to use.

Just make sure you clean up well, before and after when woodturing on a metal lathe. Some people frown up it, and will cast you off into exile for it, but I say anything in moderation is fine. I have a small delta midi wood lathe, but no headstock chuck for it, so use the myford for those times I need one. It's about the only time I actually break down and clean up the myford that completely.
 
Dan Dubeau said:
Hey, I thought you said you were just a sparky? That looks great! I have done some wood turning on my myford a few times, and always just clamped a bar in a toolholder for a tool rest. This looks much nicer to use.

Just make sure you clean up well, before and after when woodturing on a metal lathe. Some people frown up it, and will cast you off into exile for it, but I say anything in moderation is fine. I have a small delta midi wood lathe, but no headstock chuck for it, so use the myford for those times I need one. It's about the only time I actually break down and clean up the myford that completely.
Click to expand...

Thanks Dan.

I plan to incorporate a dust collection device of some kind when I use this tool to keep the dust down.
 
Elektrishun said:
Built a tool holder for some basic turning tools.
Click to expand...

Not sure I understand. Is the first photo a stand to hold the wooden tool storage board in the second photo?

Also, that looks like a pretty permanent setup to hold wood turning tools on a metal turning lathe! I turn wood on my metal lathe too, but I prolly wouldn't rig up a special tool rack for the few times a year that I would do that.
 
Susquatch said:
Not sure I understand. Is the first photo a stand to hold the wooden tool storage board in the second photo?

Also, that looks like a pretty permanent setup to hold wood turning tools on a metal turning lathe! I turn wood on my metal lathe too, but I prolly wouldn't rig up a special tool rack for the few times a year that I would do that.
Click to expand...
The wood tool holder hooks onto the metal bracket.

The metal bracket can be removed or secured to the lathe in under a minute.

Older image showing the back:

IMG_20250309_175746.jpg

IMG_20250309_175746.jpg
 
Susquatch said:
Nice!

So I take it you use your metal lathe to turn wood - A LOT!
Click to expand...

No.

I used to turn wood sometimes with a dedicated wood lathe which I sold years ago. Not enough room in the garage for something I didn't use very often. Naturally, every once in awhile I wished I had a wood lathe to do a small job. Now I have that option again and I haven't taken up additional space.

The tools can sit at the end of the lathe if they don't get in the way. If they do, give me two minutes to get them out of the way.
 
Elektrishun said:
No.

I used to turn wood sometimes with a dedicated wood lathe which I sold years ago. Not enough room in the garage for something I didn't use very often. Naturally, every once in awhile I wished I had a wood lathe to do a small job. Now I have that option again and I haven't taken up additional space.

The tools can sit at the end of the lathe if they don't get in the way. If they do, give me two minutes to get them out of the way.
Click to expand...

Gotcha. I guess that's my story too. Except I don't use the tools for wood either. I use regular cutting tools for metal on wood too.

Since you do use cutting tools for wood, what do you use for a tool rest?
 
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