# EZ Glide Tool Rests



## Jyd (Apr 14, 2014)

I have never been real happy with the tool rests that came with my  lathe, 12" VS Turncrafter Commander. They are pretty rough where my  fingers rub as I move across and could use more room in that area as  well. 

So I purchased the EZ Glide 9" and 12" units and tried  them out for the first time last night. I love how smooth and how much  room there is for my hand to lay against to hold my tool. 

But I  thought a tool rest should be straight from end to end to help me hold  my cut true. Both of these have the ends turned down and they also turn  out away from the object being turned. 

I am very much still a beginner and wondered if I am wrong in thinking these should be straight? 

Thanks in advance
Jyd


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## plantman (Apr 14, 2014)

The curves and bends are ment to be used when turning hollowed out objects such as cups or bowls. You can move your tool rest inside your turning and keep the tool close to the surface. It bends away from your turning so that you can round the inside corners without having to reset the rest and also keeps your rest from catching on your turning. It also will help you finish the inside walls if you have a deeper turning also.  Look in the library on site or youtube for turning information and videos.  Jim  S


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## Jyd (Apr 14, 2014)

plantman said:


> The curves and bends are ment to be used when turning hollowed out objects such as cups or bowls. You can move your tool rest inside your turning and keep the tool close to the surface. It bends away from your turning so that you can round the inside corners without having to reset the rest and also keeps your rest from catching on your turning. It also will help you finish the inside walls if you have a deeper turning also.  Look in the library on site or youtube for turning information and videos.  Jim  S



Jim these are just the regular straight tool rests, ( EZ Glide 12 in. Wide Toolrest at Penn State Industries ) not the curved units used for bowl turning. Aren't these supposed to be pretty straight?

Jyd


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## monophoto (Apr 14, 2014)

Jyd 

I just looked at the EazyGlide rests in the PSI catalog - when you mention the ends curving down and away from the work piece, are you referring to the working edge of the tool rest, or the back of the rest?  From the pictures, I can see that one could say that the back of the rest curves down and away from the workpiece, but the working edge itself appears straight.

I also have the 12" VS Turncrafter, and just going by the pictures in the catalog, it appears to me that the only difference between the standard toolrests that come with the lathe and the EasyGlide tool rests are that the EasyGlide has a tool steel rod bonded to the top of the rest, while in the standard rest, your tool rests against a machined face of the rest body.  That would definitely make the EasyGlide version smoother, but you can accomplish essentially the same effect by polishing the working surface of the standard tool rest.  I periodically buff my tool rest with sandpaper, and then apply a coat of ordinary paraffin.  The paraffin makes the rest a little more slippery, but more importantly, if you use CA to repair cracks or other surface defects, you can get a CA/wood chip slurry buildup that can stick to the tool rest.  Having the rest waxed makes it possible to easily remove that slurry to restore the normal finish.

You are probably right that having the tool rest body curve down and away from the working edge means that you won't get as much finger support when you are working near the ends of the tool rest.  But one of the things that I have learned (the hard way) is that taking the time to move the banjo so that the tool rest is centered on the area I am currently working on means that I don't have to get way out on the end of the rest where things can get dicey.


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## Ed McDonnell (Apr 14, 2014)

If you have the toolrest mounted parallel the the lathe axis of rotation (as you would if you were going to turn a plain cylinder), the distance from the toolrest to the center of rotation should be the same along the entire length of the toolrest.  The distance from the bed of the lathe to the toolrest should be the same along the entire toolrest.


The toolrest should not be higher / lower or closer / farther at the ends (or anywhere else.

That tool rest you linked from PSI looks like it might be a cheap chinese knockoff of the comfort rests made by Brent English at Robust. Maybe quality control at the chinese factory isn't as good as it should be. 


Ed


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## Cmiles1985 (Apr 14, 2014)

I would recommend looking into some of Rick Herrell's tool rests. They are AMAZING! They are custom made, so choose the length(s) you want.


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## walshjp17 (Apr 14, 2014)

Using either Rick's or Robust's tool rests will make your turning life much happier.  I have both and use Rick's (both round top and flat top) for small turnings, such as pens on my smaller lathes and use the Robust for larger spindles and vessels with the larger lathe.


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## Jyd (Apr 14, 2014)

parklandturner said:


> If you have the toolrest mounted parallel the the lathe axis of rotation (as you would if you were going to turn a plain cylinder), the distance from the toolrest to the center of rotation should be the same along the entire length of the toolrest.  The distance from the bed of the lathe to the toolrest should be the same along the entire toolrest.
> 
> The toolrest should not be higher / lower or closer / farther at the ends (or anywhere else.
> 
> Ed



Yes this is what I am talking about only about 4" of the center of the 12" tool rest is in plane with what I am trying to turn then it moves farther out and at the ends it is even lower. 

I just did not want to send them back if there was an allowable tolerance but to me these will make it very hard to cut a true cylinder of any length. 

Thank you all for your help.

Jyd


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## Jyd (Apr 14, 2014)

monophoto said:


> Jyd
> 
> I just looked at the EazyGlide rests in the PSI catalog - when you mention the ends curving down and away from the work piece, are you referring to the working edge of the tool rest, or the back of the rest?  From the pictures, I can see that one could say that the back of the rest curves down and away from the workpiece, but the working edge itself appears straight.
> 
> ...



Yes I am talking about the working edge of the tool rest. Since I am in a wheelchair I have my lathe turned on its side as if it was bolted to a wall. I have had an adapter made that fits in the banjo so that I can get the tool rests in the correct position for me. Since I have to turn from my chair I am limited as to how I can position my hands which is why I wanted the smoother tool rest and to that point these are great I just wish they would have been straight. I can put the working edge down on the table and it will rock from end to end. 

Thanks 
Jyd


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## Ed McDonnell (Apr 14, 2014)

Hi Jyd - If you like that style of rest, take a look at the comfort rests from Robust.  They are more expensive, but the one's I bought (4 ~ 6 years ago?) were top quality.  I have not heard anything that would lead me to believe that the quality has declined over the years. 

Robust is selling the rests through Craft Supply, Woodcraft and Packard (among others).  Here's a link to the robust site where you can check dimensions and other specs.

Robust Comfort Tool Rests, Low Profile Tool Rests and Mini Rests, all with hardened steel bar

If you want a standard bar rest, the ones sold by Rick Herrell that Clark mentioned are pretty good. Here's a link to his IAP catalog (scroll down for tool rests).

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f172/custom-made-penturning-tools-accessories-92501/

Good luck!

Ed


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## monophoto (Apr 14, 2014)

Jyd -

I apologize if I appear dense, but I'm still having trouble understanding exactly the problem you have with the EasyGlide tool rest.

I've attached a picture of the tool rest from the PSI catalog that is annotated to show the working edge and the area that is intended to be curved.  If the problem you have is that the working edge is not straight, but rather has curved ends, then that sounds to me like a product defect that you should be discussing with PSI.  I have found that calling their customer service group on the phone usually gets very good results.

But if the problem is that the unique way that you are using you lathe causes that normally-curved plate that supports the working edge to be a problem, then perhaps the solution for you is a bar-type tool rest.  PSI has some, but in that case, I would echo Clark Miles suggestion that you contact Rick Herrell - I bought a replacement tool rest for my previous lathe from him, and can attest to the fact that they are well made (almost to the point of being so nice looking that you don't want to actually use them), and because it's a round bar, that curved plate won't be in the way.


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## Hendu3270 (Apr 14, 2014)

A picture of the rest may be in order here, but it sure sounds like it's bent from what you describe. The working edge should be straight on that particular rest.


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## stonepecker (Apr 14, 2014)

I have played with all kinds of rests.  I have to agree with Hendu......it sounds like it is bent.  Could you please post a couple of pictures of this rest on your lathe?

Rick's have become my favorite.  Priced right and wonderfully made.


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## plantman (Apr 14, 2014)

Jyd said:


> plantman said:
> 
> 
> > The curves and bends are ment to be used when turning hollowed out objects such as cups or bowls. You can move your tool rest inside your turning and keep the tool close to the surface. It bends away from your turning so that you can round the inside corners without having to reset the rest and also keeps your rest from catching on your turning. It also will help you finish the inside walls if you have a deeper turning also.  Look in the library on site or youtube for turning information and videos.  Jim  S
> ...



I thought you were disscribing an "S" or Radiused tool bar. You should be able to take a straight edge across the front and top of your straight bar and have no gaps or bends from end to end. Also, place a level on the top after you tighten down the rest, it should also be level with your lathe. Put a point in your headstock and tailstock, move them together until they are about 11 inches apart. place your tool rest up to each point, tighten it down. It should be parallel to the points.  Jim  S


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## Hendu3270 (Apr 15, 2014)

stonepecker said:


> I have played with all kinds of rests. I have to agree with Hendu......it sounds like it is bent. Could you please post a couple of pictures of this rest on your lathe?
> 
> Rick's have become my favorite. Priced right and wonderfully made.


 
Yeah, I haven't bought any of Rick's yet because I want to get my new lathe first. They look awesome.


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