Deep Hollowing Toolrest

 Terry Porter hollows the depths with a new toolrest from Tony Osborne: 

You know that little problem when you are turning a deep bowl or a hollow form and the toolrest just isn’t right?  If the rest is straight you have too much overhang and do some nice chattering or catching, and if it’s curved it’s the wrong curve. Well, Tony Osborne has come up with a very flexible toolrest that gets round those problems. Basically the rest is a piece of 13mm (½in) thick steel bar 25mm (1in) across and 178mm (7in) long.

The bar has three holes in it: one at one end to bolt it to the tool rest post, and two others to take pivoting nylon cup studs to rest the tool in. Different diameter posts can be supplied to suit your lathe. The whole set up is really quite straightforward to use and to set up.  

The rest is designed to be used with both deep hollowing tools and also bowl gouges. The different nylon cup studs are made for different tool sizes. I tried ones with a 3/4in and 1/2in cup. If you are not hollowing deeply, but just need a controlled pivot point for your tool, then the toolrest post can be used on its own without the rest itself being attached. The post is simply inverted, and craftily hidden away in the bottom is a blind 12mm hole into which the appropriate nylon cup stud is inserted. I tried this using an Exocet deep hollowing tool on a 400mm (16in) diameter bowl and it worked very well, allowing me to have very good control over the tool and ensuring smooth controlled cuts. This was particularly gratifying, as the wood was a large piece of oak crotch wood with wild grain and variable density. As I got deeper in, I then went on to use the nylon cup studs in both the middle and end positions with the tool rest in place on its post. Using the rest in conjunction with the Exocet worked really well, and I was able to hollow out in a safe and controlled manner both smoothly and quickly.    

Whilst re-turning a 225mm (9in) oak bowl I had rough turned wet some six months previously I tried the rest using the 3/4in cup at the end of the rest. I used both a bowl gouge and the Exocet. Even in this position the rest was firm and stable. It should be mentioned that it is important to tighten the set screw that secures the rest to the tool post very firmly, otherwise the rest can pivot on the post. I found that the Exocet worked better as I was initially cutting back the interior of a bowl that was elliptical. This is the real joy of this rest, as with the tool trailing slightly I was able to take smooth sweeping cuts very easily, and soon had the interior of the bowl circular. The nylon cups pivot smoothly, and do not mark or damage the tool shaft. There is also an angled cup stud into which an ordinary stud can be fitted so that the correct angle can be achieved for a bowl gouge so the bevel can rub correctly. There really is no limit to the type of cup studs that can be designed, and using appropriate nylon it would be possible to turn your own.  

Apart from deep, or even shallow, bowls the rest is designed for deep hollowing. The principle is the same as for deeper bowls, but here, in my view, the rest is more ideally suited to deep hollowing tools than gouges.       

Like many good engineering ideas, the toolrest from Tony Osborne is straightforward and easy to use, and really is one of the best woodturning accessories I have come across for some time.  

The rest with post and 3 cup studs costs £30+ p & p, and is available direct from Tony Osborne. Kits with 3/4in, 1in, 25mm & 30mm tool posts are available from stock, and other diameter tool posts can be made on request. 

For further information contact: Tony Osborne, 14 Main Street, Willoughby, Rugby, Warks.,CV23 8BH. Tel 01788-890121