Tag: Wood Turning Tool Rest

How To Build Your Own Custom Woodturning Tool Rest

Could I Make a Custom Woodturning Tool Rest
From Steel Pipe?

Did you ever notice how we limit ourselves to the “known” or “comfortable”? I started thinking about that and wondered if I could make a custom woodturning tool rest from materials I had laying around. I almost forgot the fact … or was imtimidated by the type and scope of the  job, that I really like making my own woodturning tools.

My Cast Iron Tool Rest Broke In 2 Pieces

I broke my toolrest and posted about it. Lots of good ideas about getting a new one. One member Al Oggie is sending me one from his extra stash. Not sure when it will get here but I started thinking about making my own wood turning tool rest a long time ago….but I needed one now.

A tool rest for woodturning consists of 2 basic parts:
1. The post which fits on the bango and attaches to the horizontal tool rest
2. The horizontal tool rest that your woodturning tools glide across as it cuts and gouges the wood project you are turning and attaches to the post that is in the banjo

I needed a 25mm steel bar for the post, which was very hard to find and very expensive and a 5/8″ to 3/4″ bar for the tool rest. And I’ve been looking for the materials for the last year. I did find them online but never purchased.

Needed to Know How to Weld If I was
Going to Make a Toolrest

custom woodturning toolrest from steel pipe
Wood turning tool rest made from steel pipe seems to work as well as solid bar tool rests

I’m not a good welder, just learned in the last 10 years and haven’t done much. In fact, I really do not do much with metal at all. So I kept putting it off.

Pieces of Galvanized and Black Gas
Pipe I Used to Build A
New Woodturning Tool Rest

Then I started thinking….I have some 1/2″ black steel gas pipe I could use for a post, I would need a bushing of some sort so I cut a piece of 3/4″ thin walled conduit and sliced it down the length of it.


I did not know if very many woodturners had used pipe for a tool rest for their wood lathe.

I had some old galvanized 3/4″ steel water pipe I could use for tool rest bar. All I needed to do was weld the post to the bar. (Caution when welding galvanized pipe, do it outside, wear a mask ….not sure if it made a difference but I cleaned up the galvanized pipe …sanding and grinding down to shiney steel)

Started to Make My Own Custom
Tool Rest for Woodturning

Then I decided to use my pipe/tube notcher to drill a 7/8″ hole in the middle of the 3/4″ bar to stick the 1/2″ gas pipe post into and weld those two together. Next I cut some 1/4″ flat steel in triangle shapes to act as braces along the bar and down the post.

I cleaned everything up, ground down my welds because they were embarassing 🙂

I slipped the conduit bushing over the gas pipe post and mounted it in the bango and tightened everything up and gave it a whirl.

Much to my surprise its better than the one that came with it.

Custom Tool Rest set up in wood lathe banjo
I installed the tool rest in the banjo, it was as solid as the old cast iron tool rest

Planning on Making More Specific
Special Use Tool Rests for Woodturning!

I’ve got a hydraulic pipe bender and now I’m thinking about seeing if I can make some S-shaped tool rests for the inside and outside of bowls.

Every tool rest I always saw or read about was made from solid steel or the cast iron. I always thought a piece of pipe would not be strong enough. I made the 3/4″ pipe 12″ long, turned a couple bowls ….did some deliberate catches and there was no movement at all…….maybe I’m coming to conclusions too quickly but it seems to work. And the 3/4″ steel tool rest allows me to rest my hand on it as I push or pull my bowl gouge across it!

When I think about it, I watched videos of turners in 3rd world countries using just about anything from 2×4’s to a straight piece of steel or angle iron for tool rests. In fact, I saw some local guys making tool rests from steel pipe with the base embedded in a 5 gallon bucket of concrete for a toolrest when turning outboard…..they did not have problems with it.

Got Some Skills…..Cheap Option for a Few Custom Tool Rests for Your Wood Turning Needs!

I know solid steel is better but if you are in a tight spot and you have some skills or you’re not afraid to try something new ……it is possible to make a tool rest with steel pipe because I did it.

I’m sure I will get comments on how this isn’t safe. If so, tell me why! I think the only danger would be my poor welds (gonna practice since I am liking this project) but I put the diagonal steel triangular bracing pieces that should help keep it together.

Tools I Used For Making Custom Woodturning Tool Rests

I used the following:

Tube & Pipe Notcher—> https://amzn.to/2CrGTMa
Super Deal PRO Commercial MIG 130 AC Flux Core Wire Automatic Feed

Tube notcher for making custom tool rest for woodturning
I used this tube notcher for drilling a hole for the tool rest post, you could probably use a drill bit in a vice

Welder Welding Machine —> https://amzn.to/2Zmta2h
3/4″ steel pipe (galvanized or black (gas) pipe) —-> Local Hardware store
1/2″ steel gas pipe (for post) —> local hardware store
3/16″ steel plate (scrap from local supply house)
3/4″ thin wall elec conduit —> get piece from local hardware store

I used a cheap 4-1/2″ angle grinder https://amzn.to/3iUDCG8 with a thin metal cutting wheel https://amzn.to/3iWyFwv and I used some sanding flap disks to clean the metal and the grinds (also use these on bowls and turned items for live edge or just clean up) https://amzn.to/2DzbOqy

Why Buy Tools For Woodturning Jigs and Projects

I’ve had most of these tools for a long time, however, all come in handy when making different jigs and other projects around the shop. Best thing is I can now make 5 or 10 special use wood turning tool rests without paying big bucks for them ….besides not wanting to spend the money …simply because I don’t have it, I really enjoy thinking out of the box and making my own tools.

Where to Buy Woodturning Tool Rests for Wood Lathes

It would be remiss of me if I did not tell you where you can get tool rests for your woodturning lathe. Not everyone wants to take the time or has the time to make their own wood lathe toolrest. Many online woodturning stores offer toolrests of different shapes and purposes. You can go to the manufacturer of your lathe to see what they offer for toolrests, but you will find more diversity in toolrests from 2nd and 3rd party vendors. Or you can click on toolrests for wood lathes to see what is available and what you might need. You can see the sizes, shapes and purposes of different tool rests for woodturning and then either make a purchase or do more exploring.

Final Thoughts for Woodturning Toolrests

Remember the best toolrest for woodturning is designed to get you close to your work so you don’t have to extend your woodturning tool far over the toolrest, thus inviting a nasty catch or just losing control of your gouging. That is why many woodturners will have more than one toolrest for their woodturing projects and will have a favorite toolrest for the type of woodturing they do. And that is one of the reasons I decided to build my own toolrests for my wood lathe. Once you get the concept down, you might find yourself with 5 to 10 different toolrests for your woodturning projects….. each specialized for that project, making it easy to complete along with being safer.

Good luck with your toolrest investigations …surely you will find that there are many options available to you! I plan on building a few more woodturning toolrests and  hopefully will be able to include some video of the process. So stay tuned and keep watch for the new toolrests, I already have three built and they are working wonderfully for all my special needs in turning big wood bowls. I hope you might take time to leave a comment on what you like best.