I have a perfectly good "S" shaped tool rest that I would like to use, but it's diameter is 5/8" and the hole in my banjo is 1" diameter. Can I shim it in or is that a bad idea? And if I can shim what material do you suggest I use? Thanks!
I can't weld and don't have the equipment it would probably be cheaper to buy a different rest.I see a couple of ways to fix the problem.
How about cutting off the 5/8" shaft and welding on a piece of 1" round stock?
Second way - what about drilling a 5/8" hole in a piece of 1" round stock. A couple spots of welding to hold the two parts together and off you go.
Next idea is to go buy a tool rest that you like with a 1" shaft.
I have an "S" shaped tool rest and find that I do not ever use it. It came with a used lathe I purchased many years ago. Sits in the drawer for now.
Hugh
Not a shim, but a sleeve is the way to make it fit. But that depends on what lathe you have and how the tool rest is gripped and if you want to epoxy or braze on the sleeve. It would be a fairly reasonable part at a local machine shop.
That looks like it would work, and I found one on Amazon.
I looked the rest up I paid 20 bucks for it 4 years ago and it's now listed for $10 so I'm not going to spend a lot of money trying to adapt it. I may just buy a new rest for it.If you can do it yourself as in welding then cut the 5/8" shaft off and weld S tool rest onto a 1" shaft. I you have to get the work done by a commercial shop it would likely be cheaper to buy a new one.
I have an "S" shaped tool rest and find that I do not ever use it. It came with a used lathe I purchased many years ago. Sits in the drawer for now.
The whole point was to reuse one I had not to buy a new one.Same here. If that S shaped tool rest is the old style big cast iron one, it's pretty useless. The J rests now available do what that S rest was supposed to do.
-----odie-----