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Height of Banjo/Toolrest asembly....

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admalin:
I hope the following will enable you to check if you've got the up to date parts.
The saddle is 1 & 1/8" thick and the top of the tool post is an inch above that.
With the rest in its lowest position the top is 3/8" below the centreline of the drive.
I forgot to measure the stem of the tool rest, but if required I can check it next Wednesday. 

Tony Malin

NewbyTurner:
Hi Everyone - thanks so very much for all your replies.
The toolrest/banjo measures 115mm from the bedbars to the top and then to the centre point from bedbars 121mm hence giving me 6mm.
It is all assembled correctly and the toolpost is not too long. Hope the pic helps.
Have already joined a Turning club which ius really great - ESWT- and have mentioned it there with differing opinions so guess as manufacturer says it is an 'acceptable' height I'll just have to learn to live with it  but was interested to see that someone else has had the issue. I know for a fact that the one of display at Yandles in Somerset is set at 1mm below centre so that fact they said they had never had a complaint before does not ring true.
Thanks again

BrianH:
From the picture the existing setup doesn't look good to me (I wonder if they just pulled an existing model of toolrest off the shelf when they designed the lathe?). If you have no joy from the manufacturer may I suggest you set about making a replacement toolrest yourself. All you need is a piece of tube or rod to fit your banjo and another bit of something smaller for the rest itself. If you are able to source the main shaft from a car shock absorber you will find it almost ideal as it is hard enough to stop the rest being marked by the tools. As long as your new rest is of a smaller diameter than the existing you will be able to set it lower and as long as the length of its support is chosen wisely you will be able to go higher. The only difficult bit might be to ensure the two pieces are welded square to each other.
Hope that helps a bit
Brian

Paul Hannaby:
Another solution might be to buy an off the shelf toolrest like one of the Sorby modular toolrests.

Andy Coates:
I flipped the picture for you..hope you don't mind...

From the picture and your description I'd say the situation is far from perfect. With small gauge tools, such as a 3/8" spindle gouge, or when using a parting tool, you'll probably have no problem, but larger gauge tools are going to be a problem. You will find that you have to bring your handle much further upwards to take the cutting edge down to the centre.

From the picture it looks like the weld at the top of the stem is very heavy, and wonder if an engineer couldn't clean that up a little for you and allow a few mm more drop in the banjo. It needs to be done by somebody who understands what they are doing so that the rest remains strong enough for its purpose.

I do feel though that you should not have to make adjustments, or buy/make replacements for a newly purchased lathe. Record should be fully aware of the need for a toolrest that can be positioned bellow the centre line. You could use their large spindle roughing gouge safely using that rest because the cutting edge would either be far to high (above centre), or else the handle would need to be held far too high risking a catch and a snatch.

I know a lot of turners with older CL machines and none are set up like this.

Whatever you do, be careful when using it!

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