Shopsmith Forums

I was working on a piece of wood on the lathe, and my tool rest snapped off! I don't know what happened. I looked at the stud, and there is a little bit of a dark spot, so I don't know if it had gotten a bit of rust on it or something, or what happened.

Now, no more turning until I can get a new one.

Also tried turning a piece of wood into a platter, but man, it was some tough wood. I don't know what it was. It was from a mixed pack from WC. Guess I won't be trying anything else like that for awhile until I pick up the new tool rest. Maybe I can get a regular one and a short one.

Nathan

stickthrower wrote:I was working on a piece of wood on the lathe, and my tool rest snapped off! I don't know what happened. I looked at the stud, and there is a little bit of a dark spot, so I don't know if it had gotten a bit of rust on it or something, or what happened.

Now, no more turning until I can get a new one.

Also tried turning a piece of wood into a platter, but man, it was some tough wood. I don't know what it was. It was from a mixed pack from WC. Guess I won't be trying anything else like that for awhile until I pick up the new tool rest. Maybe I can get a regular one and a short one.

Nathan

Wow that must have been hard wood or you had some kind of flaw in the tool rest casting. Normally I guess I would have expected the aluminum arm to break before the rest (I have bought machines that the arm was broken). Anyway, I have some extra rests if you need one, email is below.

Wow - post a photo if you can, it's hard for me to visualize how that could even happen.

Here are a few pictures.

I don't know how it happened, but it did.

Nathan

Wow! Flaw in the casting, perhaps? I don't see anything in the break that would indicate that but I can't imagine how else a shaft like that would shear in two. Fortunately these are fairly abundant for cheap on the used market.

perhaps it was dropped in the past?

stickthrower wrote:Here are a few pictures.

I don't know how it happened, but it did.

Nathan

The discoloration in the photos appears to be rust/oxidation. If that is the case, then post had some flaws or was cracked for a while.

I don't know what happened to it. I really wish i did. I haven't had it that long, and I know I haven't dropped it, but that doesn't mean the person/people who had it before me didn't at some point.

nathan

Rob, I saw that too. So do you think it was just bad timing that it went the way it did? i have been using it alot recently, so I am guessing that it was using it so much recently that put the extra strain on it and it finally gave out?

nathan

stickthrower wrote:Rob, I saw that too. So do you think it was just bad timing that it went the way it did? i have been using it alot recently, so I am guessing that it was using it so much recently that put the extra strain on it and it finally gave out?

nathan

I do not know about bad timing......but if it was cracked, then it was probably just a matter of time before it failed.