The Forestry Forum

fellas, I use to run a lathe in school many years ago,but now I'm old and I have forgot a lot. I started out making a carvers mallet yesterday I got it done without any incidents. but as I was working I realized I didn't know how far away from the work a person should keep the tool rest. it seemed like if I turned it down and got 1/2 inch away it just didn't feel good to me. I felt lots more comfortable with the tool rest sliding just behind the chamfer on the tool. anybody have any general rule of thumb for that?
I started out pretty slow at about 1000 rpm, and I speeded up to around 1600 when I got the stock rounded. does this sounds even close to right? it is an old Rockwell lathe like we used in school.

only observation I can make, no loose shirt sleeves.  Don't ask.  ::)

The closer the steady rest is to the work, the less torque that can be applied to your tool to try to rip it out of your hand. Think of the steady rest as the fulcrum, the tool as the lever, the spinning wood as the force.

I keep mine as close as I can to the work...

I'm like Kbeitz, I keep the rest as close to the work as possible.  And no loose shirt sleeves either. 

thanks guys I knew it just felt better that way.