Vertical Tool Rest

Jason Wernli

Jason Wernli

Well-Known Member
I made a new tool rest and wondered if anyone has tried this...
It is a vertical rest so I can grind the spine and finger grooves on my fixed blades square. The picture shows it mounted to my 8" wheel, but will likely use it on my small wheels. I like how the ubergrinder rotates 90 degrees to accomplish the same thing, but did not want to redesign my 2" x 72" mounting assembly.
I have not tried it yet but wondered if anyone else has!
thanks,
- Jason
Vertical Tool Rest.jpg
 
Jason, I looked at this other day and thought you'd done a good job there and a vertical rest is very handy. I was waiting to respond so I could get a couple of photos of the tool rest I built. Just haven't "got around to it" yet - so I did wish to compliment you on your tool rest. A vertical rest really helps on those "edge" things, line finger grooves.

Ken H>
 
Have you got a pic of this in action, for some reason I am not seeing the "how it works", could just be my light bulb is burned out!!:what!::biggrin:
 
Jason Wernli said:
I made a new tool rest and wondered if anyone has tried this...
It is a vertical rest so I can grind the spine and finger grooves on my fixed blades square. The picture shows it mounted to my 8" wheel, but will likely use it on my small wheels. I like how the ubergrinder rotates 90 degrees to accomplish the same thing, but did not want to redesign my 2" x 72" mounting assembly.
I have not tried it yet but wondered if anyone else has!
thanks,
- Jason
View attachment 50294
Click to expand...

Jason,
Great idea! So simple! And easy to make and use,thanks for sharing.
 
I did something similar for my KMG.


Works great, just harder to see what your doing. I notice if I don't pay attention, there will be a dip at the point of my blade. And I have to work in a long motion, otherwise I get dips.
 
That's where working horizontally helps, fluidity of motion.

It's easier to move smoothly side to side than up and down.

Being able to see what you are doing doesn't hurt either!

I worked for years with a similar rig to yours, with care, and practice, it all comes together.

Set it up to use the center of the belt.
Then split the belts to 1"
via tracking, you will then be able to use 100% of the belt.
 
Hey Guys,
Sorry for the slow response, I have been out of town on business. I don't have any other pictures, but will try to take more tonight when I get home.
Thanks for the input. I kind of figured that the grinding motion will take some practice, and that it may be more akward than if it were horizontal.
I like the idea of splitting the belt to 1", then using the tracking to use it all the belt surface!
- J
 
Jason here is some pics of mine, I use on my KMG clone. It works pretty well and I am about to add another slide for work rest on the right side of the machine which will allow for ambidextrous use of the rest! The entire rest will adjust with two tools.

IMG_2779_zps78cb39f4.jpg


IMG_2783_zpsccfbb555.jpg


IMG_2788_zpsa36ee830-1.jpg


IMG_2778_zps3dc54d3c.jpg


IMG_2777_zpsc8f59e9e.jpg


IMG_2790_zpse388b887.jpg


It took some time to get it all figured out and welded up but, it has been a great asset in my grinding, not only for my knife making but I can now fabricate anything fairly quick by using the different applications of the work rest!
 
Mr Craft - your tool rest much be where I got the idea for my adjustable tool rest. I'd just forgot where I got it. All those adjustment positions sure are handy. I've not made the final tool rest plate yet, but just used a piece of scrape I had.

Ken H>
 
Thanks for that reply, Fellhoelter- I've never had access to a horizontal rig, but always wondered how the folks who use them avoid just using about an eighth of each belt.
 
Ken thanks for the compliments but it is a copy of one that someone else designed a couple of years back. I think KMG picked it up and is offering the rest. Problem is like usual I didn't have the money to drop on one. Try as I might I could not find pics of how the thing worked. So I had to figure out all the adjustments for my self. There was a lot of trial and error and tack welds. You know Oh $4!+ that won't work there break the tack weld, sand it clean and start over. When I finally got it where I wanted then I welded the parts permanently and well it all works there is one adjustment I wish I had left myself a little more slack but it works!
 
Genius, I'll start building this weekend, love building the tools as well too! Drum sander on the drill press works also as I'm sure you all know, but that looks like it will work much better and you can never have to many tools and gadgets!!
 
Here is a link to the thread where I first saw this type of rest. It is made all of aluminum. I don't have the ability to machine or weld aluminum so ended up making mine out stee. If you will notice there is not one pic of the backside of this rest, that is why I had to figure out all the adjustments for myself!

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/466024-What-is-your-dream-KMG-attachment

Here is another thread with pics and this guy done some modifications on the factory bought one to get it where it worked better for him.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/773038-MAP-Little-Change-Big-Difference

I thought KMG was marketing this rest but just went to their site and I don't see it!
 
You did good - a very professional looking tool rest. Any time you need access to a lathe or milling machine, just holler - not far from NW Fla to Baldwin county. Love to have you over sometime.

Ken H>
 
Ken, thanks for the offer. I have been fabricating things since I was a kid. If my Dad needed a tool and didn't have one he made one, if he couldn't afford one he made one better than the original that was for sale. My neighbor that just passed last year, he bought one of my first knives for his son, he use to call me MacGiver!
 
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