[dbnewton]

Hollowing out deep bowls on my lathe was always difficult because the tailstock was always in the way where I really needed the tool rest to be.

So I bought 4 skateboard wheels, welded up a frame that attaches to the lathe base, and sliders to adjust the wheels up to the stock to hold it.

It works. But now I think I need some sort of offset tool rest that can be inside the bowl such that I don't have as much tool over the rest. Is there such?

 

[Jim Frye]

Nice work on the shop built rest! I really enjoy making tool accessories. I made my lathe from a mini lathe. It can be configured as a gap bed lathe for reaching into a hollow vessel like a bowel. I have small toolrest that Is 3— 4 inches wide so it can be positioned in close to the workpiece. I also made a steady rest using rollerblade wheels. The lathe and the steady rest are pictured in my tools album here.

 

[Tool Agnostic]

Do an image search for "S-shaped tool rest" and "tool rest for bowl turning", and you will see a variety of tool rests that might suit your needs.

Start with this:
https://www.google.com/search?q=s-shaped+tool+rest&tbm=isch

There are even more specialized tools for deep hollowing. Some people have rigged up lasers that show on the outside where the tool tip is on the inside.

 

[dbnewton]

Thanks guys. I see the s shaped rests. I'll get a good sturdy one and I think that will help reduce the chatter.