I need a WIDE work rest!!

Dragons Breath Knives

Dragons Breath Knives

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Aug 24, 2014
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I have a KMG grinder and I cannot for the life of me find an extra wide work rest, Anybody help with this quest? 12" minimum. Thanks to all in advance! Jim
 
Last edited:
Mypatches1 said:
I have a KMG grinder and I cannot for the life of me find an extra wide work rest, Anybody help with this quest? 12" minimum. Thanks to all in advance! Jim
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When I was looking for a long tool rest to run a sled type jig on, I just went to my local metal salvage and got a 14" long piece of 1/2" x 4" steel flat bar. Cost like 6 bucks. I then just took a couple of 1" c-clamps from HF to hold it to my regular tool rest. Worked great.
 
Gotta second the eBay link. Don has a huge following on Instagram and his machining and welding is top notch and super overbuilt.
 
A suggestion would be to find a flat late of steel at the salvage yard and use some rare earth magnets to secure it to your existing table. Works great for me.
 
I would second a removable top plate. However, I would drill and tap the existing work rest and attach the longer and heavier work plate with countersunk flat head machine screws. That will be far sturdier than magnets.
 
i do the same as these guys. buy flat pieces of different sizes and clamp em to the current rest. i also use micarta rests for knives with file work and crested spines so they dont get scraped.
 
i agree attaching with screws would be optimal. i would be wary of magnets mostly because they will magnetize whatever metal they are attached to and attract/hold metal dust on the original work rest.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
I would second a removable top plate. However, I would drill and tap the existing work rest and attach the longer and heavier work plate with countersunk flat head machine screws. That will be far sturdier than magnets.
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This is what I did. With counter sunk flat head cap screws.
 
DD Work rest makes stuff that is the bees knees--check their gear out and give them a shot.
 
One thing most shops need, and few have, is a degaussing coil ( demagnetizer). The are the thing to get rid of the magnetism from magnetic clamps, grinding magnets, and steel that has sat in the same position on a shelf for a good while ( yes, it will magnetize in the earth's magnetic field). If not degaussed, they will attract fine metal dust and even larger filings/grindings. These can gall the blade surface in sanding or in use. mI try to remember to degauss all blades after tghe grinding steps are done.

They are also good to demagnetize tools and other things.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
One thing most shops need, and few have, is a degaussing coil ( demagnetizer). The are the thing to get rid of the magnetism from magnetic clamps, grinding magnets, and steel that has sat in the same position on a shelf for a good while ( yes, it will magnetize in the earth's magnetic field). If not degaussed, they will attract fine metal dust and even larger filings/grindings. These can gall the blade surface in sanding or in use. mI try to remember to degauss all blades after tghe grinding steps are done.

They are also good to demagnetize tools and other things.
Click to expand...

I've got a little bench top unit that I use constantly. I think I paid $45 or so for it during an Enco sale. Nothing more frustrating than a bunch of metal dust sticking to a finished blade.
 
You can buy a flat plate, use magnets as spacers to lock it in place. I saw a couple makers do that.
 
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