Need a steady center.....

Make one!

Dominic Greco in Richboro, PA

>Check out the article I wrote in Wood Central's Article section!

Three Wheeled Steady Rest

It was easy to build and cost a fraction of what a "manufactured" one would.

Email me if you have any questions.

See ya around,

Dominic

Cast iron steady rest $30. *LINK*

Fred L. - North Carolina

>Making your own is probably the best route. Dominic Greco just posted a link to his article.

However, if you are turning spindles (table legs and such) there is a steady rest at the link below. It should fit most standard size lathes. The bearings could be replaced if necessary. I think the casting alone is well worth the price.

FredL


Cast Iron steady rest

Re: Make one!

Joel Hunnicutt

>I made one last summer using Dom's plan. Don't know how I ever hollowed without it! One tip, it was much cheaper to buy a set of roller blades and take the wheels off than to buy a couple of sets of wheels. Including pylwood, I maybe had $20 in the whole thing.

Re: Need a steady center.....

C. Wadsworth

>Oneway has a great 3 wheel steadyI use it to turn pool sticks...$68.00...hope this helps

Wads

Re: Need a steady center..... *LINK*

C. Wadsworth

>you can view the steady in use at this link

Claude (wads )


nova owners

Re: Make one!

Keith Tompkins

>Hi Dom, (and Joel) I want to make a copy of your steady-rest. A question.....do the arms that hold the wheels have a tendency to move when pressure is applied on them? Maybe a glue-block on one side of the arms would help?

I am starting a piece that will definitely require this device. I promise, this piece is gonna be WILD! will post when done..

Re: Make one!

Mark Kauder, Phenix City, AL

>Keith,

This is the one that I made (about the same time as Dom. Having a steady rest, I find is essential for segemented work.

One point to remember - skate wheels are not precision machined - they can be out of round, and this can cause some vibrations. With a little thought, I am sure that you can figure a way to true them on the lathe. What I did is put a washer on each side, and a bolt and nut through the middle (effectively locking the washers/bolt to the wheel, and eliminating the bearing). I then put the bolt in a chuck, and trued up the wheels.

Mark

Re: Make one!

Bill Howatt

>Now, I haven't done this but I recall a post from a long time ago where somebody said you can true the wheels by putting a bolt through the bearing hole and holding the wheel at a bit of a diagonal to the belt on a running belt sander.

Any experimenters out there?

Bill

Re: Make one!

Keith Tompkins

>Hey Mark, looking at your steady-rest, it appears that your arms are set into a dado. That would prevent the arms from shifting at the worst possible time. That was the concern I had on Dom's design.

Most times I can get away without a steady, but the project I'm starting will surely need one!I thought of this project about a year ago, but haven't had time to attempt it. Good thing I sketched the idea and saved it!!

I will bring this one to AAW symposium instant gallery.(can't describe; but NOT segmented) thanks for the photo, Keith

Re: Cast iron steady rest $30.

RonZ

>Dayyyuuuumm!!!

I didn't know they had an on line catalog and I've been looking through it. Now I'm in real trouble. I'm supposed to visit the USA in April. I'm going to have to steer clear of that place or I'll be maxing my credit card over there. =o)

Re: Need a steady center.....

William R. Duffield, on the Cohansey

>Be careful when choosing a plan for a homemade steady. There are significant differences in the geometry between a steady optimized for spindles vs. one that works well for bowls. Mark Kauder's is definitely a bowl steady. Dominic also posted pictures on this forum of another bowl steady he built, and another example can be found on Russ Fairfield's web site.

Another example of a homemade spindle steady, a little more refined than Dominic's, with a huge capacity, and dados and t-track, and also more complicated to build, is on Jean Michel's web site, Spindle Steady

Hi Keith

Dominic Greco in Richboro PA

>Keith,

Each of the 2" wide x 8" long arms were fabricated from 3/4" plywood. So the length is somewhat short, the plywood does not flex. Also the arm rides in a 2 1/16" wide x 1/4" deep dado that is cut into the support ring. This dado keeps the arms on track and will not allow them to move sideways once the knob is tightened (I think the picture I attached to this post will clear up the description).

Mark's comment about truing up the wheels is a good one. Making a mandrel from a 1/4" or 5/16" dia bolt, and using that to hold the wheels is what I did. But the 4" diameter scooter wheels I used were pretty round right out of the package. All I needed to do was hold some sandpaper against the wheel to true it enough to use with this steady rest.

Good luck with your construction.

See ya around,

See ya around,

Dominic

Re: Need a steady center.....

Mark Kauder, Phenix City, AL

>William,

Thanks for the clearification. I unintentially muddied the tread with my posting - I was specifically answering Keith. I know he does mostly bowls.

I should have mentioned that fact.

Mark

Re: Need a steady center.....

William R. Duffield, on the Cohansey

>That's what I like about this place. One little "Oops" and during the clarification, everyone gets a lot of useful information. If the question had been given just one, seemingly perfect response, there probably would have been several readers who would still be oblivious, as I was until recently, of the subtle differences that make a particular steady rest design more applicable to spindles or to bowls.

In fact, since I don't turn bowls (at least not yet, successfully*), I'm not really sure why ones like your design work better. I understand the concept of running out of room around a small diameter spindle with lots of big wheels.

*too many "square" tuits to find time to get to the round ones.

Re: Hi Keith

William R. Duffield, on the Cohansey

>Dom,

Do you use the same set of arms on both of your steady rests?

You betcha'!

Dominic Greco in Richboro, PA

>I made the bowl steady use most of the major parts from the Steady rest. This way, I didn't have to make all those pieces again. Besides, what are the chances of me using both at once?

See ya,

Dominic

Re: Hi Keith

Keith Tompkins

>Thanks, Dom . I couldn't see the dados in your previous post. How could I have doubted you? Keith