Bowl Steady

You already know my answer!

Dominic Greco at home in sunny Richboro, PA

>Mark,

After speaking with you tonight, I thought more about your question concerning the capacity of the bowl steady.

The circular (3) or (4) wheeled Steady Rests (Notice I say "steady rest", and not "bowl steady") you and I, and about 100 other turner have built, is really a "Spindle Steady". This is meant to help when we're hollowing out long narrow vessels. But it's not really that good for steadying a wide bowl. It works well on small diameter bowls, but it's limited in it's capacity by the fact that you have to surround your workpiece.

I think what you need, is a true (2) Wheeled Bowl Steady. Like the kind that Oneway sells. A steady of this type will work with any size bowl you can handle on your new monster lathe. The design is easy enough to duplicate (or improve upon). I'm pretty sure we could come up with our own wooden version that would cost 30% of what Oneway is charging. So,...up for a challenge?

BTW, you were dead right about adding the lacquer thinner and giving it a heavier coat. It worked like a charm. Only got one drip area and that is easily handled. Thanks again for the help.

See ya around,

Dominic

Re: Options

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In Jersey

>"You can turn a small item on a big lathe, but you can't turn a big item on a small lathe."

If you spent the $$ on a 26" swing, use a steady that will match as closely as possible. Why limit the capacity you paid for? In my view it's about having the choice. I'm getting a steady for my Stubby that will swing 19-1/2" as that's my max swing over the bed where I'd use the appliance (I can turn 40+ with the bed retracted).

Your other option is to have several steadies of varying clearances. If you have the room to store them, fine; if not, back to option/plan A.

My opinion, naturally.

Mark

-2=mail

Re: Bowl Steady

Fog Tanner

>I have the Oneway bowl steady. I works on my 16" Delta mini and my fullsize 24" Vic. It would even work on a Vic/Jet mini. I think you are better off with a design that will work on the max capacity of your largest machine. As soon as you say that 16" is the max you will ever make, someone will want you to make a 20" bowl.

The other thing with the design of the Oneway, is you can use it on large thin platters on the backside to keep it from flexing when you work across the face. So you would really have two rests in one should you decide to do large segemnted platters.

Fog