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Knowledge You Can Build On — Est. 1998

Longworth Steady Rest - Design Considerations

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Longworth Steady Rest - Design Considerations

#1

Longworth Steady Rest - Design Considerations

Craig Daymon

>I was looking at the Longworth chuck plans as I'm not real happy with the home-made Cole jaws I've made. Looks easy enough and I very much like the self-centering ability.

I was also looking Dominic Greco's great article about his steady rest.

So...I'm thinking that the Longworth idea of self-centering could be applied to a steady rest. I know there will be design issues and capacity would be substantially less than that of the Longworth chuck, or even Dominic's steady rest, but I like that self-centering idea.

I guess the first consideration is, is this even possible? I think so, but I'm probably missing something. I know it should be possible to have one ring fixed to a base similar to Dominic's (just like the main ring on Dominic's).

The second major consideration is how to maximize capacity.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Craig

Re: Longworth Steady Rest - Design Considerations

#2

Re: Longworth Steady Rest - Design Considerations

Don Evans

>To me, the Longworth is the perverbial "take something simple and complicate it".

A doughnut is much simpler to make and works just as good or better, so why bother?

Don

Re: Longworth Steady Rest - Design Considerations

#3

Good idea,but...

Garrett in Victoria

>I think your idea is a good one. However, having now made 2 Longworth chucks - I used one yesterday, BTW - there are at least 2 challenges to overcome:

1) the basis of the chuck's self-centering rotation is a small, perfectly-centred axle, obviously impossible in a steady-rest; and

2) the rollers must always extend beyond the inner circumference.

Since the chuck would be stationary, I see no reason why one couldn't turn a large hole in the thinner front disk, and then a matching lipped hole in the thicker back disk. With the back disk fixed to the upright, that lip would enable the front disk to rotate and the scrolling action to take place.

However, off the top, I can't envisage any way the scrolling action could maintain the necessary protrusion of the wheels. We should have a little design competition!

Cheers, Garrett

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