Steady Rest

[Paul39]

I stumbled upon this today, I think the whole thing could be made from hard timber rather than the square tubing he used for the base.

Making a Steady Rest (http://www.hdv.net/tips/Making%20a%20Steady%20Rest.htm)

And some tips:

Tools and Tips - How Herm does things (http://www.hdv.net/tips/tips.htm)

Interesting reading:

http://www.hdv.net/

[Cliff Rogers]

Yup, good links. :2tsup:
I'd be inclined to put the double wheels on the top of that steady. :think:

[RETIRED]

The double wheels at the bottom ensures that you have it centred Cliff.

I have seen them with doubles top and bottom.

[Cliff Rogers]

Eeerrr.... wouldn't you have to have it centred to get it round before you put the steady anywhere near it? :think:

Surely you'd use a tail stock to get it roughed to round for the wheels to roll on? :?

[RETIRED]

Yes Cliff, round between centres first then fit steady.

I was referring to fitting that type of steady in that the bottom wheels are generally brought up first to get the assembly centred before locking to the lathe, then the top wheel is bought down to lock it all up.

[Cliff Rogers]

Are right.... by 'it' you mean the steady. :2tsup:

The double wheels at the bottom ensures that you have it centred

[thumb trimmer]

Paul,

Hardwood certainly will work; but it doesn't all have to be made of hardwood.

See attached. This Steady worked a treat ... particularly with the Oland tool I made to do the hollowing.



...

[RETIRED]

Are right.... by 'it' you mean the steady. :2tsup::cool::2tsup:

[Paul39]

Thumb Trimmer,

Very nice! Good enough photos for someone to make one without drawings.

Thanks,

[cookie48]

That style of rest is better than the bought one. Will get my grandson of his skates and pinch his wheels.

[jchappo]

That style of rest is better than the bought one. Will get my grandson of his skates and pinch his wheels.

A good source of wheels is Big W.
For under $10, you can buy a set of heel skates which has four 70mm wheels, each with double bearings. They come in pink or blue.
Added advantage - they have flashing LEDs built in :D

[wheelinround]

A good source of wheels is Big W.
For under $10, you can buy a set of heel skates which has four 70mm wheels, each with double bearings. They come in pink or blue.
Added advantage - they have flashing LEDs built in :D


Go on put a photo up you know you want to :U

[bellyup]

G'day TT,
Good pictures -Is your steady fixed to the bed or just sitting on top?
Ohh - ok I can see it now in the middle shot - how do you lock it down?
Bruce.

[hughie]

A good source of wheels is Big W.
For under $10, you can buy a set of heel skates which has four 70mm wheels, each with double bearings. They come in pink or blue.
Added advantage - they have flashing LEDs built in :D


yeehar! flashin' wheels, gotta get me a set. :D:D

[jchappo]

Go on put a photo up you know you want to :U

Didn't you already post one?

[wheelinround]

Didn't you already post one?

no:no: was leaving it till you had actually used it yourself :U

[letzzzgo]

Here's my take on Herman De Vries' steady rest. I started it late last year but need to make a clamping plate to finish it off.

[cookie48]

One question please. What if you want to turn of a real thin piece. How close can the wheels go????

[joe greiner]

One question please. What if you want to turn of a real thin piece. How close can the wheels go????
Until they just barely touch one another. But to do that, you'll need to make the bottom wheels adjustable transversely. Good bye automatic centering. Not impossible, just not automatic.

Cheers,
Joe

[letzzzgo]

One question please. What if you want to turn of a real thin piece. How close can the wheels go????

Hi cookie48,
For smaller diameter spindle work, I use this smaller steady. This will accommodate up to approx 150 mm and the larger one will allow for up to 340 mm.

[thumb trimmer]

G'day TT,
Good pictures -Is your steady fixed to the bed or just sitting on top?
Ohh - ok I can see it now in the middle shot - how do you lock it down?
Bruce.


Bruce,

I mounted a T-nut in the clamping plate which has another plate glued/crewed to it to fit between the bed. Then this is attached and tightened to the base of the steady with a bolt from the top.

ie. see attached.

Also, re: turning thin pieces ... as Ray kinda mentioned, it can be done but you'll need to modify your steady to bring the bottom to wheels closer together. You''ll also be limited by the diameter of your wheels. The steady as pictured by letzzzgo is best for thinner stock.

Hope this helps.

[cookie48]

I allready have 2 steady's that I use when turning walking sticks. My problem is they appear to Bruise the timber.

[RETIRED]

I allready have 2 steady's that I use when turning walking sticks. My problem is they appear to Bruise the timber.Fit wider wheels, preferably urethane tyred.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

:whs:

I've found that the best to use for "non-marking" are good quality skateboard wheels. But they need a fairly wide, cylindrical surface on the timber; if it's tapered then the edges mark the turning. Unless you make them "adjustable" to suit tapered work.

Roller-bearings, with short lengths of bicycle tube slipped over to protect the wood also work fairly well and can be bought in sizes appropriate to the turning diameter at hand.

But I keep coming back to the skinny ex-rollerblade wheels. (Funny how so many of them end up on the kerbside for hard garbage :roll:) They mark the timber more, but because they have a narrower footprint will fit where the skateboard wheels wont. Don't really hold small diameter pieces well, though. Not without staggering them on the steady... which introduces other problems with flex in the turning. :doh:

[joe greiner]

+1 for roller-blade wheels. Their narrow donut form fits almost anything.

If you buy new, look for those with transparent material to reduce marking. But run them for a while on a sacrificial wood cylinder to wear down the casting seam at the equator.

Cheers,
Joe

[deepriver]

Here's my very simple version.
Note that I have added a stay across to the wall - this made a huge difference to whip, shake, rattle and roll.
Those wheels sure can make a groove as I discovered on my first walking stick effort. Now I leave that central shoulder and use a spokeshave, and sandpaper to clean it off once I've finished on the lathe. Another option is to wrap cardboard around, using masking tape, right where the wheels run. If I was a beer drinker I would try some aluminium from a can wrapped around the shaft.
Have included a pic of one of my sticks.
Would not be keen to have to make a wider shoulder as it is hazardous enough just turning the narrow one without the stick flying to pieces! The stick in photo 11 did fly to pieces due to a basic design fault of each join being a shear face with end grain gluing. Had to put an 8 mm threaded steel rod up the middle to hold it all together!