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Cliff Rogers
30th July 2009, 08:27 PM
OK, I started. :D

Got some roller blade wheels & M8 bolts & some suitable metal arms.

I tried a few 2nd hand places & the dump shop for roller blades but gave up & went to a skate shop & bought 3 new wheels 'cos I didn't have the time to waste running all over the place during work time. ( I also live too far from the garage sales)

New roller blades wheels are $16 each with the bearings.

The hole in the bearings is 8mm & the thickness is 25mm (1").
The scrap steel arms (I found 4 matching ones with holes drilled in them) are 12.5mm (1/2") thick so I needed an M8 bolt with about 37mm of non-threaded shaft. ('cos the threaded bit is a sloppy fit in an 8mm hole)

The M8 x 65mm have 40mm of non-threaded shaft so they work fine with 3 washers.

I put 2 washers between the wheel & the arm & one under the nut.
I used an M8 Nylock nut & a bit of locktyte to be sure to be sure.

The nut has to be done up just tight enough to hold the bolt from moving in the hole but not so tight that it crushes the bearings.

The steel arms I found are 355mm (14") x 25mm (1") x 12.5mm (1/2")
I drilled out ones of the holes near the end to 8mm & them pruned that end with the angles grinder & buffed it so there are no sharp corners.

Next I want a 600mm (2') outside diameter round bit of scrap, I'm looking for a flange off a large water pipe or the bottom of one of those new steel light poles. :think:

Total outlay so far, $52. :2tsup:

Cliff Rogers
30th July 2009, 08:31 PM
Please note: this is NOT for small stuff.

The minimum diameter piece that could be steadied is about 13mm (just over a 1/2") 'cos otherwise the wheels will rub against each other.

Claw Hama
30th July 2009, 08:33 PM
So far so good, waiting with baited breath for the next installment.

DJ’s Timber
30th July 2009, 08:37 PM
So if the water supply stops or the street is dark, I'll know why :rofl:

Groggy
30th July 2009, 08:54 PM
Looking good so far Cliff, Just how large (and long) a workpiece do you think is going to need the steady?

mick61
30th July 2009, 09:22 PM
G`day we are watching.
Mick:D

Claw Hama
30th July 2009, 09:31 PM
Has anyones lights gone out yet? I'm becoming impatient!!!!

Ed Reiss
30th July 2009, 09:36 PM
....just had a "spike" and momentary electric outage here in Jersey...Cliffs scavanging is having a far reaching effect :o :D:D

Sawdust Maker
30th July 2009, 10:35 PM
Corr
There's some poor kid wandering around Cairns with only one inline skate wondering why some old geezer mugged him for the other one :devilred:

Why a three point and not a four?

Cliff Rogers
30th July 2009, 10:55 PM
Looking good so far Cliff, Just how large (and long) a workpiece do you think is going to need the steady?
I have some old fence posts that I want to recycle.

I've hacked them into bits between 450mm (18") & 600mm (2') long.

I mount them between centres, rough a foot to grip with a chuck & the neck to go in the steady & then hollow them out to make large rustic wed pots & long neck vases.

I'm going to call them my 'Post Mortem' series. :D

Cliff Rogers
30th July 2009, 10:57 PM
..... Why a three point and not a four?
3 is enough.
4 would limit the minimum diameter even further.

TTIT
30th July 2009, 11:16 PM
.............I'm going to call them my 'Post Mortem' series. :D:rofl:


3 is enough.
4 would limit the minimum diameter even further.3 is heaps considering it's only the 2 on top that do anything :shrug:

RETIRED
31st July 2009, 12:15 AM
I have some old fence posts that I want to recycle.

I've hacked them into bits between 450mm (18") & 600mm (2') long.

I mount them between centres, rough a foot to grip with a chuck & the neck to go in the steady & then hollow them out to make large rustic wed pots & long neck vases.

I'm going to call them my 'Post Mortem' series. :D"Last post" might be appropriate too.
:wink:

WOODbTURNER
31st July 2009, 01:17 PM
Cliff,
This is mine that I made up a few years ago.
The 520dia x 6pl ring was found in a welder's junk pile for nix. The bars are 3/4" RHS with 1" RHS sleeves. The wheel bracket/support is 3pl with 8M bolts.
The white wheels are"Ripstick" from a toy shop for $20.00/pair. The small are borrowed roller skate and the black are inline skate from Ebay for $6.00/4
It works great with hardly any vibrations. I hope this helps.
Cheers

http://woodworkforums.cyanide-static.com.au/images/attach/jpg.gifhttp://woodworkforums.cyanide-static.com.au/images/attach/jpg.gifhttp://woodworkforums.cyanide-static.com.au/images/attach/jpg.gif

Cliff Rogers
31st July 2009, 01:25 PM
Yup ta.:2tsup:

It is the ring that I'm now searching for.

As Vern says, it is the top wheels that do all the work so I'm going to try to build mine upside down from yours.

That means that the bottom leg will have to go down between the ways of the bed.

Ozkaban
31st July 2009, 01:35 PM
Looks good Cliff.

For the 2" pole, just find out where the local hoons hang out on a friday night and stand near a set of traffic lights. One of them is bound to help :o



I have some old fence posts that I want to recycle.

I've hacked them into bits between 450mm (18") & 600mm (2') long.

I mount them between centres, rough a foot to grip with a chuck & the neck to go in the steady & then hollow them out to make large rustic wed pots & long neck vases.

I'm going to call them my 'Post Mortem' series. :D
:wave:

Cheers,
Dave

dai sensei
31st July 2009, 09:47 PM
Looking good so far Cliff, keep the details coming.


Why a three point and not a four?

A 3 point is also self centering

NeilS
1st August 2009, 04:23 PM
.....it's only the 2 on top that do anything

:?

Neil

Cliff Rogers
1st August 2009, 06:15 PM
For the application that I want to use it in, when you stick your tool against the revolving bit of wood, the bit of wood tries to climb up it so most of the pressure is in the upward direction therefore it is the top wheel(s) that do the most work.

If it was being used as a centre steady for a long whippy bit, then the bottom wheel would get some work too.

TTIT
1st August 2009, 11:39 PM
:2tsup: Couldn't have explained it better myself! :U

NeilS
2nd August 2009, 11:01 AM
For the application that I want to use it in, when you stick your tool against the revolving bit of wood, the bit of wood tries to climb up it so most of the pressure is in the upward direction therefore it is the top wheel(s) that do the most work.

If it was being used as a centre steady for a long whippy bit, then the bottom wheel would get some work too.

Thanks Cliff for the explanation.

Having never used a steady I thought they were primarily used to support the extended weight and also to reduce vibration. Having not worked on anything deeper than about 35cm, I hadn't taken into account the extra upward leverage from the cutting tool any further out from the chuck.

Understood now.

Neil

munruben
3rd August 2009, 04:19 PM
Probably a dumb question Cliff, but regarding the wheels. Could you use castor wheels or is there a reason for not using them.? much cheaper option. Can be picked up from the cheap shops for a couple of dollars or so each.

Cliff Rogers
3rd August 2009, 05:08 PM
If they have bearings in them & run smoothly & nice & round, yup.

Also note, the ones that are hard plastic or metal tend to mark the workpiece.

wheelinround
3rd August 2009, 05:50 PM
If anyone is after finer wheels with bearings try the Hardware stores for Glass Door and Sliding Screen door one about $8 a pair if they can take the weight of a Glass sliding door :2tsup: for a few years.

RETIRED
3rd August 2009, 06:17 PM
If anyone is after finer wheels with bearings try the Hardware stores for Glass Door and Sliding Screen door one about $8 a pair if they can take the weight of a Glass sliding door :2tsup: for a few years.Ray, it is not so much the weight as constant rotation generating heat. It destroys the bonding of the rubber tyre, particularly in our use of them.

wheelinround
3rd August 2009, 06:25 PM
Yep thats true but considering the weight factor and how often such doors are used daily they will with stand the use, and they generally are not rubber but same material as Roller blade wheels

rrobor
3rd August 2009, 07:32 PM
Nothing wrong with the idea, I built a drum sander and sanded redgum kitchen benchtops on the garage floor by fitting 20 casters on the underside. My only concern was Im at the top of a hill. If I had let that thing go there would have been some odd looking contraption speeding down the road.

Cliff Rogers
3rd August 2009, 11:11 PM
Like a runaway lump of wood from a lathe?

RETIRED
3rd August 2009, 11:14 PM
Like a runaway lump of wood from a lathe?
Who'd do that?

Cliff Rogers
3rd August 2009, 11:28 PM
Mine didn't go down the road or across the road. :D

Groggy
3rd August 2009, 11:30 PM
Mine didn't go down the road or across the road. :D...and Cliff's road isn't 60 metres away from the lathe to start with... :p

Ed Reiss
4th August 2009, 01:48 AM
Who'd do that?

....dunno' :D

Cliff Rogers
22nd February 2010, 05:21 PM
OK, a little more progress.

I found a scrap metal dealer who hasn't been busted by the OH&S or his insurance company yet.

I went in for a "browse" & picked up $10 worth of useful steel.
http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=130363&stc=1&d=1266819604


The hole in the centre of that piece of ½" plate is 300mm across.

I used up more than $10 worth of cutting disks getting it to a useful shape. :-

http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=130364&stc=1&d=1266819604

The big piece of Box will be welded onto the 'tab' at the bottom so that the centre of the hole will be 300mm above the bed of the lathe.

artme
22nd February 2010, 05:48 PM
:)(:)(

Good grief!!!

wheelinround
22nd February 2010, 05:52 PM
An Oxy torch would have done well Cliff :U less noise and dust.

Bit big for the Jet mini don't you think :roll:

munruben
22nd February 2010, 06:04 PM
Wow! amazing..:2tsup:

Sawdust Maker
22nd February 2010, 08:15 PM
Gees :o
I'm glad I didn't hold my breath for the next installment :doh:

Ozkaban
22nd February 2010, 08:15 PM
Bit big for the Jet mini don't you think :roll:

Depends what you're turning the Jet on. I reckon it will fit nicely through the centre...

Looking bloody solid there Cliff :2tsup:

Cheers,
Dave

NeilS
22nd February 2010, 10:00 PM
Good find Cliff, and far more substantial that the ones I saw at Carba-Tec today.

.....

tea lady
22nd February 2010, 10:26 PM
Looks like fun.:D

TTIT
22nd February 2010, 10:48 PM
At least you'll end up with a useful diameter Cliff :2tsup: . . . . . . . and a hernia :U

Gil Jones
23rd February 2010, 03:57 PM
Lookin' good, Cliff.
Check your email, I sent you all of my various steady rest plans and pics.
Luck,
Gil

Cliff Rogers
23rd February 2010, 04:01 PM
Beauty, thanks for that. :2tsup:

I'll send you the collected photos with the edited notes for mine once I have it finished.

Bob38S
24th February 2010, 10:09 AM
Lookin' good.

Not being a lathe person .............yet, I'm quite curious to see this used "in anger".

Regards,
Bob

hughie
24th February 2010, 10:03 PM
Bullet proof is what comes to mind. :U This should be one mother of a steady, look forward to more pics :2tsup: