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View Full Version : Anyone bought or made a "center steady for a lathe????



Rowan
24th April 2006, 06:15 PM
I was turning some eggs the other day and I found that the middle one seemed harder to finish than the two at each end (I was turning 3 from the one piece of wood). Being newish to turning it wasnt until I thought about what a mate said and decided that it was chatter due to movement in the wood causing the bounce of the tool in the middle of the wood.

So I looked into it and found u can get "center steady's" that have 3 bearings/wheels that surround the wood to hold it more firmly in place to minimise movement. I have done a search and found nothing in archives. Are they commercially available (I have looked at the teknatool site and CWS with no joy) or do you have to make your own and if so are there any pointers available.

Wood Butcher
24th April 2006, 06:34 PM
I do recall seeing one that used inlineskate wheels. You can get them complete with bearing fairly cheap and the plastic won't mark the wood. I'll have a dig tonight and see if I can find where I saw it.

Jim Carroll
24th April 2006, 07:00 PM
Rowan the Centre steadys are readily available .
Usually start around the $220.00 mark.
If you drop around I can show you the woodfast one.

Sprog
24th April 2006, 07:13 PM
Here is one plan
http://www.turnwood.net/projects/SteadyRest.pdf

Another idea, look under the Tools and Tips section
http://www.hdv.net/

Even string works :D
http://www.neowta.com/Articles/stringsteady.htm

Greolt
24th April 2006, 07:58 PM
Hafco have one that is sposed to be for the MC900 / MC1100 for $49

Haven't seen it "in the flesh" Wheels look small on the website picture.

I haven't used one on a wood lathe though I often have on an engine lathe.

My dad made one for his MC900 but I don't remember details.

Greolt

lyctus
24th April 2006, 07:59 PM
I think you can get a basic 3 point steady for the MC900/1100 from C/T at very low price, under $50 I think.

dai sensei
24th April 2006, 08:54 PM
Here's a few more off the shelf

http://www.timbecon.com.au/products/lathe-accessories-377_0.aspx (http://www.timbecon.com.au/products/lathe-accessories-377_0.aspx)
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http://www.carbatec.com.au/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=300_14570_14710_14720 (http://www.carbatec.com.au/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=300_14570_14710_14720)

<O:p</O:p

Rowan
25th April 2006, 08:23 AM
AAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH Information overload :D :eek: :D :eek:
Gotta luv the support u get from the members of this forum :)

Wood Butcher - may have been on "Wood Works" on foxtel, cause I saw one there once when he was hollowing out a deep vessel

Jim C - with the new job time is the factor but I will try, need to "donate" another paypacket or two to u anyway ;)

Everyone else - thanks heaps I will go to all the links tonight after work and see what there is.

once again thanks heaps

Ian007
25th April 2006, 10:12 AM
Tankstand made one but he's clever like that.:D

ss_11000
29th April 2006, 12:43 PM
I think you can get a basic 3 point steady for the MC900/1100 from C/T at very low price, under $50 I think.

na, its $89

Wood Butcher
29th April 2006, 12:50 PM
The $49 steady is from Hare and Forbes. Look in the woodworking section (obviously) for the Roller Support. Or try pg 12 in the catalog.:D

CanFly
29th April 2006, 03:17 PM
I made tne one shown in http://www.hdv.net/ and it works well. I bought a used set of skates with wheels at the Thrift store, they were perfect for it. I found that the women's skates were less worn than the men's and the wheel bearings tighter.

The steady rest works well for smaller items but I have no experience with anything larger than 8 inches in diameter so far.

gerome
4th May 2006, 03:08 PM
I made one about 2 years ago.
There is a pic and a bit of a how to on the "Bird" up here in Canada.

Cheers Gerome
http://www.phoenixwood.ca/forum/index.php?showtopic=262

Skew ChiDAMN!!
4th May 2006, 05:16 PM
I made a simple one some time ago for a specific job and it worked surprisingly well. I've no idea where it is now, somewhere under one of the piles of timber in my shed I s'pose. Bit hard to take a photo of. :rolleyes:

Basically, 'twas just a 3'(ish) circle cut from ply (two sheets of 1/2" 5-ply laminated together) with a block bolted on the bottom to mount in the lathe bed and cup-hooks screwed around the perimeter every couple of inches. I simply tied a bit of string (real cotton, not nylon!!) to one cup hook and laced a "cat's cradle" around the piece.

I always meant to convert it to bearing guides but it just hasn't happened... for the few times I've needed one it worked well as is. :)

JackoH
5th May 2006, 10:13 AM
In his book"Woodturning Methods" Mike Darlow shows several different types of steadies,(including the left hand,if you're right handed). Also one made out of ply and string like Skew describes above.
Not too difficult to copy.

CameronPotter
5th May 2006, 10:37 AM
Damned good idea that about the string... hmmm.:)

ptc
5th May 2006, 10:52 AM
Tip for polishing eggs.
Not sure what they are called.
the rubber thing that connects Toilet to out let pipe, you need smaller one.
come in different sizes.
Tight fit ( i use a jubilee clip large end on a round bit of scrap in chuck)
smaller end holds egg, very handy for sanding and polishing them.
Hope you can follow this explanation.