Best kind of steady rest

I have looked at plans for a steady rest because the last walking stick I made kept whipping all over the place. I've seen designs with string and ones made out of metal or wood. Some are square shaped, hexagonal shaped and circular shaped. Is there a version that is considered to be the ideal because of its strength, versatility or accuracy? If you have made one of these but found them to be inadequate in some way, could you please mention why it was inadequate and what strengths the particular design you chose had.

I like to use string rests for long, thin objects. Like walking sticks and trembleurs.

Mainly 'cos they're quick 'n easy to move and readjust, although they do have a tendency to char the wood.

Roller rests (the ones using wheels or bearings instead of string) generally don't close down far enough to work on really small diameter pieces, dammit. Otherwise they'd be my choice, purely to avoid the whole charring issue.

I've made several of 'em over the years and prefer to make 'em in a circular shape from ply. The circular shape avoids any problems with racking, etc. but it generally means you have to feed the workpiece through it. Square ones often have a section that can lift out of the way to remove the item... but I don't really consider that necessary myself.

, can you post the links to the easy steady rests that you put up before the meltdown please?

Yep, will do it later.

WoodCentral Articles & Reviews

WoodCentral Articles & Reviews

I think this is pretty much what I posted before the crash.

Have a squint at these:

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/goblet-54862/

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/bir...ocedure-57866/

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/fou...dy-rest-68735/

The advantage of the last one is that it can be opened, so that the work can be remounted without losing position along the bed. It's clamped to the bed with three bolts, and re-mounting the steady is a PITA.

I like to mount the wheels on axles supported both ends, in lieu of cantilever axles. It seems like a better support.

I have a three-wheeler in partial development, but not yet ready for prime time.

Cheers,
Joe

The four-wheeler is amazing Joe, as is the spherical whatchacallit (sp?)!

Thanks , Joe and Skew.

I've started on the hexagonal version, have welded all the bits but am unsure how to get the arms to centre, maybe a case of trial and error because when I position them at 120 degrees they don't quite meet at the centre :doh:.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tiger

Thanks , Joe and Skew.

I've started on the hexagonal version, have welded all the bits but am unsure how to get the arms to centre, maybe a case of trial and error because when I position them at 120 degrees they don't quite meet at the centre :doh:.

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Mount the unit on the lathe with a straight rod between centers , and with the wheels on , line up the arms .