Using a steady rest for finials and small pieces

[John Torchick]

I just purchased a steady rest for turning small items like finials. The rest will go down to 1/4 inch diameter. Here's how I am thinking to approach this: use a dowel or wood turned to a small diameter, put it in the headstock and the steady rest. Turn the piece as desired with a part of the original diameter in the steady rest. Use a parting tool to remove the piece in the steady rest. Am I on the right track? How would you experienced turners recommend to do this? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[john lucas]

How long and how small are they. I turned a lot of small dowel pieces by simply sliding a little bit at a time out through my chuck. The long part of the dowel was still in the headstock behind the chuck.

 

[hockenbery]

Similar to John's method I used to turn lots of birdhouse ornament perches. A 1/4" square length of dogwood or holly inside the spindle with and inch sticking out of the #1 jaws. Turn 3 perches then pull the wood out another inch. Perches had a 1/16" tenon, a small bead, the a 1/16" perch about 1/4" long.

I also do 7-8" long finials for Christmas ornament. These have a 3/4" tenon in the #1 jaws.
I turn the free end to size an 1/8" diameter and less finish about an inch with a skew sand with 320 and 400 put on some finish.
Turn the next 2-3 inches, sand and finish,
The turn the rest sand and finish.
They get thicker near the top about 1/2" thick where I turn a thin cove where it comes from the ball.
The cove it do with a gouge and must sand it with 220, 320, 400
These just hang out there with no support needed. I do put a finger opposite where I cut with the skew.

Al

 

[Bill Boehme]

I haven't turned many finials, but I start at the tip and leave as much supporting wood as I can while working back towards the base. I have not encountered a need for a steady rest yet. My thought on the matter is that sharp tools and light pressure will take care of any flexing. When a finial is long and thin enough, it can start to whip all on its own. When you reach that point, wrapping the fingers of your left hand around the spindle/finial while taking very light cuts is usually adequate ... at least it is in my limited experience.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Not sure that this is what you are looking for . There is a product made by Rubber Chucky for finials as a live center support. I think there is a bering in the end which supports the work.

 

[John Torchick]

Length will probably be not more than 4-6 inches long. This is something new for me. Got tons of wood and keep hearing the question, "When are you going to make something with all that wood?"