Many different steady rests to choose from

[Gary Slater]

I have wanted a steady rest for some time but some exceed $300! Here are some pictures and links to different rests that I could find from this forum. I really like the 3 wheel one Jeremy Williams has but I think that is one of the $300 rests and for some reason, I can't find his web site. I also really like the 4 wheel one by Wooden Nicol which is about $16o for a 16" lathe. I am posting links/pictures for all to see for those inclinded to make their own or to make their own purchase. (Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of those who are selling their rests or charging them for my time and work here with this "advertisement"!)

http://www.hdv.net/tips/Making a Steady Rest.htm
(click or copy/paste link to see picture)

Plan drawings for making your own
http://www.easttexaswoodturners.org/Steadyrest-Mini.htm
(click or copy/paste link to see picture)

Wood Central article for making your own
http://www.woodcentral.com/articles/turning/articles_128.shtml
(click or copy/paste link to see picture)

http://woodennicol.com/images761/tools/SteadyRest320small.jpg

Of course, you can view the One Way version at their web site. If any of you have others to share, that would be great.

 

[odie]

My first thought is the three-point steady rest would provide more stability than the four-point, because pressure from one stabilizing wheel would be equally distributed over the other two wheels. The four-point would only distribute the pressure to a single opposing wheel, so there would be two separate diametrically alternating forces that have no influence on one another.

Don't have a clue about the five-point, but it looks like the spacing isn't the same around the circumference.

ooc

 

[Charlie Knighton]

one way bowl steady modified

both sets of wheels can be moved vertically, the set of wheels on right moves sideways also

used oneway bowl steady come up for sale everonces in awhile

 

[odie]

one way bowl steady modified

both sets of wheels can be moved vertically, the set of wheels on right moves sideways also

used oneway bowl steady come up for sale everonces in awhile

That looks pretty darn creative, Charlie......

Tell us how you did that. Did you weld a vertical post onto the opposite end of the original bowl steady mount?

ooc

 

[Charlie Knighton]

Tell us how you did that. Did you weld a vertical post onto the opposite end of the original bowl steady mount?

i took it down to machine shop and had them thread a hole for a bolt in the bottom of the shaft on the right, added some washers, and i just position the wheels and shaft and then tighten the bolt up

i had seen a post where two bowl steadies were used, one on each side, that was the germ of the idea

the oneway wheels are very good and they will sell them seperatly

 

[Max Taylor]

Steady rests

I have Jeff Nichols1 rest[20 in. for the PM3520] With an extra receptacle I can change from 3 wheel to 4 wheel arms. Cant use laser with 4 wheel. Extra arm&bracket with s&h 200.00. Heck of a deal,Max.

 

[John Nicholas]

Alternate Steady Rests

Has anyone tried alternates to these fancy items with skateboard wheels and steel all over?

Ernie Conover shows one made of 2 wooden pieces to hold the spindle from moving down or back. I've also heard of String Steadys.

John

 

[dmahany]

Plywood Steady Rest

Has anyone tried alternates to these fancy items with skateboard wheels and steel all over?

Ernie Conover shows one made of 2 wooden pieces to hold the spindle from moving down or back. I've also heard of String Steadys.

John

John,

Here's one I made a few years ago. It was inspired by an article by Dominic Greco on another forum somewhere.

 

[Dick Sowa]

I have several thoughts.

I made my own...wooden contraption for a lathe that had 12" dia max turning. Similar to the Dominic Greco version from Woodnet. When I got my bigger lathe, I added a block under the steady to get it to the center of my turnings. I don't turn all that much that requires a steady, but the few times I have, the existing steady worked just fine. In other words, when I need one, the diameter of the turning is usually way less than the swing of my lathe.

So for me, bottom line, a steady is often critical to completing a turning. But a steady designed for 12" dia turnings, and boosted up to meet the center of a bigger lathe, might be all you need.

 

[MichaelMouse]

I got the Oneway from Santa a half dozen years back and have since acquired the spindle setup to use on the post I have. It seems to do everything it should do, with a wheel above the cut to dampen, align and steady the wood into the tool, and one below where I'm cutting to keep me from pushing it away. What happens where I'm not cutting doesn't seem to matter, though if I'm doing a "please the turners" thin thin, I often stabilize the whole thing outside the rollers with a some stretch wrap and duck tape. Keeps the noise down, too.

The steady is efficient, well-built, and reasonably priced, a rarity in today's world. Rather than fiddle, I'd just try one somewhere. It's a great purchase.

 

[Joe Greiner]

Here's a 4-wheeler that I made a couple years ago. The upper and lower pieces separate at the equator. The far-side layer has ramps sloping the other way, for accurate centering. There are a total of 8 over-center latches for quick assembly. The in-line skate wheels are mounted between two walls of rectangular tubing; that seems more robust than cantilever axle mounting. One or more arms occasionally get knocked off center by too-aggressive hollowing, but it isn't difficult to re-align. I posted a WIP of its construction on another forum. You can PM me for a link; I understand such links are forbidden or discouraged on this forum.

Another one, much simpler, for dowels, can be found via Google ["birdhouse earrings procedure"], with quotes included to marry the keywords. One of the hits currently has images available to non-members of the site.

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