Steady Rest for a JET 1640

[Chaz]

I damned near killed myself 3 times today because of insufficient support. Three hollowing jobs that tried to reach low Earth orbit, and I was a little too close to the launch site for comfort.

I want a steady rest. Has anyone got a recommendation? I'd like to spend less than $100 if possible. Used is ok, too.

As long as it works

 

[holcombej]

Chaz, lots of plans and ideas online. I’d just build one.

 

[Chaz]

Chaz, lots of plans and ideas online. I’d just build one.

No, I won't be doing that. At the end of the day, I couldn't build one less expensive than what's out there.

 

[Dee2]

I damned near killed myself 3 times today because of insufficient support. Three hollowing jobs that tried to reach low Earth orbit, and I was a little too close to the launch site for comfort.

What!!!! I did the same thing this week while coring but only once. Must have been a 5 second orbit and landed...over there. Hit nothing during orbit, only the floor. I didn't know whether to duck, or run, or check the insurance policy. And, I knew when it launched what I had done wrong.

We have got to be careful. No taking chances. If it is wrong, don't do it!

And there was success

Black or Carolina cherry. Mother and child.

 

[Chaz]

What!!!! I did the same thing this week while coring but only once. Must have been a 5 second orbit and landed...over there. Hit nothing during orbit, only the floor. I didn't know whether to duck, or run, or check the insurance policy. And, I knew when it launched what I had done wrong.

Same here. I have a new bowl gouge, and I'm working with the profile. There was an unexpected catch, and pow, there goes the workpiece pinging off everything except for my head, thankfully. Three times.

Anyway ....

We have got to be careful. No taking chances. If it is wrong, don't do it!

That's for sure.

That's why I want that steady rest. There were 3 factors. One was bad technique. I screwed up. Second was the wrong jaws. I was using my pen blank jaws at the time. Third was the lack of support. I was hollowing, so the tailstock wasn't being used.

Another factor was visibility. It's one of those projects where you can't see what the working end of the is doing.

Last night I started playing with a design for steady rest.

 

[bowman]

Chaz, I made one back in 2022 for my Nova Comet 2 lathe. I had some rollerblade wheels attached to 3 arms. I should have made a little higher off the lathe bed than I did, as the arms are off center a little. I can also reverse the arms if I needed just a tad more diameter.

View album 2326

 

[Dee2]

I made one with a 24" (IIRC) duct flange from McMAster Carr, some square tubing and flat stock from Dillon and some skate wheels. Of course then I had access to a welder, metal cutting band saw and a discount with Dillon. Times have changed for me.

 

[Ed Fasano]

I cobbled this together based on a couple of different YouTube videos. About $10 for the wheels, another $10 for the piece of robust angle steel for the mounting bracket and perhaps another $10 for misc. hardware. The wood was all scrap. The three-wheel open frame approach appealed to me. It's heavy and rigid enough for my needs.

 

[HITCH-]

I have never seen one like this.
Wouldn't a closed circle outer frame dampen more vibration?

 

[Ed Fasano]

I have never seen one like this.
Wouldn't a closed circle outer frame dampen more vibration?

Logic would say that you are right... a closed circle would be more rigid and with that, might help with vibration. The YouTuber from whom I borrowed the essence of the design defended the open frame, citing access to the work. The beefy wheel arms are beveled and fit into a complimentary tapered channel. When tightened (which doesn't take much), the arm positions are rock-solid. The steel mounting bracket, two layers of 3/4" plywood (that are wider than many common closed frames) arms are giving me smooth operation. I haven't had the need yet to use it at its maximum capacity. It seems to do a good job of keeping vase-type hollow forms spinning true. Things feel safer as well.

Like an imaging tripod or a three-legged stool, there may be a case to be made for three points of wheel contact. Importantly though, I have no engineering expertise, so there's that...

Here's the video that sent me down this path, He shows two different designs.