5 inch steady rest for Leblond 19 lathe

[Frank S]

When you buy older or used machines more often than not not much of the tooling comes with them.
I needed a small steady rest for an up coming project I am wanting to build so the first step was to make one.
I started out with a couple of 8" dia. 3/16" thick disc that were picked up at the local scrap metal yard. then bought 3 3/4" coupling nuts and a piece of all thread. All thread is not ideal for making the adjustable guides but suitable for a light duty rest.

After welding the coupling nuts and discs together I bored out the center

next I welded a 1/8" thick strap around the perimeter

not wanting to try and make a hodge podge set up to mill a "V" grove in the base I elected to simply saw off the end of the sub base with my band saw

Next I chucked the rest in the lathe and tacked the base and stand to it

After welding I did a trial fit of the guides

Then I machined one end of the guides and drilled a hole deep enough to accommodate a 10 mm bearing ball

then I slightly struck the guides in 4 places around the ball to secure it in place, the ball still rolls freely in its socket.

Next I cut the rest in two once the blade had cut nearly all the way through the first side the saw cut closed up binding the blade to free it I simply used a long piece of all thread and a piece of tubing to spread the rest open enough to free the blade

After separating the 2 parts and trimming one for the hinge I tacked the hinge in place then welded it and the hold down lock tabs to the opposite side

ready to use as soon as I drill 1 hole and clamp it down to the lathe

Some day when I have the time I may paint it

[DIYer]

Thanks Frank S! We've added your Steady Rest to our Machining category, as well as to your builder page: Frank S' Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Steady Rest by Frank S

tags: steady rest

[Toolmaker51]

A-1+ Frank. Twice I've had people show up with steady rests to compensate their lathe which hadn't one. Naturally, the 'find' is wrong in both axis, but one had a compatible flat and vee for their bed for their machine, but still wrong centerline and center height. Built them spacers that mated their ways with seat contour of steady rest. No small task, or I was not into it enough, probably the latter.
Fabricating from scratch would have resulted in better results and size capacity. Cast Iron is good; not superior of a good steel weldment, especially when neither material supports rotating stock. Wish I had a dime for every abused steady that someone tried to braze back together.

[Frank S]

Thanks TM51 I wound up an painted the steady as you have probably noticed in the thread where I used it in conjunction with the long boring bar and the wood blocks to line bore locations on a part I was repairing http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/q...1971#post95223
I have used the steady many times its light weight being made from mostly 10ga & 3/16" steel is actually another plus I can easily store it in a cabinet high up on the wall without having to strain a gut reaching for it
I am not as satisfied with the single bearing balls making contact with a rotating shaft as I would like but they do roll freely enough and so far have not caused a problem I keep a lot of lube on them just as if I were using brass buttons so that helps.I have a pair of rings to make a 10" steady just haven't had time to make it yet. only this one since the turning parts will be much larger diameters I will use full bearings for the rollers.

[Toolmaker51]

Bearing balls made me think, a lot of + & - factors.
+ Near zero play; - tiny surface contact. + Easily replaceable, - unsure new ones be same grade. + Many common sizes, - do ball endmills cut real spheres? I'd probably ball cut where a pilot drill removes 20 something percent area of center contact. 'Floating' in high pressure lube and well sized pocket, running good material like shafting might be.
Full bearings are common sure enough, wonder if anyone's run bare rollers from bearings compared to bearing balls?

[Frank S]

Well one thing I found as part of the (-) is the small contact area a way I have compensated for that on a few occasions was to machine a sleeve to slip fit the stock being turned with an OD that pressed fit into the 65 mm ID of the inner race of the bearing the balls came out of. I am thinking about one day replacing the balls with a needle or roller bearing assembly or a cam follower held in place with slotted arms keeping the same adjuster screws. but before I do that I need to make a follow steady

[Toolmaker51]

.........found a few occasions was to machine a sleeve to slip fit the stock being turned with an OD that pressed fit into the 65 mm ID of the inner race of the bearing the balls came out of.

My same attempts weren't satisfactory. Used a bearing on OD of rough roller, 8" OD about 50" long, spud shafts at each end [either turned from solid or pressed and welded -no joint or cracks] that one end turned for light press-fit, driven by a 4 jaw. Surface not metallized, sleeved or plated. And yes, clamp plate was on right.
OK-ish lathe, not one that I'd buy, but ran alright before and after.
Incident plastered my concept best machines have a loo...ong space between spindle bearings, curves like a girl - not corners llike a box, grey paint over thick glazing compound, and either cast brass or stamped charts; NOT SCREENPRINTED!
Finally, brand name or place of origin shouldn't have more vowels consonants IYKWIM?

Set up to rebore center-drill first. Nothing said bearing was even questionable. Nothing would arrest chatter; tool height, clearance, corner radius, carbide, HSS, steady rest contact, center grease.... Only thing I conjured up was not being in a housing didn't put that slight bind on outer race most need to run at design load, even though inner race 'thought' it was on a shaft.

[Frank S]

That was why I only used the inner race the steady served as the outer race the adjustment screws as the ball cage Had to make light cuts especially since I was making counter bores for a bearing and seal in the end of the material on one particular piece on another the part was just too long to have the tailstock in place
Agreed about the vowels in brand name also name should be at least a word or combination of words which can be found in a dictionary

[Toolmaker51]

True, letters and words are important; but quip on curves and flat shapes funnier.

[Frank S]

got to give you that one