3-Point Woodturning Adjustable Steady Rest
I made this 3-point adjustable roller rest for my Delta lathe. I like to make large (and sometimes long) objects, especially large bowls with necks that require deep holes.
I did not have plans for this. I worked entirely from a photograph I found in a magazine or internet woodworking site. There is nothing particularly difficult in the construction. Of course, you will need adjust the final design to fit your particular lathe.
What a difference this steady rest makes in ones ability to expand their turning skills and increase by tenfold the design possibilities!! As long as you have the workpiece chucked up solidly in the headstock you no longer need to be dependent on the tailstock for rigidity of the workpiece. Use the tailstock for turning a concentric roller band or two, move the steady rest over the band, adjust the rollers to touch the workpiece (with the tailstock still in place). Then, depending on the area of the workpiece you are working on, leave the tailstock in place or move it entirely away from the workpiece. Chatter will be a thing of the past. One of my gouges/scrapers is close to 3′ long and with the steady rest in place I can confidently use it to finish the inside of long bores.
I can’t stress enough the necessity to make the roller rest and all of its components as rigid as possible. “Flimsy” should be a cuss word on this project. I used multiple thicknesses of plywood throughout along with a beefy base, and 3/4″ diameter threaded rod and mating nut for locking the steady to the lathe bed. A 3/4″ thick aluminum “take-up” plate on the underside of the ways secures the steady to the lathe bed.
The rollers were taken from a used pair of in-line roller skates. You can find inexpensive used skates at the Salvation Army, Goodwill, or even on E-Bay.
I hope you will make a steady rest for your lathe. Your pleasure in turning will become even greater.
Comments
That looks great. I bet it really helps! Good idea on getting wheels from skateboards.
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