Been doing my impression of a Network Administrator this week. Haven't even been in the shop except to pass through on the way to the washer and dryer. 

The Woodworker's Journal has a nice freebie plan for a steady rest-

You can download the PDF file from-

http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/Uploads/Public/Documents/Issue305/WJ133%20Lathe%20Steady%20Rest.pdf.

Hope to have more for you next week.

Safe turning!

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Lew Kauffman-
Wood Turners Forum Host

Time traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!

Lew beings that I don't own a lathe and may never own one, I'm clueless as to what this is for but am curious as to what this is for ?

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Greg
Scroll Saw forum host

http://www.thesawdustfactoryga.com/

Greg,

A steady rest is used to help control a turning in a couple of ways. Pictured is using the device to hold the "free" end of the piece as the tools apply pressure sideways during the hollowing process. If the steady rest wasn't there, the tools could apply enough pressure to cause the turning to be leveraged out of the chuck that holds it to the lathe.

The second popular use is when turning longer thin spindles. When you approach the center of a spindle, with a tool, the spindle tends to vibrate off of the concentric line of the head/tail stock. This can cause an out of round turning near the center or actually cause a chatter pattern in the wood.

Hope that is an understandable answer to your excellent question.

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Lew Kauffman-
Wood Turners Forum Host

Time traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!

So basicly I just helps to stablize the turning to keep things in line. Thanks

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Greg
Scroll Saw forum host

http://www.thesawdustfactoryga.com/

You got it, Greg!

Greg Aksdal said:

So basicly I just helps to stablize the turning to keep things in line. Thanks

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Greg
Scroll Saw forum host

http://www.thesawdustfactoryga.com/

Excellent reply to a excellent question. This is one tool no turner should be with out.

thanks for sharing.

Lewis Kauffman said:

Greg,

A steady rest is used to help control a turning in a couple of ways. Pictured is using the device to hold the "free" end of the piece as the tools apply pressure sideways during the hollowing process. If the steady rest wasn't there, the tools could apply enough pressure to cause the turning to be leveraged out of the chuck that holds it to the lathe.

The second popular use is when turning longer thin spindles. When you approach the center of a spindle, with a tool, the spindle tends to vibrate off of the concentric line of the head/tail stock. This can cause an out of round turning near the center or actually cause a chatter pattern in the wood.

Hope that is an understandable answer to your excellent question.

---

Lew Kauffman-
Wood Turners Forum Host

Time traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!

Thanks everyone for the responses!!!

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Lew Kauffman-
Wood Turners Forum Host

Time traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!