I got to spend some time on my steady rest today, more importantly, I got the wheels for it. Over last weekend I went to several second hand stores, a couple sports stores, walmart, and a skating rink trying to find inline skate wheels. Finally, I broke down and ordered some from amazon. They make great bearings for a steady rest. Thought about buying the Carter steady rest but that was before I checked the price. One sized to fit my lathe is close to six hundred bucks, WOW! Carter makes quality products but that's way more than I wanted to spend. This one is 3 layers of 3/4" plywood laminated with fiber glass cloth between the layers. It is VERY rigid. The center layer is cutout to accept a 3/4" by 2" spoke that will carry the inline skate wheel. There is another spoke outside of the glue-up to form a fork for the wheel axle which is a 5/16" bolt. It should easily support anything I want to turn up to about 18" in diameter.

 

 

Still some rough edges to profile and round and I have to make a couple spacers here and there but I should get it done tomorrow or Monday. Then, fabricate the arm and clamp for my laser and I'll be ready to go!!

 

Steve

 

 

Sweet build! Looks really sturdy, too!

Very Nice! And way better than $600!

Looks great Steve.  Should get the job done nicely.

I thought this is the good part of wood working, building my jigs instead of buying them. Buying push sticks!!!!!!

  By the way this is looking like some company will be calling you for some help. Only a user knows exactly whats what. 

That is one monster of a steady. You planning on some Moulthrop style turnings?

1 hour ago, Gerald said:

That is one monster of a steady. You planning on some Moulthrop style turnings?

 

LOL, I probably did over build it. Most of the home made ones I've seen use two layers of plywood with one of them notched for one spoke  to mount the wheel. For whatever reason I just never cared for that design. The idea has percolating for a while about how to do one with two spokes and this is what I came up with. Anyway, it is pretty well done and I think it will serve me well. Thanks to all who commented!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve