Roller steady rest for 1030V?

Just so you know, bearings will slightly mar the work. One trick that prevents marring and wear to the tips of brass fingers is to use cardboard, like the kind used for cereal boxes. Cut a strip, fit it between the work and the fingers and clamp the cardboard to the steady rest. Make sure the tips of the fingers are in full contact with the cardboard and then put oil between the work and cardboard. I have turned finished aluminum at 2800 rpm with no significant wear to the work, fingers or cardboard ... and the work was solidly supported. Might give it a try.
 
I honestly don't care about marring the work, I don't do precision anything but that does sound like an interesting idea. You're basically talking about chipboard, not corrugated cardboard it seems? I will have to try that. Honestly I have a hell of a time setting up the steady rest in the first place, and so far I haven't had any real opportunities to use the live center in the tailstock.
 
Yeah, any thin cardboard will do. I've been using this for decades, even though I have roller bearing tips for my fingers. This works fine, and one day you will need to support a finished work piece and it will work for that, too. Just keep the cardboard oiled.

Simplest way to set up the steady rest (assuming you aren't dialing in precision work) is to chuck your work piece up and get it as concentric as you can. The shop made tool with a roller bearing at the tip works well to get the work pretty close. Then slide the steady up as close to the chuck as you can and bring the fingers of the rest into contact with the work. You want to just contact the work, not push on it. Once your fingers are locked, slide the steady rest out to the end and lock it to the ways and you're set. If you plan to use cardboard between the fingers and the work, set it up near the chuck, oil it and slide it along with the rest. You might be surprised to find how well this works and it saves wear on the finger tips, too.
 
That's a great idea too. In regards to your "as concentric as you can" comment, the question I have is - I'm using the 3jaw that came with the machine and the best I can get a workpiece to indicate is usually say 4-5 thousandths out (4-5 thou at the far end of the workpiece where I'm doing my cutting, about a foot from the chuck). Would this method of setting the steadyrest up at the jaws and then moving it outwards still work? Or should I really be making the workpiece spin "perfectly" with say a 4jaw first? I'm not sure if there's some way of doing better with the 3jaw, I didn't see any real adjustments on it (again, total ignorance here)
 
Make a centering tool like this one: http://www.sherline.com/pages/tips/tip67.htm

These have been around for a long time but they work pretty well for general work and will work fine for most stuff you can use a 3 jaw with. If you need more precision, use a 4 jaw and a dial indicator to get it aligned, then bring your steady rest up and go from there.
 
mikey said:
Make a centering tool like this one: http://www.sherline.com/pages/tips/tip67.htm

These have been around for a long time but they work pretty well for general work and will work fine for most stuff you can use a 3 jaw with. If you need more precision, use a 4 jaw and a dial indicator to get it aligned, then bring your steady rest up and go from there.
Click to expand...

Ahhhhh that looks like a brilliant idea. Can you buy these or do you have to make them?
 
PrettyHateMachining said:
Ahhhhh that looks like a brilliant idea. Can you buy these or do you have to make them?
Click to expand...

Make one. Buy a small bearing, mount to the side of a piece of keystock that fits your tool post. You have to drill and tap for the mounting screw. To use, gently introduce the bearing to the work piece that is only lightly held by the chuck jaws. Keep speed low and slowly increase contact and the bearing will nudge the work piece true. Stop the lathe and tighten the chuck. Simple.
 
mikey said:
Make one. Buy a small bearing, mount to the side of a piece of keystock that fits your tool post. You have to drill and tap for the mounting screw. To use, gently introduce the bearing to the work piece that is only lightly held by the chuck jaws. Keep speed low and slowly increase contact and the bearing will nudge the work piece true. Stop the lathe and tighten the chuck. Simple.
Click to expand...

It came out great! 1/2" keystock, 5/16-24 bolts and some chinese roller bearings. It works amazing, what a time saver! Thank you so much.

I'll work on the roller bearing steadyrest at some point as well, I got some smaller bearings for that.

Adam

lathe_centering_tool1.jpg
 
PrettyHateMachining said:
It came out great! 1/2" keystock, 5/16-24 bolts and some chinese roller bearings. It works amazing, what a time saver! Thank you so much.

I'll work on the roller bearing steadyrest at some point as well, I got some smaller bearings for that.

Adam
Click to expand...

Try the paper thing first; it will surprise you at how well it works. As I said, I have roller bearing tips for my steady rest but they are rarely used - paper works better for me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top