inshootingsupply
Plastic
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2014
- Location
- Butler, Indiana
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steady rest rebuild/repair 9a
- Thread starter inshootingsupply
- Start date
- Replies 8
- Views 3,202
iwananew10K
Diamond
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2010
- Location
- moscow,ohio
SB steadys did not have rollers, someone added them.
Dobermann
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2014
- Location
- North Carolina
The steady rest for my Heavy 10 has brass tips on the plungers or fingers or whatever they're called. An import lathe I've worked with lately has small ball bearings as the rollers and if I had the choice, as you do at this point, I'd go with the brass tips every time. Reason is that while you're working, little chips and stuff get tossed around and some get under the rollers and get mashed into the workpiece, making a bump that upsets the alignment every revolution. It's not a big disturbance but the piece you're turning is no longer round. With the brass tips, the chips and junk get swept aside and don't get imbedded in the work. Just say'n.........
inshootingsupply
Plastic
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2014
- Location
- Butler, Indiana
Sounds like a good recommendation. I'll fool with this steady and see if I can fab an extension for the fingers or whatever. Now to see how that bugger comes apart....if I fab new "fingers" would c 360 brass be ideal?
garyphansen
Titanium
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2004
- Location
- Traverse City, MI
What is wrong with the ones you have? They look okay to me, I would use them as they are.
jim rozen
Diamond
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2004
- Location
- peekskill, NY
If you re-make the fingers, avoid brass. The originals are bronze so you want to
hit MSC or Mcmaster to duplicate that.
The action on the fingers is a bit complicated, the cap is threaded to the main casting,
and the fingers are threaded onto the cap (female threads on the bronze part I think)
and the threads in the bronze are a rather peculiar form. Very coarse and maybe not
acme, maybe not sharp V. Possibly some truncated thread form, but you may wind
up making a tap.
hit MSC or Mcmaster to duplicate that.
The action on the fingers is a bit complicated, the cap is threaded to the main casting,
and the fingers are threaded onto the cap (female threads on the bronze part I think)
and the threads in the bronze are a rather peculiar form. Very coarse and maybe not
acme, maybe not sharp V. Possibly some truncated thread form, but you may wind
up making a tap.
jkopel
Stainless
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2010
- Location
- Seattle, Wa USA
You might be better off cutting down and "retipping" the ones you have with a bronze extension.
I looked at making some for my steady rest and as Jim says, the thread is a really odd form.
Josh
I looked at making some for my steady rest and as Jim says, the thread is a really odd form.
Josh
If you decide to make new fingers, here's a thread you should read. Take note, especially, of the drawings that Paula posted: http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/south-bend-lathes/sbl-telescoping-follower-steady-rest-parts-help-193733/
Paul
Paul
freeclimbmtb
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2013
- Location
- NH
Thanks for posting that thread, Paul. Saves a lot of work! I am actually working on overhauling my steady and follower rests as well.
Here's a teaser picture:
Anyone taken the threaded "guide tubes" out of the casting? I drove out the pins but when the tubes didn't move I sort of resigned it to being an unnecessary step to remove them anyway. I figure they are probably pressed into the casting and if I press them out then it will be a royal pain getting them to press in and line up with the original holes again.
The fingers on my steady seem to be in reasonably good shape, the follower, however, may or may not need to just be replaced.
Here's a teaser picture:
Anyone taken the threaded "guide tubes" out of the casting? I drove out the pins but when the tubes didn't move I sort of resigned it to being an unnecessary step to remove them anyway. I figure they are probably pressed into the casting and if I press them out then it will be a royal pain getting them to press in and line up with the original holes again.
The fingers on my steady seem to be in reasonably good shape, the follower, however, may or may not need to just be replaced.
