Using two bowl steadies to support hollow forms?

[Jeremy Leasure]

Can anyone voice any concerns, downsides or limitations to the idea of using two Oneway bowl steadies for hollow form support instead of the traditional ring construction? With two bowl steadies, there would be no concern of laser interference and you'd have the additional utility of a bowl steady. Something I was going to get anyway.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Jeremy - wouldn't having 2 of the Oneway bowl steadies actually be a problem with how you mount them to the bed? Seems they would both need to occupy the same space....

Have you thought about building your own steady rest? Nothing says it has to be round!

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

I can't see any problem trying that, Jeremy. Were you thinking about one forward and one backwards or two along side each other. I use just one and it works well for me. I don't hollow deeper than 10". I always feel like the steady is supporting the area beneath my tool.

[Jeremy Leasure]

Thought about it, just not very long :) I might end up making one, just looks doubtful at the moment. If I could remember who to credit this photo to, I would. It illustrates perfectly what I'm going for. I just wasn't sure if it was up to the rigors of deeper hollowing.

http://i.imgur.com/kV2js.jpg

[robert baccus]

Great--thinking outside the box for sure. been thinking about the same thing for years but keep buying wood instead. Bad habits. i sometimes hollow 15-18" and sometimes i have too much wood out there.--------old forester

[Jeremy Leasure]

Well, nobody seemed to think my lathe would explode in a fiery cataclysm so I went ahead and ordered two of the bowl steadies and clamp blocks. Worst thing that could happen is I find it doesn't work too well on some larger pieces later on. Losing a few bucks selling one of them used is worth the experiment. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[joel nucifore]

I use to do it with 2 bowl steady rests up to about 21" it did work fine. Set just like pic.....

[Robert McGowen]

I use 2 of the bowl steadies together all the time. Works great.

[charlie knighton]

i used to use two oneway bowl steadies, now i have gone back to using just one, i had both mounted on the same base

if you do not reverse the lathe, just one bowl steady works fine