Old steady rest any good?

[Dan Masshardt]

So my old delta lathe came with a bunch of accessories including this old steady rest. I've noticed that all of the newer ones seem to have wheels at the end where it contacts the work piece.

Are the wheels something that's been added over the years or is mine missing them?

is it usable without wheels or can somehow be retrofitted or is it useless?

thanks much.

[joel nucifore]

I have seen this before on one of the web sites. I am sure someone will chime in. But yes you need wheels and it is a spindle steady rest

[Michelle Rich]

that kind used little metal wheels..go to PSI and see if you can get replacement..they carry a steady like this.

[Roger Chandler]

that type of rest uses bearings on the end [center] and you could put one on each arm and it will steady spindle turnings.

[Bob Bergstrom]

That's the way it comes. At least back in the sixties. It rubs on the waste wood of the spindle. The worn area would be turned away last. Just leave a hub where it will support and wax the hub with paraffin. The bearings came as an upgrade later, but it will work as is.

[Roger Chandler]

I would drill and tap a hole ....add some bearings and make it a much better unit if it were mine! Just a thought!

[Dan Masshardt]

Thanks all! I don't need it right now. May try as is at first but will prob consider Rogers's advice and somehow either get bearings / wheels or get a different unit.

This one is solid cast iron (like everything else with it and comes with the screw down plate that goes underneath the bed.

[Harry Robinette]

Don't get rid of it they are very sturdy and you can get bearings for around $1.50 a piece.

[Jeff Nicol]

Just wondering if the old Delta came with a crosslide like on a metal lathe? Because this steady you have is just like the ones used on metal lathes, but as already said they were used on wood lathes also. But back in the day Delta offered the crosslide to allow some turning of softer metals like brass and aluminum. I am sure these lathes were used to turn soft steel too. Here is a picture of one.

Fun to have old iron, Jeff
http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Delta-Milwaukee-Vintage-Lathe-cross-slide-vise-/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/$(KGrHqRHJCQE8fW7s)6zBPMzYzOOf!~~60_35.JPG

[Dan Masshardt]

Jeff - nope. I have no idea which acc came standard and which were optional back in the day. I have that steady, two banjos. 3 faceplates... 4 or 5 tool rests... The 2' tool rest is pretty cool.


Just wondering if the old Delta came with a crosslide like on a metal lathe? Because this steady you have is just like the ones used on metal lathes, but as already said they were used on wood lathes also. But back in the day Delta offered the crosslide to allow some turning of softer metals like brass and aluminum. I am sure these lathes were used to turn soft steel too. Here is a picture of one.

Fun to have old iron, Jeff

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Yes Jeff has got it right, these are metal turning steady rests, and no they did not have bearings on them, the part where the rest arms would very lightly rub on the metal was lubricated, often with white lead grease.

Both metal lathe chucks and metal lathe steadies were used on wood turning lathes as that's what was available then, I have one with my metal lathe but find them not very useful for wood as they usually are only able to use small diameter spindles, which is good enough for metal shafts but too small for most wood turning sized object.

However you could drill holes in the arms and bolt some bearings onto them to roll on wood, still they would easily damage the wood, for the roller blade wheels there just isn't enough clearance to use them on it.

[Fred Perreault]

Dave, I have the newer version of that rest with bearings. It is limited because of the size opening, but is very useful for smaller spindle shapes. I bought it specifically to turn dozens of curly maple rods for plate racks for a high end kitchen and have used it several time since. The metal bearings do leave a mark on the wood, but a quick rub with finer sandpaper cleans up great. Adding bearings would be an inexpensive upgrade