Short review of Oneway Bowl Steady

[Dave Mount]

A while back after an evening fighting a bowl that really wanted to flex and chatter, I posted here asking for opinions about the Oneway Bowl Steady. I ended up ordering it and thought I'd provide some comments.

I got it for $110 on a deal packaged with the clamp block (usually a separate purchase). The thing is built like a tank -- the base plate is like 1/2" thick steel. But it's refined at the same time -- easy to adjust, runs quietly and true. Initially you set it up by adjusting the position of the wheel assembly on the vertical post to something close to centerline of the lathe. To put it on a bowl, you just loosen the nut that secures the "scissors" the wheels are mounted on and adjust the arms so both wheels are touching the bowl, then retighten the nut. The base clamps to the ways with a hex head bolt. The wheels are soft enough to not mar the outside of the bowl.

The only thing about it that is less than perfect (IMHO) is that the adjustments are all by hex head nut (or allen screw for some less used adjustments), so it means I have to add two more wrenches to the pile of adjustment tools near the lathe. Would be nice if those mechanisms clamped by something you could turn with your hand.

As far a supporting a bowl, it does a great job. The bowl shown in the picture was the one that was giving me such trouble that I set it aside last fall. Last night I remounted it and finished it with the assistance of the bowl steady. It is thin walled (3/16") which was part of the reason it was flexing so.

One thing I was kind of dreading was mounting and unmounting the steady rest to the ways -- it's heavy, and to attach it you have to reach underneath the ways to hold the clamp block in place while putting the bolt in. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could leave it on the lathe for the most part, by swinging it around 180 degrees and pushing it against the headstock (second pic). In this position the base protrudes out in front of the ways, it looks obtrusive in the picture, but I've not found it bothersome. On my lathe the swingover cage guard keeps me from pushing it farther back when it's in the stored position; on a lathe without that it could be pushed back so it didn't stick out much if at all in front of the ways.

I don't expect to use the steady rest routinely, as most bowls I turn don't chatter enough to warrant it. But in the few weeks I've had it, it's been great to have for cantankerous bowls. I'm glad to be able to retire the leather glove I used to use to protect my hand when I supported bowls that way.

This is the only stead rest I've actually used, though I have seen a couple of the cheaper import offerings. From what I've seen, if you need a steady rest for bowls, it's hard for me to imagine being disappointed in this one (wrench adjustment issue aside). I think it's a pretty stout and well made piece of equipment for $110 USD.

As always, my opinions, yours may vary. No affiliation with Oneway or any resellers.

Dave

bowl steady 2021-01-31.jpgbowl steady b 2021-01-31.jpg

[John K Jordan]

...
The only thing about it that is less than perfect (IMHO) is that the adjustments are all by hex head nut (or allen screw for some less used adjustments), so it means I have to add two more wrenches to the pile of adjustment tools near the lathe. Would be nice if those mechanisms clamped by something you could turn with your hand.
...

Nice review! You seem to cover things well.

One thing that might help with the allen adjustments: I keep all hex keys I need at the lathe handy on magnets.

hex-keys.jpg

Also, I don't know what your clamp block looks like, but some people have made or modified clamp blocks for other lathe attachments to avoid reattaching a bolt or worse, removing the tailstock to slide the attachment down the ways. If made narrow enough to turn one way to slip through the gap in the ways you can then rotate it to where it will grip and tighten the nut. I did that to one attachment, without pulling them out I can't remember if it was a threading jig or a sphere jig.

JKJ

[Robert Hayward]

I also have one of these like and use it. I have found that it does not offer quite the stability that a full circle steady rest offers though.

[Barry McFadden]

Dave... I have the same steady rest and I went to Home Depot and bought a knob with the same thread as the screw for the "scissor adjustment". It's quick to use and better than getting a hex wrench...

Steady2.jpg Steady1.jpg

[Dave Mount]

John and Barry, both good tips, thanks. I'm embarrassed to say that in the back of my shop is a USPS flat rate box filled with dozens of miscellaneous threaded knobs I bought as a lot off a well known auction site in a weak moment many years ago, thinking I'd use them for building jigs. I'm guessing my replacement knob is actually sitting somewhere in that box. . .

Robert, is your preference for a circular steady rest for bowls or spindle work?

Best,

Dave

[Robert Hayward]

Robert, is your preference for a circular steady rest for bowls or spindle work?

For both, but more so for bowls. Again for the vibration dampening.

[Jeffrey J Smith]

my experience with the bowl steady has also been good - so good I actually bought another one when found at a reasonable cost. Even though I've got a large homebuilt, large diameter steady rest for larger hollow forms I've found that for some smaller forms its easier and just as efficient to setup both bowl steadys from opposite sides...works very well and quicker to setup than the bigger circular steady. I also use just the post and base of one to hold an indexing stop for the Alisom indexing plate.

[Dave Fritz]

Just a warning, the first time I used mine I put it too tight to the bowl so I actually got fibers brused similar to when you ride the bevel too hard. Just a light touch, like the gouge.

[Jim Morgan]

I purchased one of these recently and, like others, have found it to be quite useful in dampening vibrations. I spent some time looking for tips on optimizing its use and found several at the AAW site. Here are a couple of ways to soup it up:

Bowl Stead 1.JPG

If like me you only have one lathe, the height of the mechanism only needs to be set once. I used a pvc coupling and a hose clamp to lock in that setting, so now I can just use the set screw to swivel the mechanism without simultaneously struggling to keep it at the right height. BTW, I used a rare-earth magnet to stick the appropriate Allen key to the steady.

Bowl Steady 2.JPG

As the steady comes in the box, the two wheels are offset. I used a longer 1/4" bolt and several washers to shift the lower wheel so that it is in-line with the upper wheel. This seems to slightly improve the steady's performance.

Happy turning