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Lathe Steady Rest Construction Progress

I started working on my homemade steady rest for a 12" atlas-craftsman today. First I made the part between the ways. Once I actually got a chance to look at how the thing goes together I realized that all I had to do was find a scrap and make it fit widthwise, then tap it for the bolt. I found a 1/2" scrap of aluminum and was able to bandsaw 1/8" off one side and it fit fine. I have had enough of stripped threads on this lathe and the piece is aluminum so I tapped it 1/2"-13 to fit a bolt I had. The other piece is a scrap 1/4" plate to fit on top. I talked to the autoshop teacher and he found an old pulley for a car water pump or something. I was able to drill out the middle and it works perfectly. About 6" diameter and 4" long with places to tap the bolts for the actual rest. He also found a 4"x6" x.25" piece of extruded aluminum angle. One heck of a piece of metal! I also drilled that and I will attach the pulley to the angle tomorrow. The angle will be spaced from the ways by bolts and spacers to allow me to center the height of the rest.

Reply to
woodworker88
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Someone started making a steadyrest from scratch, never finished, and it came with my 1967 Clausing 5914 lathe.

I milled on the bottom until it fit the lathe and was centered with the lathe axis. I made a clamping plate to fit under the ways. My goal was to make the clamping so stiff, that there was little deflection with tightening. I got it to go from loose and sliding on the ways to clamped down full hard with 1/8 turn on the clamp bolt. Here is a picture:

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Reply to
Clark Magnuson

Nice job Clark.

Just wondering..why didnt you put in some dowel pins to keep the fingers from wandering as you tightened em up? Thats my plan, as Im also building one for the 15" Clausing

Gunner

"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire. Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us) off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the shit out of you for torturing the cat." Gunner

Reply to
Gunner Asch

It is hard to see, but those bronze fingers are sliding in tight fitting slots in the steel semi circle. I adjust them with a drawbar hammer.

Reply to
Clark Magnuson

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