Setting up a fixed steady

Assuming the tube is fairly straight put a TDI on the tube on the edge nearest you and run the saddle towards the tailstock and adjust the steady as you go and then run the clock along the top of the tube to make sure running true here. You may have to do this a couple of times but should sort it.

Mart> I am hoping that you all might be able to give me a bit of advice. I

1) Chock up the end of the tube on scrap. 2) Mount the fixed steady right next to the chuck. 3) Use an indicator on the cross slide to check that the tube is fairly horizontal and parallel to the bed. 4) Adjust the steady to be a good fit on the pipe. 5) re-locate the steady to the tailstock end of the lathe.

Job done.

HTH Mark Rand RTFM

Alternatively

1) get a longer lathe 2) use a pipe centre or a revolving tailstock chuck

More seriously, if you can get the height right (some sort of gauge at the chuck end transferred to the other end) you might be surprised how close you can get the horizontal setting just by looking downwards & sighting the tube relative to the bed. That might help you with (3) above.

Is your tube nicely round? if not you might always struggle a bit without tailstock support.

Cheers Tim

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Stephen,

Machine a short stub to pipe diameter. Set the steady to the stub. Shift steady down to far end, insert pipe and machine away merrily. The Veeway on the Colchester bed will keep the steady in alignment so long as it is clamped down firmly in both positions.

AWEM

If you look at an old height gauge/scribing block you will see two pins at the back end.These are a push fit.The idea is you push them down and use them to locate the block on the edge of the lathe bed,set the scriber to the top/side of the job at the chuck end(after you have trued it up)then move to the other end and set your job to the scriber.Easier to do than explain. regards,Mark.

>

Thanks everyone for your advice, it really helped!

In the end I roughly got the tube lined up, and bodged a support that I could hold in the tool post, set that up at the chuck end and move the tool post in so the tube rested on the tool post and the support. Then moved the tool post to the tail stock end and the steady to the chuck end. Adjusted the steady and then moved it all back. Seems to be running real well now.

Thanks,

Stephen.