Avoiding marking / scoring while using fixed steady.

Fixed steady is often useful device but unfortunately its phosphor bronze jaws have a bad habit of marking turned object along contact lines, particularly if it is made of rather soft and not ground material.

Does anyone have a remedy for this evil other than careful setting a steady and oiling its jaws?

I have thought about making a set of jaws tipped with Babbit alloy.

Any comments on it other than an obvious one calling for keeping Babbit tipped jaws cool?

Or maybe there are some better ideas dealing with this problem?

Funnily enough, I came across this tip only the other day in one of my older reference-books:

Cut a strip of card, oil it well, wrap it once round the work-piece like an electrical P-clip, and trap its ends in the steady clamp-jaws. Obviously the fingers would have to be set on the card surface rather than directly onto the metal, when adjusting the steady up at the chuck end.

I've not tried it, as I say I found it only the other day, but allegedly it is an old and well-tried trade method. I've never seen it mentioned by anyone else though.

Thanks Nigel,

Will certainly try it at next opportunity.

Easy enough and no need to fabricate anything.

I've used industrial steadies and some tend to have roller bearings. Should reduce marking a lot but not sure if it would eliminate it.

David

Martin

! method that I used when turning an aluminium tubular part can be seen here:

**LINK**

Emgee

I think Quinn of blondiehacks did a revue of a steady with a set of ball races instead of the slipper pads. Which made things much better.

steve.

@Emgee,

Thanks for comment with nylon ring.

Soft fingers, ball bearing fingers, a close fitting ring on the stock have been mentioned.

You could also try an old-style cathead and run the steady on that.

Possibly, a wrap of self-adhesive aluminium foil tape with diagonal butt joint might work.

If the steady is touching the part which it will be some degree of marking is inevitable. A close fitting ring loctited to the part may be worth trying?

Tony

Hi all seen this method in several textbooks & have tried it out, wrap shim stock in the same way as recommended for greased cardboard, works like a charm & is reuseable so put in small plastic bag & attach it to the steady with a rubber band, then you might be able to find it the next time you need it (I,m just saying because I could lose my own head if it wasn't fastened on)

BobH

I'm not sure using rollers is the way to go, because unless you can keep swarf chips away, they will tend to get pressed/rolled into the work, making the problem worse. I've had the same issue with the roller blade guides on my woodworking bandsaw compacting resin onto the blade.

Rather than use shim stock, why not try softer aluminium from drinks cans. Damn, have to drink more beer.

Buy some pizza to go with the beer and use the box to make a shield that sits between steady and tool to stop the chips going places you do not want.

I saw a YT video where an O-ring was placed over the stock, I guess to stop the coolant washing the chips into the steady bearings.

There is another way. Turn to final size after using the steady. An option for a lot of scenarios, but I accept it may not be appropriate for every turning job. Failing that, a strip of emery can work wonders.

Even roller bearings can mark medium hard steel. The three rings made by the rollers can be seen, and I used a card swarf barrier. The marks were of no consequence in this R8 milling machine spindle, fortunately.

Brilliant!