Fixed steady advice

Hi

I am about to start my first turning job using a fixed steady, I've never used one before

My question is when I have turned the register and brind the steady wheels in to touch it how hard do they need to be pressed against the workpiece, just enough or really tight

Thanks in advance

Dougie

Assuming your register is running true my usual technique Dougie is to set the steady in the required point and bring the two lower fingers to touch firmly without putting any upwards pressure on to move the part upwards then lock both fingers. Best to put a clock on to see if that shows any movement. Then bring the frame down and close it tightly and bring the top finger(s) the same way. A squirt of oil before starting the lathe helps avoid any score marks if the material is softer than the fingers.

Works for me but others may offer an alternative - looking at your album you shouldn't have any problems I'm sure

Best - Tug

The other tip, when using a roller steady is cut a piece of cardboard or similar to fit the stock on the tool side of the steady. The idea being to prevent any chips getting trapper between the register and the rollers.

Hi Dougie an easy way of setting up a fixed steady is to turn a short piece of scrap or spare material in chuck first. Then slide the fixed steady up to the chuck and adjust firstly the bottom two supports up to the spare bar with the base clamped to bed. Secondly close the top of the steady, clamp and adjust the top support. Lastly unclamp the top of the steady and remove the spare material from the chuck. You can unclamp the steady from the bed and slide it to required length reclamp the steady put in the job and close and clamp the top. It should be in the correct position but be careful about too much pressure and the bar heating and expanding if it does very slightly slacken the top support. Also put on oil and as Mark says use a piece card to keep swarf away from the supports.

David

Hi

Sorry for the late reply but thanks to all that replied

It really helped

Dougie

Most jobs requiring a fixed steady will already have been tailstock-supported. If the item moves up or down when the tailstock support is removed, it was not correct. Check and adjust again. You will soon get a feel of how to set it up.

Note that a steady can only, and should only be expected to, run on a decent surface concentric with the lathe axis.

When I made a couple of Hemingway Kits needing accurate turning, as I recall their instructions were to centre the bar (bright-drawn or ground-finish mild-steel) in the 4-jaw chuck, measuring as close to that as possible; then set the steady at that point before moving it along the ways to its needed location.

I open the steady fingers a bit clear of the bar, close the frame then set the fingers to contact by very gentle finger pressure maintained while I tighten the finger-clamps. However I see others use slightly different techniques they find just as valid.

'

If the bar is out-of-round you will need centre it as closely as possible in the 4-jaw chuck then skim a band for the steady fingers. This may require careful centre-drilling and tailstock support first.

'

Think too, where the saddle and top-slide, steady and possibly the tailstock will end up; relatively to each other in a crowded area. Once set-up satisfactorily you don't want to disturb that if you can possibly help it, before the relevant operations are complete. I have an initial "test run" without cutting anything, rotating the lathe by hand and moving the saddle as needed, to ensure no conflicts.

If you have a fixed steady with a frame that can be opened, and clamped shut (Myford style), a method advocated of old is to set the fingers as described above, with a thin shim (Izal or Bronco toilet paper - probably best not to bring those unpleasant memories to the surface...) between the two clamping faces of the frame. Then remove 'shim' and tighten the frame. Grease the fingers. This allows firm finger pressure to be applied with little risk of pushing the workpiece out of true, during the setting process. Best to clock it, to check your steady behaves properly when treated like this.