Correct Performance of Fixed Steadies

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

Denford steady in use, nylon collar fitted over work and clamped on with a Jubilee clip, saves running steel fingers on the aluminium tube of the tuned pipe.

Emgee

https://youtu.be/RzVbxWjiuek

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

A dial indicator may not show true, you could quite happily set the work up in the steady but 1/4" too low and the DTI needle would not move. Something like a co-axial indicator held in teh tailstock and rotated by hand would give a better indication if your work is set to the lathe axis.

Half right Neil, I did skim the casting but not with the piece set up as it was for boring, so the skimmed surface had to be clocked true.

Oh and you sometimes need machine the steady to suit the job

Edited By JasonB on 17/12/2015 17:32:17

[martyn nutlandParticipant @martynnutland79495]

I think I'm grasping this. Go for solid. Turn a 'journal' on which the steady fingers can bear. Etcetera.

However, I got the Chester contraption solid(ish) tonight with much packing. I know that was against the advice, but 'no-way' was it going to firm up without.

Now I can see, without even taking a measurement, it's twisted and has been from 'new', or from the time Chester used it and then sold it to me as 'new'.

I think I'll be alright now if I get a decent steady. I rather fancy Neil's from Machine Mart and intend to investigate if it actually does fit a Super B.

Thanks to everyone. Have learnt a lot.

Martyn (Merry Kissmuss)

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Posted by martyn nutland on 17/12/2015 17:34:10:

I think I'll be alright now if I get a decent steady. I rather fancy Neil's from Machine Mart and intend to investigate if it actually does fit a Super B.

It will be about 60mm too low as the CL500 is 305mm ctr height

[bodgeParticipant @bodge]

Steady & tapping grade tallow available on ebay, { google tallow} Have not tried it, bodge

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

If using a fixed steady with chuck mounted work if the steady fingers are not truly holding the job on centre there is a strong possibility of the job "walking" out of the chuck.

This action will be apparent when facing, the cuts get increasingly heavier until you realise what's happening and too much has been removed.

Steadies that hinge open are normally stiffer than open sided ones but this may not always be the case.

Emgee

[martyn nutlandParticipant @martynnutland79495]

Mornin' All

Denouement?

Have just run Super B lathe expirementally with Chester fixed steady and a piece of approximately 10 inch long EN24T in a 16mm collet chuck. No machined surface for the fingers for this purpose.

Everything rock solid, no movement on steady, no movement on 'work', no loosening, no heat, no perceptible run out. Kept lathe going for about four minutes with no change.

What I've done is position the fingers first so they bear squarely on the work and initially tightened them up. Located the fixed gyb (operator side of the lathe) hard against the bed, then I've slewed the gyb on the far side at an angle to the bed, wedged it with a piece of packing and tightened that up hard. Then finally tightened the fingers up hard. I also have a packing piece between the foot of the steady and centre of the bed which eliminates any axial rock.

Not elegant, but it's working.

Martyn

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

All this talk of steadies reminds me that I bought the one in the picture many years ago intending to adapt it to fit my Myford 254S, but then I found a much better one, so this has been in a cupboard ever since. If anyone wants it it's yours for the cost of the postage, or pick up in north Cheshire

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by JasonB on 17/12/2015 17:49:57:

Posted by martyn nutland on 17/12/2015 17:34:10:

I think I'll be alright now if I get a decent steady. I rather fancy Neil's from Machine Mart and intend to investigate if it actually does fit a Super B.

It will be about 60mm too low as the CL500 is 305mm ctr height

My mistake – I thought they were the same basic machine.

Neil

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