I have a Jet 1236P lathe from the 80's, got it many years ago from a school surplus sale. It didn't come with a steady or follower rest. but I ended up finding an Enco lathe with them for cheap and bought it. I'm cleaning up these rests and painting them, but having a hard time finding a spray bomb in a close color. Ended up buying some Majic Rust Kill Machinery Green at TSC, not a bad color, but the lathe is more like what I would call avocado green. You can see the difference in the pic of the top of the steady leaning on the headstock, which also shows the Hunter Green switch plate for the speed control pot for the VFD. Any ideas, besides a custom mix? I'd like to paint the head and tail stock as the kids at school must have scraped the paint up pretty good in spots.
As to mods, I added a 3 phase motor and VFD, controlling fwd/rev with the original apron mounted switch, and speed adjustments with the headstock mounted pot. I replaced the SHCS that mount the compound and follow rest with 8 MM bolts with 10MM washer head bolts. much easier to work with, they don't fill up with swarf. Keep a 10MM wrench right on the side of the apron. I made a lever/ handle for the carriage lock for the same reason. Lastly, I finally got all setup for 5C collets, made a spindle thread protector from the hub of an old brake rotor. I really like this lathe.
Jim
As to mods, I added a 3 phase motor and VFD, controlling fwd/rev with the original apron mounted switch, and speed adjustments with the headstock mounted pot. I replaced the SHCS that mount the compound and follow rest with 8 MM bolts with 10MM washer head bolts. much easier to work with, they don't fill up with swarf. Keep a 10MM wrench right on the side of the apron. I made a lever/ handle for the carriage lock for the same reason. Lastly, I finally got all setup for 5C collets, made a spindle thread protector from the hub of an old brake rotor. I really like this lathe.
Jim