Steady rest material

[BWS Arms]

I need to make some new inserts for my steady rest. What grade of brass or bronze should I use? I was considering oil filled 841 or 932. What about Delrin or oil filled UHMW?

 

[ChazzC]

I need to make some new inserts for my steady rest. What grade of brass or bronze should I use? I was considering oil filled 841 or 932. What about Delrin or oil filled UHMW?

I used 360 brass for the extended length fingers on my Mini-Lathe steady (changed a 1” - 2” capacity to 0” - 2”).

Have you considered adding bearings to the ends?

 

[talvare]

Concerning what grade of brass to use, I really couldn't tell you which grade is best for this application, but I don't think it's necessary to use one of the oil impregnated bronze alloys. I have brass fingers on my steady rest and I always use oil very liberally on the fingers while turning.

Concerning the suggestion of possibly using bearings rather than the brass tips, I can only tell you what my experience has been using bearings. I always found that there was a tendency for chips to get trapped between the roller bearings and the work piece. The chips would become imbedded into the surface of the work piece. So, I no longer use roller bearing tips. Like they say, your mileage may vary.

Ted

 

[G-ManBart]

Concerning the suggestion of possibly using bearings rather than the brass tips, I can only tell you what my experience has been using bearings. I always found that there was a tendency for chips to get trapped between the roller bearings and the work piece. The chips would become imbedded into the surface of the work piece. So, I no longer use roller bearing tips. Like they say, your mileage may vary.

I've seen more than a few setups that have both fingers with roller bearing tips and fingers with brass tips so you can swap them back and forth depending upon how far the rest will be from the cutting action.

One of my lathes has a steady with rollers and I'm going to make a set of fingers with brass tips for it. One of my other lathes has a steady with brass-tipped fingers and I'm going to make a set with rollers for it....nice to have options.

 

[Eddyde]

I've had the same problem with chips while using a roller bearing steady rest. One solution is to make a cardboard shield and place it between the steady rest and the area being turned.

 

[GT-6 Racer]

360 brass is more cost effective than some of the other red metal options. I made a few sets of fingers. Some steel, some 360 brass. I'd also consider durabar or 932, 954, 936 bronze for hard workpieces.

 

[whitmore]

Brass seems a good choice; it won't score steel, stainless steel or bronze, and you can fit acetal (Delrin) tips for softer
metals (aluminum, brass) or wood.

Bronze journal bearings take impact loads better than ball bearings if you want to make roller tips.

It's not necessary to consider wear of the brass tips, because you're adjusting them to different workpieces
one jaw at a time; that always makes the right contact pressure. Wood endgrain is pretty stiff, so dowel-holding
pockets with hardwood dowel inserts are a possibility as well. Endgrain doesn't move when you apply oil.

 

[ChazzC]

Joe Pie has shown some fixed rests he made from Micarta, primarily for use in single pointing tiny threads. Micarta might be a better choice than Acetal for add-on tips ( or for entire fingers): just be cautious about the dust when machining Micarta.

 

[GeneT45]

I'd use oilite bronze. The cost in the required quantities won't make much difference.

I use my steady very seldomly, so my recommendation is only based on what I think would be best, not from (much) experience.

GsT

 

[G-ManBart]

Joe Pie has shown some fixed rests he made from Micarta, primarily for use in single pointing tiny threads. Micarta might be a better choice than Acetal for add-on tips ( or for entire fingers): just be cautious about the dust when machining Micarta.

I watched that video....the Micarta worked a lot better than I would have expected. Now that I think of it, 3D printing an add-on tip with a heavy infill would probably work halfway decent as well.