Actual metal content
 

Just received my April/May copy of "Machinist's Workshop". Wonderful
article by Jon A. Nelson on making a Too Post Grinder.
While this project may be beyond my capabilities, I was very impressed by
the detail contained therein. As an example, he has you holding the
outboard end of a 1" by 9" (drill rod stock) spindle in a steady rest
(making sure you dial it in so it runs true) in order to center drill the
end. Until now I've simply shoved my stock well into the headstock and slid
the tailstock all the way to the left to do center drilling etc. I've also
watched my center drill wobble quite a bit since my 3 jaw chuck is not the
best.

Question: I do own a steady rest. (1947 ± Le Blonde 13" lathe). One of
the fingers is missing. As long as I'm going to be making a finger, should
I make three (out of steel) and install ball bearings, or just use friction
(brass)? Advantages and disadvantages?

As I mentioned, great article, possible a little too elementary for the rest
of you.

Ivan Vegvary

Actual metal content
 

Question: I do own a steady rest. (1947 ± Le Blonde 13" lathe). One of
the fingers is missing. As long as I'm going to be making a finger,
should I make three (out of steel) and install ball bearings, or just use
friction (brass)? Advantages and disadvantages?

I made a ball bearing one for water well pipe, works good for this irregular
material. For everything else, I like the brass unit better. Just my 2 cents

Karl

Actual metal content
 

"Ivan Vegvary" wrote in message
...
Just received my April/May copy of "Machinist's Workshop". Wonderful
article by Jon A. Nelson on making a Too Post Grinder.
While this project may be beyond my capabilities, I was very impressed by
the detail contained therein. As an example, he has you holding the
outboard end of a 1" by 9" (drill rod stock) spindle in a steady rest
(making sure you dial it in so it runs true) in order to center drill the
end. Until now I've simply shoved my stock well into the headstock and
slid the tailstock all the way to the left to do center drilling etc.
I've also watched my center drill wobble quite a bit since my 3 jaw chuck
is not the best.

Question: I do own a steady rest. (1947 ± Le Blonde 13" lathe). One of
the fingers is missing. As long as I'm going to be making a finger,
should I make three (out of steel) and install ball bearings, or just use
friction (brass)? Advantages and disadvantages?

As I mentioned, great article, possible a little too elementary for the
rest of you.

Ivan Vegvary

The bearing rollers do not require coolant of lubricant while the brass ones
should have coolant or lubricant on them.
I made a set out of Ultem 1000 that I had left over from another job and
they worked better than the brass.;

John

Actual metal content
 

On Mar 18, 5:25�pm, "John" wrote:
"Ivan Vegvary" wrote in message

...





Just received my April/May copy of "Machinist's Workshop". �Wonderful
article by Jon A. Nelson on making a Too Post Grinder.
While this project may be beyond my capabilities, I was very impressed by
the detail contained therein. �As an example, he has you holding the
outboard end of a 1" by 9" (drill rod stock) spindle in a steady rest
(making sure you dial it in so it runs true) in order to center drill the
end. �Until now I've simply shoved my stock well into the headstock and
slid the tailstock all the way to the left to do center drilling etc.
I've also watched my center drill wobble quite a bit since my 3 jaw chuck
is not the best.

Question: �I do own a steady rest. �(1947 � Le Blonde 13" lathe). �One of
the fingers is missing. �As long as I'm going to be making a finger,
should I make three (out of steel) and install ball bearings, or just use
friction (brass)? �Advantages and disadvantages?

As I mentioned, great article, possible a little too elementary for the
rest of you.

Ivan Vegvary

The bearing rollers do not require coolant of lubricant while the brass ones
should have coolant or lubricant on them.
�I made a set out of Ultem 1000 that I had left over from another job and
they worked better than the brass.;

John- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The ones with roller bearings can cause irregularities when a chip
goes through the roller.
Engineman

Actual metal content
 

On 2009-03-18, Ivan Vegvary wrote:
Just received my April/May copy of "Machinist's Workshop". Wonderful
article by Jon A. Nelson on making a Too Post Grinder.

[ ... ]

Question: I do own a steady rest. (1947 ± Le Blonde 13" lathe). One of
the fingers is missing. As long as I'm going to be making a finger, should
I make three (out of steel) and install ball bearings, or just use friction
(brass)? Advantages and disadvantages?

I think that actually bronze, not brass, would be the better
contact point material.

Ball bearings can have benefits, but if chips get in that area,
they will be rolled into the workpiece, thus marring the finish and
causing it to run off center.

If you can clean the workpiece, and set up shields to keep chips
out of that area, the ball bearings can be better for heavy cuts.

For something like cutting Acme threads on a long shaft, you
want a traveling steady, not a fixed one, and there you would want
bronze contact points broad enough to bridge a couple of adjacent thread
crests.

The exception to the bronze points would be if you are cutting
Acme threads in a bronze shaft, in which case you want some other
material so you don't get galling.

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

Actual metal content
 

On Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:57:06 GMT, "Ivan Vegvary"
wrote:

Just received my April/May copy of "Machinist's Workshop". Wonderful
article by Jon A. Nelson on making a Too Post Grinder.
While this project may be beyond my capabilities, I was very impressed by
the detail contained therein. As an example, he has you holding the
outboard end of a 1" by 9" (drill rod stock) spindle in a steady rest
(making sure you dial it in so it runs true) in order to center drill the
end. Until now I've simply shoved my stock well into the headstock and slid
the tailstock all the way to the left to do center drilling etc. I've also
watched my center drill wobble quite a bit since my 3 jaw chuck is not the
best.

Question: I do own a steady rest. (1947 ± Le Blonde 13" lathe). One of
the fingers is missing. As long as I'm going to be making a finger, should
I make three (out of steel) and install ball bearings, or just use friction
(brass)? Advantages and disadvantages?

As I mentioned, great article, possible a little too elementary for the rest
of you.

Ivan Vegvary

Greetings Ivan,
I used to do a lot of really precise steady rest work. Ball bearing
rollers are best for crappy work. Like steel with mill scale on it.
When doing precision work the rollers have a couple major
disadvantages. One is the hazard of getting a chip between a roller
and the work. This will leave at least one dent, and possible three
dents, in the work. The other major drawback of rollers is the
tendency to roll the work to a smaller diameter so then the clearance
increases and the work rattles in the steady. So for the best result
use bronze pads and install an oiler on the steady rest. I use a drip
oiler, the type with a sight glass to see the drips. I drilled and
tapped the steady rest for 1/4 pipe to fit the oiler and drilled
through 1/8". I use a bent piece of piano wire forced in the 1/8 hole
to direct the oil right onto the part and right next to the bronze
pad. The pads will wear a little to the work when you first spin the
work. So adjust them and then as long as you have oil dripping on the
work at the pads the work will be suspended by the oil and the work
will run very true. Another advantage of the oil drip is the ability
to spin the work very fast without too much heat build up. This
prevents the work from seizing in the steady rest.
Cheers,
ERS