$375.00
Our steady rest rings are crafted from steel, either 3/8″ thick or 1/4″ thick. They are made from 3″ x 2″ angle iron, ensuring durability and stability. All bases are wrap around design to provide an additional bolt against the lathe body for additional support. Alignment and Attachment Plates for your lathe are included.
The steady arms are made of 1.25″ diameter aluminum and feature a double flat milled section for precise positioning. They are securely held in place by set screws, providing stability during woodworking tasks. We now include aluminum thumb screws so a wrench is not needed. Setscrews are included as well.
You can customize your steady rest based on your lathe’s swing size, color, and number of arms and positions to optimize performance for your specific woodworking needs. In addition we have a Booster so a small steady can be used on a larger lathe. There is also a 1/4″ thick option to create a lighter weight version of the steady rests. Let us know if you would like a version with more positions than arm. The Robust version comes with a spanner brace to engage the wraparound bolt since this lathe does not have a place for contact.
The yellow steady rest photo shown can hold a project with a 19″ diameter. That Powermatic has a 20″ swing capacity. You lose 1″ because of the base plate. Wheels can be retracted well out of the way of the project so the steady rest can be moved out of the way near the headstock. This eliminates the need to remove the steady from the lathe bed. The alignment plate keeps the steady at 90 degrees to the lathe bed. A 15/16 socket wrench is needed to tighten the attachment plate to secure the steady rest to the lathe bed. The aluminum arms which hold the wheels are 1.25″ diameter. A flat is milled on the arm which provides proper alignment of the wheel when the set screws are tightened on this flat. Wheels are roller blade type of about 3 inches in diameter.
All steady rests are custom made to your specifications in terms of size, color, number of arms etc. 12-12.5″ swing lathe rests use a rugged 16 inch diameter ring – 1/4 inch thick steel construction. 1.25 inch diameter radial arms are aluminum.
The wheels vary in color. Steady rests can come with a 4th tube mounted at about the 1 o’clock position to allow the turner to place the upper arm off center so the arm is out of the way of the laser holder of a hollowing system. Of course, my hollowing system is designed with an articulating and adjustable laser holder to get around this problem. Radial arms move to adjust from 1/2 inch to 23 inch diameter spindles or bowls for final shaping, sanding or hollowing! 1/2 inch mounting plate with recessed attachment bolt.
Let me know what lathe you have and I will create the proper configuration! Smaller lathes use smaller diameter ring structure as needed. I now have a new standard wrap around base design. With a more narrow base, the lowest arms can be more underneath the project for those having a need to stabilize large diameter, heavy (wet) pieces. The vertical wings on the wrap around have a threaded hole for a 5/8″ bolt that can engage the body of the lathe for additional stabilization. You put a wooden spacer between the bolt and the lathe to protect and to take up the space. Spacing of arms is up to you but evenly spaced is good for projects with voids and 4-6 arms underneath is better for heavy projects.
STEADY REST- please turn safely!
The Clark Steady Rests are an integral accessory for hollowing. Forces exerted by the hollowing system are tremendous. The wood can be much more easily torn from a faceplate or chuck without a steady rest. Any wood-turning task can potentially be dangerous! Proper protection, instruction and experience are necessary. A three arm steady rest is effective for smaller lathes, but I am becoming convinced that more wheels on the wood is better. I believe that a perfectly round block of wood that is well balance will turn smoothly. However, many deal with very heavy, out of balance pieces of wood that actually change shape while being hollowed. More wheels underneath a heavy piece help to distribute the weight. But the steady takes nearly all the pressure off of the faceplate but most importantly the HEADSTOCK of the lathe. There is less vibration when using more wheels when the piece changes shape over time. Change in shape is a major factor that induces vibrations. There is an additional source of vibration realized by Jon Leggett. Leaving a project on the lathe with wheels engaged but not not turning even for a short period produces flats on the wheels. Harder wheels take longer to recover, but running the lathe cures the problem. Apparently this happens to automobile tires too.
