Customize Your Own Clark Steady Rest

Built to your exact specifications, our custom steady rests are precision engineered and manufactured to fit any wood lathe perfectly.

Why choose Clark Woodturning Tools?

A Clark Steady Rest for every project

Customizable, heavy-duty/durable, and self-aligning Clark Steady Rests make the hollowing experience much more comfortable. Choose one for a lifetime of smooth, low-vibration woodturning.

Thumb Screw for Clark Steady Rest
Thumb Screw
Here is our new in-house created thumb screw.  This feature quickly pre-positions and aligns all the wheels against the wood by hand. Then each arm securely locks in place by tightening the set screws with an Allen wrench.  The arms are strong Aluminum (1.25 Inch diameter) with flats on both sides. Welded arm positions are  permanently fixed to eliminate vibration or movement under stress as opposed to adjustable positions.
The Spin Doctor Bending a Large Clark Steady Rest in the Oklahoma City factory
Bending steady rests from 3" x 2" angle iron
Our boosted small steady rests all  mount on a larger lathe. 
Standard full sized Clark Steady Rest is bent to 6″ larger than the diameter of the largest project that can be mounted on the lathe. That  maximum project size is “swing”. For instance, a 20″ swing Powermatic lathe would use a 26″ diameter ring to clear 2 3″ wheels. A 20″ swing lathe has a 10″ spindle height off the lathe bed.  This extra steady rest size also makes room for a laser or video system.
You have a choice of permanent arm positions and number of arms.  You can also choose no paint versus red or black paint. 
Wrap around base on a Clark Steady Rest
'Wrap Around Base' with 1/2" plates
The “Wrap Around Base” includes horizontal screws which brace the rest against the lathe body.  The turner puts a wooden spacer between the screws and the lathe body.  This will further stabilizing the steady rest while avoiding damage to the paint of your lathe.
Project made with Clark Woodturning Tools
  • Why are more arms smoother? 

  • Since the wood warps as it drys and becomes out of round, there will be more wheels contacting the project. It will be a smoother experience..

  • Also if there are voids/holes in the wood, there will be less chance for  a wheel catching in a hole and breaking the wood. Hard wheels are more likely to break the wood.

  • 12-16″ swing size steady rests do well with 3 or 4 wheels.

  • Larger rests, 18-22″ swing, 4-6 wheels.

  • 24-25″ swing, 6-8 wheels are good.

3 arms rotated to clear a laser or video thickness guide, 4 arms, 3 arms with 4th 1 o’clock position also to help clear a laser or video thickness guide, 6 arms or more – the choice is up to you. Some turners with a large steady, hollowing projects with many voids have used 15 arms… Even 3 arms on an large steady rest can support the load of a large project but more arms and wheels give a smoother hollowing experience.  
All Clark Steady Rests are bent round from 3″ x 2″ angle steel for a very strong tool.  Choose lighter weight 1/4″ or heavier 3/8″ thick steel.  Even the largest sizes in 1/4″ are quite strong steady rests.

Below are a few examples of Clark Steady Rests

Clark Hollowing System by Clark Woodturning Tools for a Desktop mini-lathe with Clark Steady Rest
3 arm rotated - 12 " swing - 18" ring
Oneway 12" swing lathe with a 4 arm Clark Steady Rest unpainted
4 arm equal spacing - 12" swing
Small 4 arm Clark Steady Rest
4 arm - 14" swing - 20" ring
6 arm Clark Steady Rest for 24 inch swing lathe like Oneway, Robust, or Powermatic
6 arm - 20" swing - 26" ring
12" swing Clark Steady Rest booster to fit a 24" swing lathe
12" capacity steady rest fitted wih a booster for a 24" swing Oneway
  • This 12″ swing Clark Steady Rest has an 18″ ring designed to be used for up to a 12″ diameter projects. It can be boosted to fit any sized larger lathe.
  • See the Clark Steady Rest booster used to fit the rest to a 24″ swing Oneway lathe. 
  • Any size steady can be boosted. CLICK HERE to
     Check out our booster

Customized Clark Steady Rests

Tailored to your preferences, including color, size, and arm configuration. Any size rest Clark Steady Rest can be boosted up to mount on a larger lathe.

Durable construction

Thick metal and carefully engineered design ensure strength and stability. Welded arm positions for security.

Automatic alignment

Effortlessly aligns with the lathe, arms, and wheels, reducing vibration for smooth and precise woodworking.

Clark Steady Rest

Starting at $375

FAQ

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. 

Realize that if you have a large lathe but only want to do smaller diameter projects, you can select the smallest version with 3 arms and 1/4″ thickness with a booster for a lightweight and smaller solution! Yet that small steady can fit on a 12″ desktop lathe as well. 
If you have 2 lathes, such as a 16″ Jet and a 25″ robust, the 16″ Clark Steady Rest could fit both lathes! In fact a 12, 14, 16, or 18 could fit on any larger lathe…

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.

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