Author Topic: Setting up fixed steady  (Read 3712 times)

Offline Fredbare

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Setting up fixed steady
« on: July 05, 2013, 05:44:04 PM »
In The Amateur's Lathe by L.H.Sparey, he explains how to set up a job between chuck and steady, and suggests running a DTI along the work held in the toolpost, to get the job parallel. But this is not possible when the toolpost is between Fixed Steady and tailstock.
Is there a method / technique of adjusting the three jaws on a fixed steady  when you cannot mark the centre?
Or is it just trial and error adjusting the three jaws with the DTI? My Steady does not have fine adjustment screws I have seen on other steadys, just nut and bolt.

Offline John Stevenson

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Re: Setting up fixed steady
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2013, 07:42:16 PM »
Assuming you want to hold a bar of none standard size, say 1 1/16"
Bung a short  bit of Scrabinium ™ a bit bigger than 1 1/16" in the chuck and turn down to size.
Set the steady on this diameter, lock the two bottom fingers, loosen the top then move it to where it's needed and tighten the top finger.

Job done.

If it's standard size then do the same but use a scrap bit of that size.
John Stevenson

Offline Fredbare

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Re: Setting up fixed steady
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2013, 05:44:55 PM »
Thank you John for that. The way I have set it up is very similar. I thought I was missing something, but your way is one for the memory bank.
I am working on a 2" tube, and gripped one end in the chuck, and using a level and whatever was handy propped the tube level, then moved the steady tight up to the chuck and fixed the lower fingers, slackened off chuck moved the steady into position, fixed top finger, then tightened chuck.

Thanks again

John