# Follow Rest for Standard Modern



## thestelster (Jan 20, 2022)

I'm in the early stages of making a follow rest for my lathe.  I've got a headache reading and viewing posts, images, and videos.  So here goes.  I made a mock up from plywood and aluminium fingers/jaws.  The capacity is 2.5".  I decided to go with a three finger set up.  I read somewhere where it was better for small OD's.  I plan on making it out of HR low alloy steel and bronze jaws.  Its held in place with two 1/2"-13 bolts.  1 going into the side of the saddle, and the other on top.  The threaded holes were already there.  As you can see, I tried it out on a piece of 1" wood dowel, the turned section is 9" long.  It worked way better than I thought it would.  .  Any advice would be really appreciated.


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## David_R8 (Jan 20, 2022)

Joe Pi made an impromptu follow-rest that could provide some inspiration.


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## YYCHM (Jan 20, 2022)

9" Utilathe Follower Rest
					

The final thing I'm missing to complete my 9" Utilathe is a Follower Rest.  I've been pondering this for months now and spotting a $500US used SM follower on Ebay finally prompted me to make one.  @Brent H posted plans for one here 9” and 10” Utilathe Follow Rest Plans | Canadian Hobby Metal...




					canadianhobbymetalworkers.com


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## thestelster (Jan 20, 2022)

David_R8 said:


> Joe Pi made an impromptu follow-rest that could provide some inspiration.


Hi David, thank you.  I just watched it.  Great idea for super small diameters.


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## thestelster (Jan 20, 2022)

YYCHM said:


> 9" Utilathe Follower Rest
> 
> 
> The final thing I'm missing to complete my 9" Utilathe is a Follower Rest.  I've been pondering this for months now and spotting a $500US used SM follower on Ebay finally prompted me to make one.  @Brent H posted plans for one here 9” and 10” Utilathe Follow Rest Plans | Canadian Hobby Metal...
> ...


Hi Craig.  Thank you.  I'll have read the whole post later today.  I did see that design for the smaller Standard Moderns, but it appeared to me that the FR fingers would be right in the middle of my compound.  My tool post is so large I'd have to have it hanging off the end.  I think that style was originally for the lantern type tool posts.  I saw one guy who had the jaw section dovetailed so you could move the whole thing left or right.


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## thestelster (Jul 19, 2022)

Well, I finally went and got the steel to make the follow-rest for my Standard Modern 1654 Utilathe.  I think I will incorporate 3 jaws.  I was hoping I can get some input from those who have used a follow rest as to what design features they wish were  incorporated in their design.  And if anyone has photos or drawings from companies like Monarch, Schaublin, Hardinge, etc, it would be greatly appreciated.


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## phaxtris (Jul 19, 2022)

Follow rest and steady are on the list to build for my lathe

From my research it seems to not really matter what it looks like, all the home/shop built ones looks different, so just make it to suit what are plan on doing with it

The only thing I can really note is that a follow rest usually only has 2 fingers kind of in the 12/3 position, the 6 position is redundant, the piece is trying to climb up + back in a conventional cut anyways


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## PeterT (Jul 19, 2022)

I'll be following along. My DRO bracket assembly is occupying the space (in fact the mounting holes) normally intended for travel steady. That was kind of a known compromise when I installed DRO. I do have T slots in my cross slide so I was thinking of a right angle plate type setup. I haven't mocked it up yet, so might be hair brained.


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## DPittman (Jul 19, 2022)

PeterT said:


> I'll be following along. My DRO bracket assembly is occupying the space (in fact the mounting holes) normally intended for travel steady. That was kind of a known compromise when I installed DRO. I do have T slots in my cross slide so I was thinking of a right angle plate type setup. I haven't mocked it up yet, so might be hair brained.


Hmnn that seems like a good suction to me Peter.  I have a dro to install on a lathe and I was avoiding the front carriage mounting postion for the scale for that very reason.  Now I need to rethink that given your possible solution.  The only issue I can immediately think of is that my OEM  travel steady won't work because of height differences.


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## Mcgyver (Jul 19, 2022)

Not saying you need any or all of this to make a good go of it, but here's a few ideas and observations and what I learned about them.

Note in each case they made an effort to the get support to about the middle of cross slide.  This lets you position support behind the cut.   that's what you need; then support is on a true round surface which is true because of the tail stock support.

I found bringing the fingers in after the cut has started was neccessary to get accurate results....to soon and you up small OD at the end.  you'd get too much support with finger and TS.  Support is really only needed once the cut gets away from tailstock - having the fingers infeed by a screw is a huge advantage....lets you bring into contact as everything is moving and with a bit of practice judge just right amount of torque then clamp them down.   You can hold a thou or two over several feet this way.

Photo of a SM travelling steady from I think it was a 12" I had years ago.  Not rigid enough imo, there's a moment created around where it bolts to the cross slide....your design with the web along the X axis is superior imo.

Next photo is of one for a 10ee.  Lousy photo, but I sold that lathe and was just trying to display what came with it.  Note the offset and support in the Z axis as well.

Last bunch pics are of the one from my DSG.  All others are second fiddle.  Just massive box casting and a pleasure to use.  It clamps to the dovetail.   It came with roller bearings on the fingers.  I found even with brand new bearings, it takes a bit of force to get them turning and that force affects the dimension.  Bronze imo is more accurate and more sensitive so I made a set.  In the photo is a feedscrew being made and it was kept to with .002 pitch diameter over its length....for threading that is really exact.  the only way I could think of to do was to bring the fingers in after things got away from the TS making the DSG style infeeds on the fingers a nice feature.

Also note, everyone only has 2 fingers, one the X and one vertical....that's the direction of the forces


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## Susquatch (Jul 19, 2022)

I like what @Mcgyver says. Note how much fatter his steady is so he can use cylindrical follow roller assemblies. 

I'm not sure the whole body needs to be so fat though. Just where the cylindrical rollers are. 

Also, it seems to me that a little bit more meat at the top would help manage the distortion and therefore vibration under heavier cutting loads. This might be hard to explain in words, but I'm in bed so no quick drawings tonight. The vertical cross section should increase as you get further from the top nose. The two plywood models you guys both posted have a top finger with a relatively constant cross section. It would be better if it were taller as you get further away from the nose to increase the cross section as the loads go up due to the leverage at the top roller.


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## thestelster (Jul 20, 2022)

@Mcgyver 
@Susquatch 

Have a read of the link below at the Practical Machinist site regarding follow rests:

https://www.practicalmachinist.com/forum/threads/follow-rest-design-options.189421/

They discuss the three jaw follow rests, as well as having them at differing positions (in regards to the clock face).


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## thestelster (Jul 20, 2022)

As per @Mcgyver suggestion.

Still in mock up mode.


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## Susquatch (Jul 20, 2022)

thestelster said:


> As per @Mcgyver suggestion.
> 
> Still in mock up mode.



What I was trying to say earlier about increasing the nose section. This would yield a significant increase in stiffness at the top roller.


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## thestelster (Jul 20, 2022)

Susquatch said:


> What I was trying to say earlier about increasing the nose section. This would yield a significant increase in stiffness at the top roller.
> 
> View attachment 25090


That shouldn't be a problem.  The steel plate that I bought is  4" longer, so I will definitely beef up that area.


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## Susquatch (Jul 20, 2022)

thestelster said:


> That shouldn't be a problem.  The steel plate that I bought is  4" longer, so I will definitely beef up that area.



Are you planning to use rollers or noses? Do you have the parts for that yet?


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## thestelster (Jul 20, 2022)

Susquatch said:


> Are you planning to use rollers or noses? Do you have the parts for that yet?


I'm planning on bronze or brass jaws.  Not sure which is most suitable.  Or maybe steel jaws with replaceable bronze/brass noses.


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## Susquatch (Jul 20, 2022)

thestelster said:


> I'm planning on bronze or brass jaws.  Not sure which is most suitable.  Or maybe steel jaws with replaceable bronze/brass noses.



Bronze is better. It has much higher lubricity than brass. Some bronze alloys are better than others though. But I forget which alloy is best. I'd do replaceable noses in steel if it were me.


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## thestelster (Jul 21, 2022)

I decided to beef up the design by adopting a support arm.  The deflection without the support arm and a 4lb force is 0.018".  With the support arm it's 0.012".  Therefore app. 33% less deflection.  I think if the arm was more of a triangle vs. rectangle, and taller at the main follow rest plate, it would be considerably stiffer.


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## YYCHM (Jul 21, 2022)

Why are you measuring the deflection of the wood mock up?  You're making the final product from steel plate are you not?


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## thestelster (Jul 21, 2022)

YYCHM said:


> Why are you measuring the deflection of the wood mock up?  You're making the final product from steel plate are you not?


Hi Craig, yes it will be all out of steel.  But, the percentage improvements by design modifications will (possibly) translate into the final assembly as well.


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## PeterT (Jul 21, 2022)

That's kind of what my right angle plate idea was also trying to address. However it only works if you have T slots in the cross slide (which thankfully I do have). 
The typical follow rest are robust chunks of CI, no issue there. But the whole system relies on 2 bolts screwed horizontally into cross slide. Supposedly it should stay tight & secure but the cutting force is acting to rotate the steady body against these bolts.... Anyways I figure if I had to make one, an adjoining integral right angle plate, bolted vertically into the T's would provide better support. And if one designed it right, ideally allow for different mount positions. I want to make myself a micro version for turning very thin aspect ratio stock.


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## thestelster (Jul 21, 2022)

There seemed to still be too much flex.  So, version 4 &5.

Version 4 had 0.005" deflection, but then I couldn't move the cross-slide close enough, so I had to cut out some sections.  Saying that, deflection is at 0.006".


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## Susquatch (Jul 21, 2022)

YYCHM said:


> Why are you measuring the deflection of the wood mock up?  You're making the final product from steel plate are you not?



While wood can be quite non-homogenous, it's still a good proxy. The numbers will usually scale and its easy enough to modify. The shape is what can drive you nuts by distorting in places you didn't expect.

I like @thestelster s approach to this. He will learn a lot by playing with a wooden prototype before committing to machining a piece of steel.  But ya, the final steel part won't deform like the wood does. However it will be a much better final result than it would have been by going straight to steel.


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## Susquatch (Jul 21, 2022)

PeterT said:


> But the whole system relies on 2 bolts screwed horizontally into cross slide.



Right on @PeterT! This is EXACTLY what always bothered me about my follow rest! No design is ever better than its weakest link.


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## thestelster (Saturday at 6:51 AM)

I started making the follow rest the other day.  I'm planning on using the basic design as my wood mock-up, plus suggestions from our members.  
The frame is a 1" thick piece of hot rolled steel slab. 

Started on the bandsaw, of course this piece is pretty big for the saw, do had to clamp it on an angle.


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## thestelster (Saturday at 6:55 AM)

Using a fly-cutter as a boring tool.


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## thestelster (Saturday at 7:00 AM)

The slab is bolted into the side of the carriage using a 1/2"-13 bolt, and I fabricated a block which bolts onto the slab,  and then into the top of the carriage.


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## thestelster (Saturday at 7:23 AM)

Now to make the hole.  3", in diameter.  I don't have annular cutters, so this took a little while.  Spot drill, 1/4" drill, 1/2", 1".  I switched from the 5C collet chuck, to the three jaw, because there was going to be a lot of torque when using the 3" hole saw.

I started with a 2 1/4" hole saw, just to see if that would work.  It was really slow going.  .020" pecks, because the teeth were getting clogged, even with compressed air or cutting fluid.  Perhaps if I had high pressure flood cooling it would work, but I don't.

Then switched to the 3" holesaw.  Much trepidation since not all the teeth would be engaged in the material.  

I needn't have worried, it actually allowed the chips to evacute the cut and it went very quickly with power feed.

I also used the QCTP to hold a hunk of steel to support the slab from flexing.


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## Susquatch (Saturday at 7:37 AM)

thestelster said:


> Now to make the hole.  3", in diameter.  I don't have annular cutters, so this took a little while. .
> 
> Then switched to the 3" holesaw.  Much trepidation since not all the teeth would be engaged in the material.



I would have ordered an annular cutter...... Most of them that I have seen use a 3/4" Weldon Shank.

Another alternative would be a boring bar mounted in the chuck with an axial bit to use like reverse trepanning.


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## thestelster (Saturday at 7:47 AM)

Making the slots for the support fingers.  1" wide, 1/2" depth.  First using a 1" HSS roughing endmill.  0.400" depth cut (I should have taken the whole .5", it cut so nicely).  350rpm @ ~3ipm.  Then used the finish endmill to clean up the sides.


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## thestelster (Saturday at 7:52 AM)

Susquatch said:


> I would have ordered an annular cutter...... Most of them that I have seen use a 3/4" Weldon Shank.
> 
> Another alternative would be a boring bar mounted in the chuck with an axial bit to use like reverse trepanning.


Annular cutters are on my wish list!  But, honestly, if I had gone straight to the 3" holesaw, I would have been done in 5minutes!!  Having the holesaw off the side of the material, clearing all the shavings made quick work!


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## Degen (Saturday at 7:59 AM)

If you are looking to add stiffness without bulk or wt (lots) add a flat bar to make it "T"  shape to the top/back edge.  Taper in width wise to from the nose (no bending moment here) to further back and down (maximum bending moment here).

Lets you avoid interference issues yet have the performance you want.


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## thestelster (Saturday at 8:19 AM)

Degen said:


> If you are looking to add stiffness without bulk or wt (lots) add a flat bar to make it "T"  shape to the top/back edge.  Taper in width wise to from the nose (no bending moment here) to further back and down (maximum bending moment here).
> 
> Lets you avoid interference issues yet have the performance you want.


Thank you.  My intent is to stiffen it up, but I havent decided on the final shape of the follow rest.  I would like to make the rear section in an arc, and I don't think it will compromise the rigidity.  Plus I have to take into consideration the placement of the x-axis scale, taper-turning attachment, tailstock, and QCTP.


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## thestelster (Saturday at 8:27 AM)

I now have to make the support fingers.  I've been trying to decide what best material to make them from, and I've been scouring the internet to find an answer.  And the consensus is....it depends!  Of course!

Bronze, cast iron, hardened steel, carbide, Teflon.....

Maybe make a set with removable pads of the different materials.

HELP!!!  Any advice will be most appreciated.


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## phaxtris (Saturday at 8:36 AM)

thestelster said:


> I now have to make the support fingers.  I've been trying to decide what best material to make them from, and I've been scouring the internet to find an answer.  And the consensus is....it depends!  Of course!
> 
> Bronze, cast iron, hardened steel, carbide, Teflon.....
> 
> ...



Make the ones you think you will use the most, you can always make multiple sets of different materials

Are bronze fingers not the most common that come with factory made rests? That's probabaly what I would go with unless you had some specific reason for another material type


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## thestelster (Saturday at 10:44 AM)

phaxtris said:


> Make the ones you think you will use the most, you can always make multiple sets of different materials
> 
> Are bronze fingers not the most common that come with factory made rests? That's probabaly what I would go with unless you had some specific reason for another material type


Yes, bronze seems to be the multi-pupose material, but at almost $200 worth of material needed, it's a little dear.  That's why I'm contemplating steel fingers, with replaceable tips.


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## PeterT (Saturday at 10:58 AM)

Seems like depending on supplier there is more bronze alloy selection in round vs rectangular. But it might be spendy to make the whole finger out of bronze when only the tip is in contact.
Most of the replaceable tips I see are integrated into round fingers with kind of a tenon boss into a hole in the finger. But assume your fingers are rectangular? Show us what you have in mind. I'm sure there is a viable method, just have to figure out the most viable.






						Buy Bronze Cut to Size - Price and Order | Online Metals
					

Online Metals offers bronze in various shapes and alloys - available in standard and custom lengths. Price your order and purchase online - no minimums.




					www.onlinemetals.com


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## Susquatch (Saturday at 12:40 PM)

thestelster said:


> HELP!!! Any advice will be most appreciated.



Roller Bearings?


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## thestelster (Saturday at 12:48 PM)

PeterT said:


> But it might be spendy to make the whole finger out of bronze when only the tip is in contact.


Exactly!  

Yes, rectangular.  

I'm not sure of attachment yet, Threaded, dovetail, pin, securing screw.  I'm making the finger bodies now, and I'll think it through as I make them, and get suggestions.


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## PeterT (Saturday at 12:51 PM)

Looks like bronze (and brass) balls can be purchased in various sizes. Spot a half sphere diameter into finger with ball EM, silver solder into place. Guess it depends on how often you see yourself replacing as to retention method


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## thestelster (Saturday at 12:52 PM)

Susquatch said:


> Roller Bearings?


No to roller bearings. Maybe if I was turning at high speeds, but I won't be.   Apparently they'll trap bits of swarf and imprint them on the surface of the material being turned.


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## Susquatch (Saturday at 12:59 PM)

thestelster said:


> No to roller bearings. Maybe if I was turning at high speeds, but I won't be.   Apparently they'll trap bits of swarf and imprint them on the surface of the material being turned.



I see. I can't really argue. Mine has roller bearings on both the steady and the follow rests. They are factory original. I've never experienced that, but I don't really use follow rests that much. 

I guess I would have thought that a solid rest would be worse! But I've never used a solid rest so can't say for sure. 

Interesting.


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## Mcgyver (Saturday at 1:18 PM)

thestelster said:


> No to roller bearings. Maybe if I was turning at high speeds, but I won't be.   Apparently they'll trap bits of swarf and imprint them on the surface of the material being turned.



Possibly, I didn't experience that.  The problem with rolling element bearings is it takes a tiny bit of force to get them turning.  That'll take you out a thou or two.  If you are striving for accurate work, bronze is the way to go, or at least I've not found it wanting.  It takes a bit of practice on the touch when using the travelling steady - you engage the fingers while things are moving after things have gone past the tailstock, that's where the touch comes in.

My DSG came with needle bearing rollers.  I put new bearings in but it still wasn't sensitive enough.  So finally I made the bronze fingers., photos of each on the previous mage

Peter, I wouldn't silver solder, it'll soften the bronze.  Soft solder should be good enough.  I just loctited some small bars in a steel housing to minimize the bronze consumption


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## PeterT (Saturday at 5:10 PM)

Good point on soldering. 
Actually balls might be unnecessarily complicated. Maybe you could just drill a blind hole in the end of a finger, insert a section of bronze rod, retain it laterally with a set screw or whatever. The bronze could be customizable - tapered for smaller part stock, ball ended...


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## thestelster (Saturday at 5:40 PM)

PeterT said:


> Good point on soldering.
> Actually balls might be unnecessarily complicated. Maybe you could just drill a blind hole in the end of a finger, insert a section of bronze rod, retain it laterally with a set screw or whatever. The bronze could be customizable - tapered for smaller part stock, ball ended...


That's exactly what I was planning!!  Simple, versatile, and cheap!


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## Proxule (Saturday at 6:57 PM)

TEFLON. Or babbit


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## DPittman (Saturday at 9:12 PM)

Proxule said:


> TEFLON. Or babbit


Wouldn't Teflon be much too soft and not really provide support?


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## Degen (Saturday at 9:29 PM)

As a quick comparison, different brands for similar Lathes  have different selections with the main 2 being either a steel finger with a bronze contact point (replaceable or fixed?) or steel finger with a roller end (bearing or not).

Traditional would be solid, tried and true.

Modern being roller end.

I think the choice comes down to load and speed.  Higher speed means rollers vs solid.  At lower speeds and I suspect higher loads solid points.

As to precision I suspect solid being the choice.


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## Susquatch (Saturday at 9:48 PM)

Perhaps one of the goals of your project should be to ensure that the design accomodates a range of end types. I believe it does now, but a bit of research might be in order.


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## Proxule (Sunday at 9:04 AM)

DPittman said:


> Wouldn't Teflon be much too soft and not really provide support?


Not sure, I seen the old timer at the sawmill use it often, He did have spares setup. I never asked how long it lasted.
I know it has a very high melting point !

I was curious to your question, Seems others do it too?! 
we use teflon PTFE on ours steady rest that is not taking heavy load (under 1000 pounds) it is way more wear resistant than bronze 660 and is going to take the heat anytime. ive put them on my steady rest 2 year ago and never see the shape change after all these year (ive use them 2 to 3 time a week) its kinda expensive but it worth it. just put some bardall on them before you put the shaft in the steady rest and it will go like a charm (or any kind of oil that is thick enought to stay on them)

Post #11 https://www.practicalmachinist.com/forum/threads/steady-rest-jaws-babbitt.251003/


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## phaxtris (Sunday at 10:08 AM)

Delrin (Acetal) would be another option, it is used for bushings and the like, self lubricating and very tough


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## thestelster (Sunday at 3:46 PM)

Worked on it a bit today.  Made the fingers.  What you see as the finger pads are 1/2" dia. wooden dowels, (as a mock up).  I'll order the bronze tomorrow.  Still have a lot to do.


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## thestelster (Monday at 3:44 PM)

Now to put this beast on a diet! 
Of course it's to big to make a single cut, so I had to flip it.  And I just aligned it by eye. I lucked out.


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## Susquatch (Monday at 4:28 PM)

thestelster said:


> Now to put this beast on a diet!
> Of course it's to big to make a single cut, so I had to flip it. And I just aligned it by eye. I lucked out.



Why didn't you just cut it with an OA Torch?


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## thestelster (Monday at 5:42 PM)

Susquatch said:


> Why didn't you just cut it with an OA Torch?


#1-I don't have oxy-acet, nor plasma
#2- that's 1"thick, 10" cut, haven't a clue how long it would take, and the air pollution in my garage!!?
#3-let the saw cut while I do other stuff.


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## Susquatch (Monday at 5:56 PM)

thestelster said:


> #1-I don't have oxy-acet, nor plasma
> #2- that's 1"thick, 10" cut, haven't a clue how long it would take, and the air pollution in my garage!!?
> #3-let the saw cut while I do other stuff.


#1 & #3 make sense. 

#2 doesn't. OA will cut 10" of 1" plate like butter. Just need the right size cutting tip for the plate thickness and a relatively steady hand. I dunno, maybe a minute? Once you get the cut going, it goes pretty fast. 

Main advantage is ability to cut curves. I'm not that good at it, but it's amazing to watch someone who is. 

Of course a plasma table will do it even better.


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## Darren (Monday at 6:43 PM)

Susquatch said:


> Of course a plasma table will do it even better.


watch some of I C welds videos on youtube. His OA torch cuts look like they were milled out.


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## Susquatch (Monday at 8:28 PM)

Darren said:


> watch some of I C welds videos on youtube. His OA torch cuts look like they were milled out.



Ya, but I am no torch wizard.  I'll be dead before I ever get that good! 

FWIW, I don't have plasma. I just wish I did. Instead I make do with OA cuts that are a bit rough. 

I'm happy though, cuz OA is fast and very flexible.


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## 6.5 Fan (Tuesday at 4:45 AM)

A plasma torch capable of 1" cuts would be a major investment for the home shop guy.


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## thestelster (Tuesday at 5:25 AM)

6.5 Fan said:


> A plasma torch capable of 1" cuts would be a major investment for the home shop guy.


Yeah, I just Googled:  ESAB 100a, good for 1", $6,000.00!  Not gonna happen!


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## Susquatch (Tuesday at 6:25 AM)

thestelster said:


> Yeah, I just Googled:  ESAB 100a, good for 1", $6,000.00!  Not gonna happen!



I cut thick plate fairly often repairing or modifying farm equipment. When I suggested plasma I wasn't suggesting that you buy a plasma machine. I have a fab shop a half hour away in Blenheim that has a big huge CNC plasma table. Pretty sure it will cut 3 inch plate. They cut 1/2 plate and 1 inch plate for me fairly often at a modest charge and will even do it by hand if asked. 

They also have a big rack of cutoffs I can buy from at very reasonable cost. Unfortunately, it's usually mystery metal.

For what you were doing I would have marked it and rough cut it by hand with an OA cutting torch (very easy to cut curves that way) and then maybe cleaned it up on the mill. I confess to cleaning stuff up freehand without a vise for big parts like that. (I'm not recommending that to anyone, I'm just confessing that I have.) I've also used a side grinder to round edges too, but those things are sooooo dangerous - I avoid them whenever possible.


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## DPittman (Tuesday at 7:57 AM)

Susquatch said:


> Ya, but I am no torch wizard. I'll be dead before I ever get that good!


Well having "dead steady hands" is helpful but the rest of the body being dead...well not so much.


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## historicalarms (Tuesday at 9:23 AM)

I have both band saw and torch capability to cut that piece but think I would go the same route the OP did with the saw.

Against using the Torch (correction, from saw to torch):  first as others have stated about themselves, I am not an expert with the torch , I never was before and now shakiness & eye site issues have made it much more challenging.
  The second issue that would concern me using the torch is uneven heat warpage of the plate when done, that 1" plate will take a lot of heat to remove the extra chunk, especially with a less than expert torch man. I just wouldnt want the op's care in measuring & marking/making his product to be bent out of shape by hurrying the last bit of work.


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## phaxtris (Tuesday at 9:49 AM)

Hey you know what it means if your cuts all looked like a beaver chewed them out, more quality time with the grinder!  no one's perfect, everyone gets one of those once and a while


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## Susquatch (Tuesday at 2:38 PM)

phaxtris said:


> Hey you know what it means if your cuts all looked like a beaver chewed them out, more quality time with the grinder!  no one's perfect, everyone gets one of those once and a while



That made me laugh out loud!

Here is one of my recent torch jobs. It's a half inch plate cut with an OA cutting torch and cleaned up with a bench grinder.






That beaver sure ain't pretty, but she is mine! And I actually like the hammered look it has. At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it! Ya, that's it. I like the way it looks!

I am a self confessed OA red-neck. But I don't find that a cutting torch really puts that much heat into the plate. Prolly a lot more than I think it does, but I think that the oxygen jet actually cools the edge while it burns the iron out. The worst of it is at the start to get the cut going. I like a lot of oxygen to keep the cut going despite my shaking and poor eyesight.

Now, I fully confess that that is a total guess. I suppose I should know the facts of this, but I just don't. So that's that.

What I can say is that the plate above is a plate I made to adapt my new motor to my mill head. It was as flat afterward as it was before. I know that for absolute certain because I had to mount it in my lathe to cut the motor countersink and there was essentially zero wobble because I didn't have to true it up or face it off at all.

That's my story but your mileage may vary.......


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## phaxtris (Tuesday at 4:32 PM)

@Susquatch don't be to hard on yourself, that looks ok

Torch skills are kind of a dying thing unfortunately. Students are made to do a "cut test" to get a journeyman ticket....not sure if the instructor's are wearing beer Google's when they grade them or if guys just immediately forget how to use a torch once they complete the test, I haven't decided Wich is the case. But really part of the problem is the torch doesn't get used by hand as much as it once did, zip cuts, CNC plasma/flame tables, radiographs, bevellers, they have all taken a lot of that manual work away....I'm not complaining...hard to beat parts cut on a CNC machine!

But your right about the torch not really putting that much heat into the plate, at least not as much as a guy would think, it's not the flame actually doing the cutting, and your not actually burning anything away...technically you are rusting the plate away, the jet of oxygen is rapidly oxidizing the kerf area and blowing the material out, the flame is only needed to get the steel hot enough to where that rapid oxidization process is possible. You actually don't need the flame at all, if you can heat a piece of steel to that nice cherry red (induction heater, electric arc, furnace, etc) you only need that jet of oxygen to cut it. It's also the reason you can only cut steel with any oxy torch, no iron, nothing to oxidize, no cutting action.

Anyways, that was long winded! Being good with a torch is the same as being good at welding, practice, the more a guy torch cuts the better he is (or you hope)


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