4 point steady rest

Here is another project born out of necessity. The head stock on my lathe is pretty long and also smaller diameter. I did not get a steady rest with the lathe nor was I able to find one for it. I designed this one from an idea I had seen on another forum. Basically it is what might be called a "spider" in some circles. I used a flange bearing from a machine rebuild where I was teaching and the rest of the material came from my excess/scrap pile. Using it is akin to indicating in a four jaw chuck. it is amazingly stable and easy to indicate in to a couple "tenths". I have used this for several barrels now and a couple other
long projects. The only cost other than my time I purchased the brass tipped set screws used to hold the work piece.

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