# Best "value" in a steady rest



## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

I'm thinking about getting a steady rest and noticed that prices are all over the map. I'm sure the Carter is very nice, but at 350+dollars, I'm not sure it's in the cards. At the other end of the spectrum are the $50 models. My experience with cheap tools is that they don't last, or break at the worst possible time. Is there a reliable, middle of the road model that's a good value?


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

Quickstep said:


> I'm thinking about getting a steady rest and noticed that prices are all over the map. I'm sure the Carter is very nice, but at 350+dollars, I'm not sure it's in the cards. At the other end of the spectrum are the $50 models. My experience with cheap tools is that they don't last, or break at the worst possible time. Is there a reliable, middle of the road model that's a good value?


Do you really need one? What size hollow forms are you turning?

I paid $499 for my steady rest and so far have used it twice in the two plus years that I have had it. It is an excellent heavy duty accessory, but it is one of those things that you get because you want it and not because it is needed (except on very rare occasions).

The two hollow forms where I "needed" the steady rest were both over sixteen inches tall mesquite vases. In addition to the steady rest, I also needed a deep hollowing boring bar rig. If you are turning hollow forms that aren't any deeper than about ten inches and nine inches in diameter then you don't need either of those accessories. If you are considering making many hollow forms that size or larger then you might want to consider a hollowing rig like the one that Lyle Jamieson sells, but you don't really need a steady rest until you start to make tall hollow forms over about fourteen inches. Even then, you can avoid the need for one by taking very light cuts.

My impression of the Carter Multi Rest is that with its aluminum hinged three-piece design that it is intended mainly for light duty use where a steady rest really wouldn't be needed.


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

Build one. I have been using a home made version for 10 years or more. It's not as nice as the Carter but it works and cost me maybe $25. If you do a google search for woodlathe steady rest you can find some good plans. Same thing for a youtube search.


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## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

I think you're right Bill, I don't think I'll use it much, that's among the reasons I don't want to spend a lot on it. I make pepper mills using the Crush Grind mechanism. This requires cutting a slot inside the mill body. This slot cutting operation can be disconcernting on a long mill that's not being held by anything but the chuck over a foot away.


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

I would build one.I bought my lathe used, and it came with a oneway steady. I have used it once.


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

Check these out. I really like the one Herman built but haven't built one like that yet. 
http://www.woodturningonline.com/Turning/Turning_articles.php?catid=36


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## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

hwebb99 said:


> I would build one.I bought my lathe used, and it came with a oneway steady. I have used it once.



Want to sell it for cheap?


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

Quickstep said:


> Want to sell it for cheap?


I would sell it at the right price, but for cheap I will keep it.


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## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

hwebb99 said:


> I would sell it at the right price, but for cheap I will keep it.


Check your PMs when you get a chance.


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

Quickstep said:


> I think you're right Bill, I don't think I'll use it much, that's among the reasons I don't want to spend a lot on it. I make pepper mills using the Crush Grind mechanism. This requires cutting a slot inside the mill body. This slot cutting operation can be disconcernting on a long mill that's not being held by anything but the chuck over a foot away.


For a peppermill, no way would I consider a steady rest unless it was one of those 24 to 36 inch tall peppermills. Turn the interior slot before shaping the exterior. the extra material on the outside will stiffen it enough. Also, take very light cuts. Finesse is always better than muscle when turning. You'll be a better turner if you forgo the training wheels. :smile:


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

I didn't read through his article but Nick makes a lot of peppermills and I've never seen him use a steady. Go down his articles page until you see the pepper mill.
http://www.nickcookwoodturner.com/articles.htm


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## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

Thanks, John. I read Nicks article and there are a couple of distinctions. 

1) He knows what he's doing and I don't !

2) He's not using the Crush Grind Mill

In order to make the mill to accept the crush grind mill, there are three steps.

First, you drill a 1-3/4" hole 5/8" deep into the mill bottom

Then you drill a 1-1/2" hole 1-1/2" deep (or all the way through if the mill design permits)

Then - You reach into the end of the mill and cut a slot by pushing the special tool sideways against the inside wall of the hole. It's difficult to see what you're doing inside the mill as the tool is scraping a slot 3/6" wide by 1/8" deep about 2" up inside the mill. I'd describe the cutting action as moderately violent. Keep in mind that to make it cut, you're pushing sideways. It's not bad on a short, massive pepper mill, but on ones that are narrow and longer I wouldn't mind "working with a net"; or as Bill said: "Training Wheels"


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

The tool might need sharpening or you might have the toolrest set too low (it needs to be above center) or you might not be presenting the tool correctly (it needs to be held so that the back of the handle is higher than the cutting edge). Then take very light cuts. If there is a lot of vibration, make sure the chuck jaws are tight and that the headstock is locked down tightly. To see what you are, I have found the gooseneck LED lights to be perfect for that sort of thing.


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

BTW, one complaint that I have about the crush/grind mills is that they trap pepper on the side of the mechanism. I don't know if old pepper gets stale or rancid, but I would prefer that it wouldn't trap the pepper particles. I came up with an alternative design that doesn't require cutting the groove. It is pretty simple. Turn a wooden sleeve or cylinder to fit around the mechanism. File the vertical ridges off the mechanism. Split the cylinder in half then place it around the mechanism and glue the two halves back together. Slide the whole thing into the main body and glue in place. You can do the same for the upper part if desired. This is more work, but I like it because it is a tighter fitting design. Of course, this is a one-shot deal and the mechanism can't be removed once installed.


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## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

One of the things I don't like about the Crush Grind mills is that the parts can't be removed once they "click in" to the slots we're talking about. As first, I didn't think this would ever be a problem, but I've had a few "callbacks" because the tops won't stay on. This is especially bad since all of my mills are given as gifts, so having call backs hurts. I do like the ceramic mechanism and the lack of a nut at the top, I just wish they were more conventionally installed and had a better way to hold the top. Come to think of it, if there were a Crush Grind mill mechanism that were more conventionally installed, I probably wouldn't even be considering a study rest. But, I digress.

The tool is sharp and after some experimentation, I'm pretty sure I have it at the right height. To be fair, I've never had a mill body come out of the chuck. Maybe I'm just itching to buy another accessory.


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## 9thousandfeet (Dec 28, 2014)

My issues with the friskiness of turning that little retaining groove were more to do with the difficulty of keeping the scraper stable and accurately presented to the work given that you're working with at least a 2" overhang from the tool rest in a blind hole that's real hard to see into, than they were with any instability in the mill body in the chuck. 

I never tried a steady, so I'm guessing here, but my instinct is that it wouldn't have helped all that much. Certainly not as much as this box rest, which allows the tool to be supported inside the mill body very close to where the cut is to be made.

I made mine, but you can see the idea from the link. 

I've not experienced that issue with the tops not staying on. If you're talking about the shaft pulling out of the cap assembly and not the cap assembly pulling out of the top of the mill, I generally drill a little extra depth relief in the cap, which allows the shaft to penetrate the cap almost an inch after the spring "gripping" action begins. I use a 3/8 drillbit for that extra little bit, beyond what's necessary to house the cap mechanism.
That way the shaft must be withdrawn almost almost a full inch before the spring pressure mechanism runs out of shaft to act upon. That just felt more secure to me than having the top come off after only a 1/4" or so of shaft is withdrawn.

No problems so far, with quite a lot of mills out there by now, but I agree that being able to easily disassemble the mills would be preferable.


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

If you really want to get fancy, you could have the lower mechanism in a threaded sleeve that screws into the body. The upside is that would be a great reason (AKA, excuse) to buy more tools (toys) such as a threading jig.


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## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

I've had Crush Grind mills where if you pick up the mill by the top, the bottom falls off. One person had the mill fall into a bowl of spaghetti. Of course, I can't see what's going on in there, but it seems like the spring broke. I'm going to drill that one out and see if I can then pry it out to see what's going on. Like 9k feet, I drill extra deep so there's plenty of shaft to grab. 


I'm thinking about going back to conventional mills and trying to make a threaded finial of wood and try to make it a feature of the mill instead of just a knurled nut. 

The box rest does seem like a good idea to give more when reaching in to the abyss.


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