:Large dia pipe 150 mm dia with a 20 mmor so wall

[DAPPH]

Did I tell any one I have an almost pristine 1943 ish 42 inch bed , 10 inch swing Sphere made in Britain ( similar to Atlas lathes of that period ) back gear lathe that's only had a father & his son as owners since they won it at an end of war auction of first released surplus ( still boxed with all the tooling) in FEB 1946 .

There has however been a loss of two lathe steadies. I'd like to try and attempt to make my own using some scrap steel pipe of about 6 inches in dia with an inch thick wall.
My idea is to turn off six or so rings about 1/2 wide and use these to cut up and make steadies with swing gates .

Do any of you know where I can buy similar sized second hand pipe in a foot lengths or so ?
I've tried ebay and so far have had no luck , hope to visit the local scrappies during the week but they never appear to keep any metal onsite any more .. I wonder if a scrap axle tube off a small truck might do ..any ideas ?? .

 

[Paul.]

It would probably be easier to buy some flame cut or laser cut profiles, 6" pipe of that wall thickness is going to be hard to find

 

[Fastfingaz]

Sounds like you're looking for some 6 inch double x pipe and the diameter is 6 5/8 inch but I think the wall thickness is only 7/8"

 

[BrokenBiker]

can you not just get some 6" billets of what ever thickness you need then bore them out?

 

[Rig Pig]

I remember reading about a steady someone made from thick section flat bar welded up to form a hexagon, unfortunately I can't remember where I read about it! But it looks good and sturdy and easy to make without heavy machine tools.

 

[DAPPH]

It would probably be easier to buy some flame cut or laser cut profiles, 6" pipe of that wall thickness is going to be hard to find

That sound goods if the price is right , I've already mused about it Paul.
I have a 12 tonne floor standing ram, formers & rollers set for doing up to 2 & 1/4 " dia steel tube bending .. it may be practical to try and shape some 1.25 square bar to try and make the frame in three hinged sections as I think I can get a 60 degree radial bend on a tube / bar .


Now , all the steadies fixed or moving I've seen have brass or phosphor bronze bearing faces .
What are the considered options of the team for me using a set of three small 12 mm OD a precision sealed for life roller bearings in square support rods that are going to be held in place in a square collar bolted to the side of the support frames with high grade hex head machine screws ? I'd still be able to easily make individual bearing support rod adjustments .
It's not as though I'm going to try and stabilize a six foot long three inch diameter bar ripping round at 2500 rpm is it .

 

[ukracer]

I remember reading about a steady someone made from thick section flat bar welded up to form a hexagon, unfortunately I can't remember where I read about it! But it looks good and sturdy and easy to make without heavy machine tools.

http://www.gadgetbuilder.com/SteadyRest.html

 

[ukracer]

http://www.homews.co.uk/page548.html for the travelling one..

 

[DAPPH]

Thanks UKracer,
That is brilliant to find his website .
I have HH's " LATHEWORK a complete course.
Workshop practices series No 34.

I've just had a look at Harry's website and seen the fixed steady as well .. methinks that will be one of my next projects once I 'm back up on my feet ( had another lower spine disc go silly on me early last week , unless it goes back without problems it looks like I'm going to be up for the chop and a weld /fusion of the spine.

I tried the link to the first steady but can't get it as my Windows 8 platform says it's not available to view .

Took an alternative route to it and put in " Gadget builder . com " into Google and got there right away to his site then followed a few links therein.

I like the idea of using 1 inch or so square tube with either welded nuts either side of the support rod or glued in threaded sleeve inserts or similar to hold the support rods & instead of bothering with rollers & the remote possibility of them catching up swarf ,
I think I'll use steel 15 mm or 16 dia galv steel full thread construction bolts or studding bored out for a simple rounded end screwed or glued in brass inserts made from 6 mm or so dia brass screws for the supports with integral bearing surfaces .

 

[Rig Pig]

http://www.gadgetbuilder.com/SteadyRest.html

That's the one, well found!