Fixing bearing surface of a fixed steady?

[rcx132]

The mini lathe fixed steadys are poor, they don't sit flat on the ways and rock slightly. Warco went through their entire batch and couldn't find me a good one. Any tips on how to adjust the surface? I've seen Zoro do a scraper for £8. I also have a diamond flat grinding block, could try that?

Photo shows my steady with some engineers blue showing how it sits on the ways.

 

[addjunkie]

Does it matter that much, as you tighten it down to use it. Then adjust the 3 legs accordingly.

 

[Dee J]

Interesting. A simple answer would be a file. But more interesting is why it rocks. The contact point seems to be adjacent to the hold down bolt. So on that basis, when bolted down the steady is in effect a tripod of support along the angled way, plus the blued point of contact. So once bolted down presumably any movement would be the steady distorting. How much force would do that. Are you having functional problems whilst turning? Are those problems solved by shimming the raised corner? Are you expecting too much of the steady? Or are you just critiquing a poor fit?

 

[Agroshield]

It is not clear if you blued the inverted vee way at the same time. As that one is a little more difficult to make correct, it might be a good starting point to check that also, especially the relationship of the flat surface to it. Material, once removed, is very difficult to put back.

When you remove material from one side, it will affect the other. You need the overall geometry correct first (vee the correct angle, flat side parallel along the axis of the lathe, perpendicular to the bisector of the vee) then you have to adjust for bearing (i.e. height difference between vee and flat).

 

[Munkul]

Are you rocking it after bluing it? Cos it looks pretty shiny... apart from the hole in the corner of the flat, the rest of the ways look good... which would suggest warping/shrinking after machining, leaving banana shaped ways... which you're rocking to get the blue off on the bed ways.

This is how it appears to me anyway, I'm not an expert

 

[rcx132]

Once tightened down it doesn't rock, so I am just being a bit fussy.

Are you rocking it after bluing it? Cos it looks pretty shiny... apart from the hole in the corner of the flat, the rest of the ways look good... which would suggest warping/shrinking after machining, leaving banana shaped ways... which you're rocking to get the blue off on the bed ways.

This is how it appears to me anyway, I'm not an expert

It's shiny as I tried correcting it unsuccessfully.

 

[Dee J]

I guess there could be a couple of different points on a scale here. One extreme being that tools must be perfect to produce good work and the other being that care, understanding and skill can overcome the inadequacies of cheap/worn/old tools. Somewhere between laboratory standard and shade tree mechanic. And we all tend to explore that range at different times according to budget, need and interest. But ultimately its a cheap accessory of a cheap lathe.. With a lot of time effort and expense yo might just improve to the standard of a middling lathe...

 

[Dee J]

tightened down it doesn't rock, so I am just being a bit fussy

So actually, it works.

 

[Seadog]

If it works it works. However, it would annoy the **** out of me too

 

[rcx132]

If it works it works. However, it would annoy the **** out of me too

That's reassuring In fairness I sometimes I have nothing to do and look for odd "feel good" jobs.

 

[MattF]

Nowt wrong with being fussy. I'd want it sitting correctly without being bolted down too.