Connecting SME's

[Mike Goetzke]

I'm building a steady rest for my wood lathe. Part of the design requires me to have two SME's fixed (permanently) at 90 degrees to each other. An issue I have is that I need to fasten them back-to-back so I can't use connectors.

I had some ideas like using plates and angle formed pieces but most hardware available would be custom and cost too much or take too long to modify. I was then thinking I may be able to use three 1/4-20 bolts.

Any ideas welcome.

Thanks,

Mike

[Dik Harrison]

Mike,

A sketch/photo of what you want to end up with would help me.

[tomp913]

Originally Posted by Mike Goetzke

I'm building a steady rest for my wood lathe. Part of the design requires me to have two SME's fixed (permanently) at 90 degrees to each other. An issue I have is that I need to fasten them back-to-back so I can't use connectors.

I had some ideas like using plates and angle formed pieces but most hardware available would be custom and cost too much or take too long to modify. I was then thinking I may be able to use three 1/4-20 bolts.

Any ideas welcome.

Thanks,

Mike

If you're making a "cross" where the pieces of extrusion extend past each other, how about sandwiching a piece of 1/8" thick aluminum between the two extrusions and pop riveting through the bottom flange of the extrusion and the plate - the plate would need to be about 3-1/4" square to give room for the rivets.

Tom

[Burt]

The 1/4" bolts sound like a good idea.

Burt

[bumpnstump]

Originally Posted by Mike Goetzke

I'm building a steady rest for my wood lathe. Part of the design requires me to have two SME's fixed (permanently) at 90 degrees to each other. An issue I have is that I need to fasten them back-to-back so I can't use connectors.

I had some ideas like using plates and angle formed pieces but most hardware available would be custom and cost too much or take too long to modify. I was then thinking I may be able to use three 1/4-20 bolts.

Any ideas welcome.

Thanks,

Mike

I'm with Dik: sketch/photo would help.....

The pic shows one option:
4 blocks of wood/plastic attached to the side slots of the SMEs; couple of fastener options shown sitting on the SME. 2 blocks might work; 4 should definitely work.
Rick

[Mike Goetzke]

Originally Posted by Dik Harrison

Mike,

A sketch/photo of what you want to end up with would help me.

Sorry, thought about that after I posed it - will do this evening but if you look at the 1st post in this thread you can get an idea of what I'm doing. But I need to attach the back side of the vertical SME to the backside of the horizontal SME rather than on top of it:


http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ghlight=steady

[Mike Goetzke]

Here are a few pictures of what I want to do using scrap SME's. One sliding assembly will go on each side of the channel. I'm holding the pieces I want fastened together with a clamp. I'm thinking of using four bolts/nuts to hold them together unless someone has a better idea - thanks:

[bumpnstump]

Seems the simplest might be to sink 4 machine screws where I've indicated in pic one. Screw a larger access hole on the top of the SME to access a short screw/bolt @ the touching parts of the SME.

Any chance to make out of wood, sized appropriately? Pic 2 is quick mock-up of the same principle as the SMEs. Slotted wood pieces, joined at 90˚ would work the same as the SMEs. Recessing the appropriate side of the wood at the slot (like what's shown in the "D" piece of wood in the pic) would allow you to slide the wheel up and down, and to move the assembly horizontally w/out conflict.

Just thinking out loud......
Rick

[Mike Goetzke]

Originally Posted by bumpnstump

Seems the simplest might be to sink 4 machine screws where I've indicated in pic one. Screw a larger access hole on the top of the SME to access a short screw/bolt @ the touching parts of the SME.

Any chance to make out of wood, sized appropriately? Pic 2 is quick mock-up of the same principle as the SMEs. Slotted wood pieces, joined at 90˚ would work the same as the SMEs. Recessing the appropriate side of the wood at the slot (like what's shown in the "D" piece of wood in the pic) would allow you to slide the wheel up and down, and to move the assembly horizontally w/out conflict.

Just thinking out loud......
Rick

Rick/Others thanks for the help. Think on my scraps I will try fasteners at four corners like you show but use 1/4-20 bolts.

Similar to you second photo by using the large aluminum channel I will be able to slide the assemblies horizontally and the wheel vertically.

I'm a somewhat new turner but most steady rests I've seen are circular in shape. Some have had failures using wood incorrectly. Many use circular angle iron available from McMaster but I have an articulated hollowing system that has a laser pointer mounted to it. You set the distance of the laser from the cutter equal to the thickness you want the hollow form. When the laser falls off the hollow form you hit the target thickness. Some turners even use video to do the same thing. So the reason to make an open top steady is so you can still see the laser or video.

In the early days I thought EZ was a vortex for my wallet - try turning!

Thanks,

Mike