Shopsmith Forums

I have been speaking to Carter Products, the maker of Bandsaw accessories, they have just released the "[font=Arial","sans-serif]MultiRest[/font]" a very interesting multipurpose steady rest that they said would fit "any" lathe. I was interested so I contacted them and asked if it would fit the Shopsmith in lathe mode.

Their first answer was "yes, I think", then [font=Arial","sans-serif]Jeff Folkert got back to me and said no the standard one would not fit BUT they wanted to work with someone to get it to work.[/font]

[font=Arial","sans-serif]They offered me or anyone else on this forum [font=Arial","sans-serif]free shipping and a 15% discount on any bandsaw related items like blades or guide kits if you were willing to work with them to figure out if the MultiRest will work on your lathe.[/font][/font]

[font=Arial","sans-serif][font=Arial","sans-serif]The MultiRest is not inexpensive but it is unique for serious lathe users. I am looking to get one for Hanukkah which is not in their timeframe.[/font][/font]

http://www.carterproducts.com/multirest/multirest%20sales%20sheet.pdf

[font=Arial","sans-serif][font=Arial","sans-serif]PM me if you are interested and I can get you the contact information.[/font][/font]

Can the clamp from the bottom of the speed reducer or the speed increaser be used? I believe that they are using a bolt through the bottom blue metal block and another block under the ways of the lathe. If the bolt was made longer then the speed reducer bracket can be used. Should be possible.
Bill V

From the pdf

"The base of the MultiRest has independently adjustable spacer blocks that provide a secure fit on lathe beds with way sizes from 1” to 4.5” in width."

I'm not sure of the way tube width I think 6+" or so?

It looks like it should be relatively easy to adapt. Maybe just a couple blocks of wood would do the trick.

I would be happy to help them out, but I have a real problem spending more on a steady rest than I would on a whole 510 with accessories...

damagi wrote:I would be happy to help them out, but I have a real problem spending more on a steady rest than I would on a whole 510 with accessories...

Holy SMOKES!! I just saw the price tag.

I'll make my own if and when I need one. If they're going to give me one to experiment with, that's a different story.

Hi All,

Some 6-7 yrs. ago I helped a friend of mine, who is a machinist/welder, design and build a steady rest to fit my Shopsmith. It is your basic heavy duty steady rest except for how you mount it, and that part is easy to make also (after trying a few different designs we found the simplest one worked the best).

I will take some photos of it and send them to Carter Products and see if they can use my friends and my design. I will post something when if and when I hear something back from them.

Also, I to think the price is on the very high side for a steady rest. The one I built for my SS cost about $40.00 to make, with the wheels being the most expensive parts. Mine is made of solid steel parts welded and bolted together. I have made others and sold them for $200 (had to factor in cost of labor, etc). Made a nice profit. But $350, that's a bit much.

I have also been able to mount a used tailstock from an old lathe onto my Shopsmith. After some careful measurements we welded some SS mounting tubes (used for SPTs) to a steel plate, and then welded that on the bottom of the tailstock. Works great, just like an actual lathe. Now I don't have to use the Shopsmiths spindle to mount projects between the drive centers. I use the tailstock's adjustable spindle just like I do on my Powermatic and Laguna Tools lathes. Very nice upgrade indeed.

woodburner wrote:Hi All,

Some 6-7 yrs. ago I helped a friend of mine, who is a machinist/welder, design and build a steady rest to fit my Shopsmith. It is your basic heavy duty steady rest except for how you mount it, and that part is easy to make also (after trying a few different designs we found the simplest one worked the best).

I will take some photos of it and send them to Carter Products and see if they can use my friends and my design. I will post something when if and when I hear something back from them.

Also, I to think the price is on the very high side for a steady rest. The one I built for my SS cost about $40.00 to make, with the wheels being the most expensive parts. Mine is made of solid steel parts welded and bolted together. I have made others and sold them for $200 (had to factor in cost of labor, etc). Made a nice profit. But $350, that's a bit much.

I have also been able to mount a used tailstock from an old lathe onto my Shopsmith. After some careful measurements we welded some SS mounting tubes (used for SPTs) to a steel plate, and then welded that on the bottom of the tailstock. Works great, just like an actual lathe. Now I don't have to use the Shopsmiths spindle to mount projects between the drive centers. I use the tailstock's adjustable spindle just like I do on my Powermatic and Laguna Tools lathes. Very nice upgrade indeed.

photos please

Since these items are still for sell, I'm reluctant to post photos except to those who are interested in buying something. I am afraid of someone duplicating and selling what my friend designed and manufactured out of his shop. I'm sure you will understand.

Now if anyone is interested in a purchase, send me an email or private message. Maybe we can do some business. You can see my friends website with all the different steady rests at:
www.ar-liberty.com
To order one for a Shopsmith, it is a special order of the 16" model. Just let him know when ordering that it is for a Shopsmith. There are photos of them at that site.

woodburner wrote:Since these items are still for sell, I'm reluctant to post photos except to those who are interested in buying something. I am afraid of someone duplicating and selling what my friend designed and manufactured out of his shop. I'm sure you will understand.

Now if anyone is interested in a purchase, send me an email or private message. Maybe we can do some business. You can see my friends website with all the different steady rests at:
www.ar-liberty.com
To order one for a Shopsmith, it is a special order of the 16" model. Just let him know when ordering that it is for a Shopsmith. There are photos of them at that site.

I was meaning photos of your lathe tailstock. I have seen a few others, but every new reference is useful...and I assume your buddy doesn't make those as a normal thing. Also, what lathe did your tailstock come from originally? Most of the adaptations I have seen like this used a tailstock from something like an atlas lathe or whatnot and they ended up mounting to the way tubes. Using a table trunion from the extension table is a really good idea.

By your comment "I don't use the shopsmith's spindle..." am I correct in assuming you mean that you leave the quill fully retracted, but instead use the tailstock since yours has the movability.

damagi wrote:I was meaning photos of your lathe tailstock. I have seen a few others, but every new reference is useful...and I assume your buddy doesn't make those as a normal thing. Also, what lathe did your tailstock come from originally? Most of the adaptations I have seen like this used a tailstock from something like an atlas lathe or whatnot and they ended up mounting to the way tubes. Using a table trunion from the extension table is a really good idea.

By your comment "I don't use the shopsmith's spindle..." am I correct in assuming you mean that you leave the quill fully retracted, but instead use the tailstock since yours has the movability.

I'd also be interested in seeing photos of the tailstock mod and an explanation of what advantages there are on the Shopsmith to using a tailstock that extends versus getting the needed extension via the Shopsmith spindle.