Kenneth

In addition, ensure the work has been turned concentric to center where the fixed steady jaws will come to bear and keep the jaws well oiled where they contact the work.

Bill

You may find Kenneth my web pages on using fixed and travelling steadies useful. This can be found here

Incidentally, if you need to support a part quite close to the chuck then a three jaw chuck is unlikely to be accurate enough. This, especially at larger diameters and in particular if the reverse jaws have to be used. My web pages cover this and many other aspects of using steadies. The reason for this is that the workpiece is likely to walk out of the chuck jaws, and quite quickly if the error is too large.

Also, unless the workpiece is supported by the tailstock centre, then Clive's method is essential in my opinion.

Harold

That patent idea looks very fiddly. How about the mini-lathe style that uses a threaded adjuster through the end of the steady finger and screwing into a hole in the finger fixing bolt? The fingers have slots for the fixing bolts. They are very easy to adjust

Neil

P.S. simple mod for owners – saw or file off the front corners in the gap, then you can fit larger stock without threading on from the end and it won't compromise the strength of the steady casting.