Lathe Steady Rest Design...

RobH, don’t know if this is what you are talking about.

http://www.bigtreetools.com/products/steady-rest.html

-- MARK IN BOB, So. CAL

Is this the style you are looking for?

From wood stuff 2009

Oneway lathes sell a commercial version if you can’t make one yourself.

This style is often used ffor spindles too

From wood stuff 2009

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

I’ve been playing around with making a steady rest for my old craftsman lathe.
Here’s some photos of the work-in-progress to date.
http://picasaweb.google.com/summerspa53/EvolutionOfTheSteadyRest#
http://picasaweb.google.com/summerspa53/EvolutionOfTheSteadyRest02#
Today I’m going to try at totally different direction…1/2 allthread with wooden cross members and nut/washer combos to adjust the play…of course photos will follow.

-- Pete, "It isn't broken, you just aren't using it right."

Just favourited this http://lumberjocks.com/toyguy/blog/13485 maybe it can help.

-- "Checking for square? what madness is this! The cabinet is square because I will it to be so!" Jeremy Greiner LJ Topic#20953 2011 Feb 2