Steady Rests and Follower Rests

Steady rests and follower rests are lathe accessories that hold a long workpiece steady during turning. Steady rests are mounted to the bed and do not move with the lathe. They ensure concentricity, but limit the length of the supporting cut. Follower rests are so named because they attach to the saddle and move along with or "follow" the lathe. Typically, steady rests are used to provide support for longer cuts. Both steady rests and follower rests are used with cylindrical parts and round stock that cannot be center-mounted in a tailstock. They keep the workpiece from wobbling and ensure that a drilled hole will be concentric with the outside diameter (OD) of the part.