Fixed Steady from Pipe Flanges?

[f350ca]

I don't think the steel construction will be a problem Dave, I made one years ago, actually a hollow section out of steel and it worked quite well. Didn't bother to have mine open. saved a lot of work and it wasn't that big a disadvantage. I don't like roller ends on the fingers, the one on my big lathe has them, if any cuttings get back there they want to go under the roller with not pretty results. That one probably weighs a hundred pounds, goes on with the crane, it had what I thought was a chinsy plastic knobed bolt to hold it closed. One day while using it a large cutting got back there and tried to go under the roller, it couldn't so that plastic head shattered allowing the steady to open, sort of a safety valve. If it couldn't probably would have twisted the long shaft. Brass pads are a bit of a pain but fool proof.