steady rest for small 7x 10 lathe

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I was working with a piece of pipe almost as long as the lathe and needed a steady rest fast (and cheap).. I had seen some pics of other steady rests for other lathes made with a hex shape.Hex =3 120 degree angles, so would support the pipe at 3 even points..Did not want to find a big chunk of metal to make a ring shape out of so just used some 3/4" tubing..What I did was set the protractor-combo square against a large bolt head, and then set the bandsaw up against that. The tube was cut pretty much dead nuts..Other than that it is just a piece of angle iron and a flat plate welded together was clamped to lathe before tacking, the angle fits right ovver the dovetail on the lathes bed.(No way to mill that out of one piece hence the welded together pieces) ..Doesnt slide tightly/accurately but it bolts down very tight.. This is very crude and probably not perfectly square and centered but it worked fine,and cost 8$ to make.
Reply:Hey ak,That's called "improvising" & can be quite effective when nothing else is readily available in a pinch. You did good.........DennyComplete Welding/Machine/Fab. ShopMobile UnitFinally retired*Moderator*"A man's word is his honor...without honor there is nothing.""Words are like bullets.... Once they leave your muzzle, you cannot get them back."