Photo Index - Railey Backrest Co. - Lathe steady-rest

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Railey Backrest Co.
Boston, MA

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Lathe, Wood
Machine Size:
Submitted By:	Jeff Joslin

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Lathe steady-rest
Date of Manufacturer:	Ca. 1875
Serial Number:
Last Updated	10/24/2005 10:18:10 PM

Comments:

This lathe steady-rest is, at this time, the only evidence we have that this maker ever existed. We have found no patents, ads, other machines, or mentions anywhere on the great wide Internet.

The steady-rest is a past for-sale item from AmericanArtifacts.com. Here is the text from the listing there:

"The base is marked 'Frank K. Moore Woodworking Machinery, Boston, Mass'. The upper and lower rollers both pivot and clamp with hand wheels. The horizontal slide also clamps via a hand wheel. Vertical adjustment is by means of a 1 1/2" diameter post, clamped with a set screw. The base is 14 1/2" long by 4" wide. A T-slot approx 1 3/8" wide with a 5/8" bolt slot is provided to secure the rest to a large lathe."

Update: David Lamb wrote to tell me that this steady-rest design is known as the Bailey patent rest and was made in Claremont, NH for a time. David suspects that Moore may have been a dealer. That's certainly possible; Moore's name is cast into this steady rest but that can be done for a dealer as long as he orders enough at once.

Here is the patent for this steady rest. Co-inventors are John Tyler and John W. Bailey, both of Claremont, NH. While the patent was in effect it was made by the Bailey Back Rest Co. of Boston.
http://www.datamp.org/displayPatent.php?number=301185

Photo 1:

Comments:
Source: Image courtesy and copyright Richard Van Vleck, AmericanArtifacts.com

Direct Link
IMG Code

Photo 2:

Comments:
Source: Image courtesy and copyright Richard Van Vleck, AmericanArtifacts.com

Direct Link
IMG Code