Haven’t found a decent price on a steady rest for the new lathe. Got me thinking that with the plasma cutter up now, it wouldn’t be too touch to make one from 1/2" mild steel plate.
Walter,
Indeed, there are some things that just can’t be done on the lathe without a steady rest to prevent the deflection. Tom of Oxtool gives an 11 episode series on making one big ass, heavy duty steady rest; I am sure that we can do with some thing much lighter and smaller. What kind of pricing have you been encountering? Isn’t the cutting force on steel on the order of hundreds of force-pounds not thousands, which his steady rest could resist?
It could be done. Especially if we make it trussed.
And good trusses probably have good heavy weldments. 
BTW, the relay switch is in and I put it on the lathe cross slide. Got another excuse saying “Sorry, your plug is being delayed.”