5 inch steady rest for Leblond 19 lathe

[Toolmaker51]

.........found a few occasions was to machine a sleeve to slip fit the stock being turned with an OD that pressed fit into the 65 mm ID of the inner race of the bearing the balls came out of.

My same attempts weren't satisfactory. Used a bearing on OD of rough roller, 8" OD about 50" long, spud shafts at each end [either turned from solid or pressed and welded -no joint or cracks] that one end turned for light press-fit, driven by a 4 jaw. Surface not metallized, sleeved or plated. And yes, clamp plate was on right.
OK-ish lathe, not one that I'd buy, but ran alright before and after.
Incident plastered my concept best machines have a loo...ong space between spindle bearings, curves like a girl - not corners llike a box, grey paint over thick glazing compound, and either cast brass or stamped charts; NOT SCREENPRINTED!
Finally, brand name or place of origin shouldn't have more vowels consonants IYKWIM?

Set up to rebore center-drill first. Nothing said bearing was even questionable. Nothing would arrest chatter; tool height, clearance, corner radius, carbide, HSS, steady rest contact, center grease.... Only thing I conjured up was not being in a housing didn't put that slight bind on outer race most need to run at design load, even though inner race 'thought' it was on a shaft.