RE: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] welding linear shafts

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Jon Elson [mailto:jmelson@...]
>Richard Spelling wrote:
>> Considering that linear shafting, even Thompson, is reasonably priced unless

you want mounting holes drilled and tapped...

>> Any reason I can't weld mounts on the shaft? Assuming I take reasonable

precautions to keep the shaft clean?

>...Why don't YOU drill the holes? You could use solid carbide drills,
>or maybe even do a little heat treating right at the location of the hole to

anneal

>the rod.

I believe that in many cases these rods are only hard at the surface, so if you
grind or mill (using a carbide endmill) flats on the top and bottom of the rod,
you can then drill and counterbore using regular HSS tooling. The milled flat
also gives you a better surface shape for starting a drill than does the top of
a round rod.
-Kevin

p.s. the brazing suggestion probably won't help. Most people don't have the
facilities for "arc brazing" if such a process even exists, and brazing with
oxyacetylene will produce much more heat distortion than a quick mig or tig weld
will.