ball screw / endblock machining (was Rochester, NY, search...)

Les -

I'd be interested in taking a look at your bearing block design as
well, if possible, to compare against mine. I don't have a
toolpost grinder, so I'm hoping I can get close enough on my
lathe, taking very light cuts. What part requires grinding? I
was just planning to get a really close sliding fit on the
diameters for the bearings, and machine the shoulder in the same
setup for squareness. Ditto for the ballscrew.

Also, who's your source for $30 paired angular contact ABEC 1's?
(what size?)

Thanks in advance,

Carlos Guillermo
VERVE Engineering & Design

-----Original Message-----
From: Les Watts [mailto:leswatts@...]
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2001 9:00 AM
To: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@egroups.com
Subject: Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Rochester, NY, search lathe service
machine ends ball screw

<snip>
The ballscrews are usually hardened. I leave them hard and use
carbide or
grinding to cut through the case. The core is
about rc40 or so for many. It is soft enough to do the bearing
locknut threads and other machining. End machining must be very
accurate. I
use a Themac j40 tool post grinder.

My bearing block design uses duplexed 40 degree angular contact
bearings in
the db configuration. It provides a "fixed" type support. I use
ABEC1 in
most but sometimes ABEC5 or 7. A pair of ABEC1's are about $30.
ABEC7's are
about $150.
(that is just for the bearings)
I am a bit far away to do your machining for you but I would be
glad to
share my bearing endblock design if you want. I can send a .dxf.

<snip>
Leslie Watts
L M Watts Furniture
Tiger, Georgia USA
http://www.rabun.net/~leswatts/wattsfurniturewp.html