Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Affordable ball screws

John wrote:

>
> How would you set about converting a standard screw to ball screw? The first
> thing I checked out on our school's Bridgeport was what the screws looked
> like and they have a square twist like profile whereas the ballscrews on my
> lathe are nicely rounded (For the ball bearings) obviously. Would converting
> a screw mean opening up the profile for the ball bearings?

I really don't think you can convert an Acme screw to a ballscrew. Why not
just start with a steel shaft and grind the thread profile into it. That's how the
'pros' do it. Making the screw is a standard lathe job, but making the nut
is a bit trickier. You need to have a fairly intricately shaped internal grinding
wheel that clears the inside of the nut. Tricky, for sure.

Yes, an Acme screw has a nearly square tooth cross section.

Jon