Re: Machining Ball Screws

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, Steven Ciciora
<sciciora@A...> wrote:

> How do you guys machine ball bearing lead screws? Over the past

several

> years I've read about people turning it on a lathe with carbide

tools,

> grinding off the hardened layer, heating up the end to be machined

to

> soften the hardened layer, and shrink-fitting it on to a piece of

machined

> steel, with sometimes welding it on when done. Now it's time for

me to

> give it a try. I'm about to order some 5/8" Thomson Saginaw screws

from

> Reid tool. I have an enco 9"x20" lathe, but they are notorious for
> flexing, so I'm not sure if it will be up to the task of machining

the ends

> down.
>
> What have you tried and how did it work?
>
> Thanks for your time,
>
> - Steven Ciciora
>
> P.S. Why do the flanges cost more, and wiper kits cost twice as

much as the

> nuts?!?

Another option for fitting the screw ends would be to
make a shrink fit by boring out the screw ends.
They are only surface hardened and boring a hole into
the center of the material where the screw is soft will
work without problems.
The area over this shrink fit would probably be slightly
expanded so the nut should not be expected to run over this
area.
Good Luck