RE: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] anti-back lash nuts

Bob,



If you are serious about finish on parts as well as accuracy I would
recommend you spend your time and money on finding and fitting ball screws
on your lathe. I have seen a lot of machines modified for CNC use, and a
lot of kludges to reduce back lash on some of these machines. Some of them
work to some extent. I am sure there are people who will swear they maintain
a mirror finish with a tenths accuracy using strings and tin cans, and
perhaps do just that, with a huge investment of time and modifications and
making do, and much risk of failures.



I have tried tightening nuts on lead screws by several different methods,
and none of them worked well for long.. The single best improvement I have
ever made on a lathe or mill has been the addition of ball screws. I
understand it may not be convenient, or cheap, or easily done. But even
with all the problems with fitting ball screws (and by the way you do need
ball screws that are of the zero backlash style) I recommend you
investigate methods to do just that..



Jim DuBois



From: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of zs6bxi
Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2007 2:59 AM
To: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] anti-back lash nuts



Apart from alot of lurking, I think that is the first time that i have
posted to the group. I have an elderly Boxford lathe that I am moving
towards using CAD-CAM on (mainly for taper turning screw cutting etc.)I
have pulled the cross slide feed screw and nut out and am looking to
see what can be done to improve the back lash. (its not bad for its age
and being a lathe as well)I have seen several references to slitting of
nuts, adding of extra nuts and spring pressure and using other sections
of treaded rod as a nut. But what I would like to know and get advice
on before I start slitting my expensive to replace nuts is, how
sucessful have these methods been ?

Regards Bob





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