cross slide nut material

[Deny1950]

Hi I am thinking off making a new cross slide nut for my lathe to help take out some of the back lash out of it. I have tried to adjust it but dose seem to help, what would be a better the better material Derilin or acetel or brass ? If I remember wright I had seen a thread somewhere where they had used acetel and heat to form it onto the acme thread rod, dose that make sens or not? o r should one machine it? Thanks Denis

 

[kd4gij]

Brass would be the best. If you can get a tap for it. Also you can make a tap out of a piece of acme rod the right thread. I have read threads where thay did make them out of acetel by heating the screw and melting the threads in but I don't think I would go that rout. Brasswill hold up alot beter.

 

[astjp2]

If you do a split nut, you can adjust out any backlash as they wear. Tim

 

[Jimsehr]

If you do a split nut, you can adjust out any backlash as they wear. Tim

Google evanut.
It will tell you how to form the nut on the screw.
Jim

 

[Deny1950]

I do have a split brass nut with a screw in the center, but it dose not seem to take the lash out. I should take it out and see what the problem is? Thanks Denis

 

[jumps4]

some split nuts I have seen (imports) are not split deep enough. you might try to deepen the split before you replace the nut.
steve

 

[bvd1940]

Check the lash on your shaft ends for thrust slop, it might need shims on the thrust ends of the screw.:thinking:
just my 2 cents worth but what do I know:jester:

 

[caveBob]

My vote is acetal... If you google this, it ought to bring it right up: Making Acetal leadscrew nuts the easy way+Evan

FWIW, a while back I replaced the carriage nut bushings (3/8"L each) with a single 3" full length acetal bushing:

reamed



counterbored



Original bushings for scale/comparison:



It turns very smoothly but there is no wobble what so ever now. Haven't got there yet but will make the cross slide bearing referenced in that linky. Good luck with your project...

 

[Dan_S]

Most old school lathes I have seen use high quality bronze.

 

[Dranreb]

Hi Denny this may be the previous thread you saw..http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/13041-Acetal-Delrin-cross-slide-lead-screw-nut

I'm still using the nut I made but in my T slotted cross slide that I use for light milling on my Atlas and it's holding up OK for that, a good used nut for my normal cross slide came with some junk parts I scrounged so I never had the need to make another Acetal nut after the first one.

Bernard