Drilling And Tapping A Ball Screw

[jpfabricator]

The burke millrite I bought was already equiped with a metric ball screw and ball nut. Im having a problem with the ball screw has no threads for a nut or stud on the ends, and keeping backlash out of the table is near impossible. The only way the screw is held in between the thrust bearings is by the setscrews in the manual crank handels.
I know the ball screw is hardened as a file glides across it with no marks left.
What would be the most effective way of eliminating my problem (ie threading or drilling and tapping the ends of the ball screw)?

Sent from somewhere in East Texas Jake Parker

 

[JimDawson]

I suspect the the ball screw is not hard all the way through. It is probably case hardened or some other surface hardening treatment. I suspect that once you get under the surface, that it is machinable. Try drilling the end and see what happens.

The most common and simplest method is to tension the ball screw against thrust bearings with a nut on each end of the table. Another method is to allow one end of the ball screw to float in a bearing, and all of the thrust management is done on one end.

 

[jpfabricator]

Thank you Jim. I will give that a shot

Sent from somewhere in East Texas Jake Parker

 

[Silverbullet]

If all else fails you could grind a flat for the set screw to lock into.