Best way to machine ball screws?

[z3t4]

Hi Ross

Did you see the Dick Stephen X3 conversion articles on Arc's site?
He turned extensions out of mild steel (with all the clever stuff on for the bearings etc) then machined a narrow shaft on these extensions, to insert and loctite into reamed holes in the ballscrews. Avoids the need for angle grinder / special tooling.

Seems that this is an alternative to

• machining the screw itself (using proper tooling and skill like John's got)
• machining the screw itself (using < grinder to de-skin screw)
• buying pre-machined
• paying somebody to do it.

As a complete newb I'd probably get pre-machined, but Dick Stephen's method does at least seem accessible.

John

[John S]

Dick has actually had a couple come loose but I feel that it's more they way he did it.

Ok I'll share my secret machining technique here, anyone of a gentle disposition needs to shut their eyes at this point.

You drill and ream the hole in the end of the screw and put a slight countersink on so the new slug fit flush, now get an oversized slug of material and turn down for a nice slip fit into the hole, turn a tad over, allow to cool then polish with emery cloth, again don't get it too hot.

Then put a light to medium STRAIGHT knurl onto the last half of the spigot, that's the bit up to the shoulder, smear with the shaft fit Loctite and with the end of the ballscrew held between alloy or brass plates in the vise, push the slug in and whack seven shades of shït out of it until it's flush.

Fit into the lathe and take a light facing cut , centre drill and support.
Then do all the machining needed and believe me that puppy isn't going to shift until hell freezes over and with Global Warming that's not likely.


you want 30 to 40mm inside the screw