Did you see the Dick Stephen X3 conversion articles on Arc's site?
Thanks John no I didn't, certainly is an option if my little old lathe isn't up to the challenge.

Ok I'll share my secret machining technique here
Ta most appreciated, so your addition is the Knurling! nice.

I like the way you and Bogs always make everything sound so simple,

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.
thats my favorite bit, got plenty of big hammers

Dick has actually had a couple come loose but I feel that it's more they way he did it.
Is that because of the technique or the fact thats not been knurled?

Sorry to ask so many questions but I was just about to order some TC tooling but it looks like I need decent drills and reamers instead.....

Thanks again for the help