Quote Originally Posted by Kip View Post
Have you learnt that threaded rod isn't leadscrew yet?

Seems cheap enough to buy the real thing instead of using the TR in it's stead?

No, I've not learnt that! (I use the term generically, else I'll be saying things like "the threaded rod that drives my planes back & forward"...not exactly punchy is it?)

If you mean buying leadscrew instead of threaded rod - again no I've not learnt that - Why? Because the leadscrew rod isn't the end of it...for example, diy I can't make drive nuts for proper leadscrew (I can for M8...cost about a quid per nut)...& proper drive nuts cost a fortune x 3. Then there's the getting the leadscrew machined to 'dovetail' with your own mounts/ couplings, then the mounts themselves etc....& on it goes.

I'd love to have proper leadscrews, but the attraction of cheap threaded rod is *very* powerful (even after all the grief - but that's why I posted up ...to save others who in these credit crunching times perhaps haven't got that much money to throw at a hobby).

Seems there are two types when it comes to CNC building...

1. Hobbyists who aren't even sure if they'll use their CNC much & are perhaps just up for the challenge (that'll be me)...they don't want to throw too much money at the project (but have tiome a plenty to get creative & re-use bits & bobs towards their build)

2. Those that are serious about CNC'ing and are prepared to throw some dosh at it!

At the end of the day, I'm a bloke who's made a CNC machine out of old dot matrix printers to cut little bits of plastic up into suitable shapes...my pockets aren't very deep for this project....so proper leadscrews & drive nuts are out.