johnsmachines

Hooray!

Today I collected the lead screw after the ends were machined by Statewide Linear Bearings.

I decided to drive the 100km each way to pick it up, in preference to using a courier.  I wanted to ensure that all of the small bits were there, and also just to make sure it was handled properly.  Mostly freeway, listening to Dan Carlin on the Persian-Greek wars, so it was a pleasant way  to have 3-4 hours to myself.  (If you do not know about Dan Carlin, Google him and download an episode.  If history at school had been like this, we would all be history addicts.)

This is the lead screw, ends machined, and support bearings fitted.  1100mm long. 28mm dia

All good, except that the nut was back to front.  That nut is pre-tensioned, which means that the 2 halves are separated by a precisely machined washer.  I was nervous about removing it and replacing it the correct way around.  However I had previously asked the ball screw expert about that aspect, so armed with the technique I made up a sleeve of the correct size, removed the nut and replaced it.   No balls fell out.   So all good!  The above picture shows the nut in its correct position.

The nut.  Looks expensive?  Is expensive.  And beautiful.

The machined driven end.   $AUD250 machining there.  But it is perfectly done.

And with the support bearing installed.  A pulley for the HTD belt goes on the distal bit of shaft.