Yep, that's what I ended up doing. The rod is dead-straight, but I did find the problem and was able to fix it.If you can't see it wobble it's not bent enough to cause an issue. I would have suggested laying it flat along the bed (without its nut) would also work.
Aha! No. I was drifting off to sleep when an idea hit me. Rather than making the nut smaller to fit the spring (which would weaken it), it would be better to open up the 'keyway' slot!I was thinking that I could cut about 4-5mm out of the middle of that nut and place a spring between the two halves to make an anti-backlash nut. I think I might need to take a little off one of the rounded ends to account for the spring's expansion.
The Z axis has about 0.0012" backlash in the handle
Perhaps it is, Dieselman. May I borrow your time machine to go back to 1910, please?The nut is worn. Time for a new one
You're right, I did mean 12 thou.Could you conform that you have written the correct number there. That is 1.2 thousandths of an inch or 12 ten thousandths. That is very good.
That's a very good point that I hadn't considered. I'm just looking for little ways to make this machine as sweet as possible.Backlash in lathe screws is not so much a problem as on a mill as on a lathe you are always cutting in one direction so any lash is taken up as the tool touches the work.
Perhaps it is, Dieselman. May I borrow your time machine to go back to 1910, please?
Hahaha, too true. It was just the way you said 'time for a new one' like walking to the corner shop.Don’t get salty with me, get machining.