From: muratlanne@gmail.com   
      
   "Snag"  wrote in message news:68053d6b$6$5278$882e4bbb@reader.netnews.com...   
      
   On 4/19/2025 11:41 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:   
   > On 4/18/2025 6:45 PM, Snag wrote:   
   >>    Since no one currently has X axis leadscrew nuts available for my RF45   
   >> clone mill , I must make one . So I ordered a piece of acetal/ delrin .   
   >> I've been studying videos of heat forming a nut to your leadscrew, all   
   >> looks fairly easy . I'll use a piece probably about 2X2X3 for the nut . I   
   >> bought a chunk that turns out to be 2 1/2X3X12 ... just in case it takes   
   >> more than one attempt .   
   >   
   >   
   > Let us know how it goes.  I first heard of heat forming Delrin nuts right   
   > here on this group years ago.  For my application I went with a spring   
   > loaded anti backlash Delrin nut from DumpsterCNC back then instead.  I   
   > don't think DumpsterCNC is still around.   
   >   
      
      This is interesting , your text did not show up in the post over on   
   e-s but it did here on blocknews ...   
      
      Now to the meat of the sammich . I have been out in the shop all   
   morning making a tap* to match - pretty closely - the leadscrew on the   
   mill . The plan as of right now is to tap the hole I have made in a   
   chunk of that delrin . I'm hoping for a tight fit so I can heat the   
   leadscrew to finish forming the threads without splitting the nut . If   
   it's loose I'll slice the nut in half and heat/clamp to finish forming   
   the threads . If it's too tight to thread on I can split one side to get   
   it on the leadscrew and heat form from there .   
      *I still have to form the flutes on that tap . I'm thinking a 1/2 or   
   3/8 ball end mill With the tap held in a 4 sided collet holder or maybe   
   do 6 flutes since this tap is just under an inch . I used a chunk of   
   1.25" rebar for the tap since it was the closest in size to the finished   
   product and I hate wasting material . I'm not planning on hardening it ,   
   this will likely be the only time it will ever be used .   
      I also have 9 inches of 2 1/2 inch square aluminum stock coming to   
   make a holder for the nut . Probably only use a couple of inches , but   
   hay , I'll have stock for other projects down the road .   
      
      shop break   
      
     Well , the tap idea isn't going to work , I guess I'll stop and   
   rethink my approach . But at least I was outta my wife's hair for the   
   whole morning !   
   --   
   Snag   
   --------------------------------   
   I did see Bob's post on E-S.   
      
   For a single use tap you could flute it with one corner of a square ended   
   endmill, perhaps one with dull corners that you beveled sharp again, using   
   your endmill fixture at the back relief instead of the cutting edge angle.   
   If a hard spot in the rebar dulls it you can regrind it the same way. It's   
   my go-to endmill for roughing steel of uncertain parentage and upbringing.   
      
   A tap drill size pilot plug on the tap may help keep it centered and   
   straight.   
      
   In aluminum at least unhardened steel dulls quickly.   
      
   I will soon try making a tool from a scrap of broken rock drill pipe, and   
   see how easy to saw and turn it is.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)