warco/amadeal 250-550 lathe

[Roger WebsterParticipant @rogerwebster39184]

I have the amadeal 250 lathe fitted with a Rocketronics electric lead screw.

All operates as it should but I notice there is only one half nut and there is some wear on this item after only moderate hobby use

Does the Warco lathe have a pair of half nuts?

I intend to modify my lathe and fit a pair of half nuts to reduce the stress and wear on this item

As a stop gap and to allow the lathe to be used to make some bushes etc I have fitted a 16mm x 5mm pitch cheap ball screw and spindle.

It works suprisingly well. I was concerned about the increased pitch from 2 to 5mm but no problems so far with fine feed rates and the Y axis motor overheating

[Roger WebsterParticipant @rogerwebster39184]

lead screw half nuts

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Roger

Shouldn't be any wear issues with only one half nut on a hobby lathe. A fair number of respected industrial machines had that configuration with no reported issues of premature wear.

Colchester and Kerry are the two makes I have experience of having actually seen such nuts in perfectly useable condition after significant use.

Nut wear is frequently an alignment issue. The requirements are surprisingly stringent and, given the constructional layout, quite difficult when a lathe needs to be made to sell at a hobbyist friendly price.

Clive

[Roger WebsterParticipant @rogerwebster39184]

Yes I can see there is some miss alignment with wear on the half nut carrier bushes.

I have made a beefed up double carrier and will attempt to realign the half nut, carrier, lead screw and bushes

Could be difficult!!!

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

If it is possible to cast them in situ with babbit then perfect alignment will be automatic

Edited By Ady1 on 22/07/2023 17:03:13

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