Cross Slide Nut Material

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O.K., I've got an older Smithy and the cross slide nut is absolutely laughable. I have replaced it many times and am dead tired of the cheap soft brass material that wobbles around in the saddle socket hole. I wish to upgrade the nut by turning and milling a heftier unit to correct this problem.
I do know a number of members have purchased older lathes and made cross slide nuts from better materials. 230? TBS? what is a good acceptable grade of wear resistant brass used in this application?
Thanks in advance for y"all who answer.
 
I havnt done it my self but by all accounts of those that have is that delrin heat formed to the screw is a superb fix.
This will be my next upgrade to my lathe.
 
I generally make both a new screw and nut so that way they are matched together with a minimum amount of slop in the two pieces.
To make a really good screw, use a piece of T,G, and P, 1144 Stressproof or a good piece of drill rod. The nut, I always use 660 bronze or if I can, get a piece 454 Navel Bronze. I personally do not like using aluminum bronze or cast iron, which both will wear out your screw before the nut wears out! Ken
 
Agreed. Bronze is best for durability, while acetyl (search google for "evanut") is the easiest way to get practically zero backlash. But it will wear out faster than bronze. Actual DuPont Delrin is a more durable form of acetyl, so it should last "longer", but still not like bronze. At the rate I use my machines the Delrin is definitely my preference. If I were using them as much as Ken, and had his skill at turning threads precisely, I would go with bronze. Eventually I'll get there... :)
 
Most people who have used it for CNC builds don't complain about it, and that is a more demanding application (much more frequent movements and much lower tolerance for backlash) than most manual work that most of us use our machines for.
 
Considering Delrin is used for cam lobes in B&S engines I would guess that its durability is pretty good.

Cheers Phil
 
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