3D printed cross feed nut!

[Ststephen7]

OK… here it is… my new cross feed nut arrived today! It looks an exact match for the original, other than the hole in the original is off center (as you can see in one of the pictures). If I had purchased an Atlas or South Bend I probably would have simply purchased one on ebay or something. And... Sheldon parts are not that easy to come by.

I told Dennis at FDM prints (FDMprints@gmail.com) that I had almost a half turn of backlash. I sent along the screw so he could make the nut fit as well as possible. The screw, of course, has the most wear in the center, so the new nut is pretty tight at the ends, and perfect in the middle of the screw. He also made a 3D printed change gear to replace a stripped formica/fiber gear.

2 things... I have no affiliation with Dennis or his company (I found him selling 3D printed gears on ebay). In my limited experience I feel he did a great job with both the gear and the nut; he is very easy to work with, very affordable, and relatively quick turnaround. And... He would not tell me what the gear or nut is made from, so... I cannot help you there.

My backlash is now less than 0.003… which I think is perfect.

Once I get some time under my belt perhaps I’ll attempt to make myself a new cross feed screw.

I'm planning to post this in several forums/categories, as I think a lot of people might be interested in hearing about a 3D printed cross feed nut. It that is not OK either delete them, or ask me to, and I will oblige.

Steve

 

[magicniner]

I'd guess Nylon or Delrin, I print both on my Prusa I3 Clone and both would be good for the application.

 

[middle.road]

Delrin would be perfect for this type of application.

 

[benmychree]

Bah, humbug! The only proper material for a cross feed nut is bronze or cast iron, and they are not at all hard to make by single point threading.

 

[middle.road]

Bah, humbug! The only proper material for a cross feed nut is bronze or cast iron, and they are not at all hard to make by single point threading.

Ah come on - it's the 21st century, embrace the technology!

 

[Ststephen7]

I imagine that once I feel more confident I will make myself another nut of bronze (if only as a project). And having never used a lathe before, and feeling like I needed a more reasonable amount of backlash to even use this thing, I got myself a working nut. I don't have a mill (yet), so making a nut is more involved than simply turning some threads...

 

[Trip]

https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/acetal-delrin-cross-slide-lead-screw-nut.13041/ Made new Acetal x and y nuts for my index 40H mill with the method in the link worked extremely well .

 

[Ststephen7]

Nice job with that!

 

[4ssss]

Bah, humbug! The only proper material for a cross feed nut is bronze or cast iron, and they are not at all hard to make by single point threading.

I agree

 

[woodchucker]

mmmm, how long do you think it ill hold up for?
A good use of a 3d printer might be to make a taper wiper... to clean mt and r8 tapers
nuts, of pl1, I just don't think it will hold up.