Are there replacement half nuts for 10200 lathes?

[o0norton0o]

My half nuts are not totally gone, but they have some wear. I have seen some aftermarket brass alloy half nuts made for other lathes that are still softer than the lead screw, but harder than the originals on my 10200 MK2. What are the known options to replace the half nuts on my MK2, or maybe even upgrade them? thanks in advance...

 

[markba633csi]

If it has a metric leadscrew then I think your only option is to get them from Clausing
AFAIK no one makes aftermarket ones for the metric MK2

 

[Huub Buis]

If you upgrade the half nuts to some harder metal, the spindle will wear faster and it is cheaper to replace the half nuts than to replace the spindle.

You could try to make spare half nuts now the lathe is still in working order. Making them from POM (hard plastic) makes things easier. Once you know how to do it, making them from brass / bronze could be the next step.

 

[o0norton0o]

I sent an email off to clausing. I visited their website and it didn't look like they had parts for old machines.... I'd love to be wrong about that,

My thinking was that a brass half nut would still be softer than the steel lead screw so the brass would suffer all the wear, not the steel. The brass would also be harder than the original composite material so it might be a permanent upgrade....(like the metal gibs that I installed in place of the original plastic ones)

 

[o0norton0o]

I called Clausing. They had 6 pairs of the metric half nuts in stock for my machine. They were $4. per pair so I ordered 2 pair. I will have an extra new set just in case I crash the carriage and strip the soon to be new ones. It was Part # 537-191 (makes the metric half nut information searchable through the part number)

 

[Huub Buis]

That is a very cheap spare part you get/got. Great service from Clausing

 

[wa5cab]

I was told once upon a time that to order repair parts for machines considered obsolete, which includes all of the Atlas machines, you needed to call the factory.

 

[o0norton0o]

Isn't Clausing considered "the factory" for an atlas clausing lathe?

I thought it was insane that they still had those parts in stock seeing how they are probably a high wear item and on such an old piece of equipment . Even more insane was that they cost $4.27 per set. At that price, I had to order 2 sets assuming that I'll eventually crash the carriage into the headstock or the tailstock at some point and the new half nuts will be mangled.

 

[wa5cab]

Note that as of the last report, they are only stocking the metric half nuts for the MK 2. I haven't had occasion to call them lately so I don't know whether or not they will re-order when these are gone or not. Several MK 1 owners need to call them and try to order for those machines..

 

[o0norton0o]

I got my 2 pair of replacement half nuts and replaced the worn pair in my carriage. It definitely tightened up the carriage play with the half nuts engaged. It looks like most of the wear was on one half nut more than the other. Still useable in a pinch, but it's nice to have new tight nuts!