On 9/6/2011 6:33 PM, Andrew wrote:
Just a couple of thoughts:John Z,
Thanks for the well written article. Now I have ANOTHER mod to do.
My Y table squeaks like crazy when turning the handle. This should solve
the problem.
David Clark of Maryland is still offering FREE thrust washers, so be sure see his post in this thread about getting his snail mail address to send a SASE to...!
The Y-axis leadscrew has left hand threads. The black thrust washer as shown in my last post, only really comes into play when cranking the Y-axis hand wheel clockwise in order to move the table towards the back of the machine. (Equal and opposite reactions, the leadscrew pushes the table back and so itself is pushed forward in return. That is when the leadscrew shoulder wears on the retainer if there is no lubricated thrust washer in there.)
I did not elect to use the second washer for when cranking the hand wheel counter-clockwise, which is when the table moves forward towards the operator and the leadscrew is thus drawn in. IIRC, David put a second thrust washer in between the graduated dial and the "Y-axis Leadscrew Retainer".
At least on my particular machine, there is a slightly raised metal lip at the center of the leadscrew retainer and graduated dial that acts like a thrust washer already. Again, at least on mine with it's goofy 62 and one half markings for the 16 TPI leadscrew, this already provides for nice smooth going when cranking counterclockwise (moving the table forward towards the operator). Adding a thrust washer between the graduated dial:
and the leadscrew retainer that the dial goes up against:
just opened up a gap in between them which I did not care for, since I tend to get all messy with my little machines, and didn't want any nasty swarf making its way down in between them. So I ultimately removed that 2nd washer after testing both with and without it, and only ended up using the inner thrust washer (for when cranking clockwise, as shown in the last post). Works for me without the 2nd washer just fine. YMMV. Widely, even. So try both ways and see what suits you best.. :-)
Cheers,
John Z. of York, Pennsylvania
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