It sounds like my post might have confused some people. I’m not going to try any make balls-crews, right now I’m planning on buying precision ball screws and nuts from industrial hobbies as well as angular contact bearings.
1.
http://www.industrialhobbies.com/Mer...t_Code=5-8_PBS
2.
http://www.industrialhobbies.com/Mer...t_Code=5-8_PBN
3.
http://www.industrialhobbies.com/Mer...egory_Code=odd
I drew this up in AC real quick. The ball-screw is white, angular contact bearing red, “thrust nut” green, and locking nut blue. The pulley would mount on the end. At most I would be looking at turning down the last 2 inches of each end like this.
All the mini lathes I have looked at have spindle bores of between .75” and .8” so I won’t have a problem getting the ball screw through. I think with regard to the free end whipping, I could take care of that with an oversized bearing or two, and some kind of simple wood jig.
So it sounds to me like I can do it I just need to go slow and take small cuts?