Question about ballnuts

[grinderdust]

I am building a set of preloaded ball nuts and I was wondering if they need to be facing the same direction. In other words can I have the threaded ends facing each other and threaded into the same block. Or do I have to thread one into the other. Can they go like this -H==H- or does it have to go like this -H=H=- ... The H is the body of the nut where the balls are held,the = is the threaded part and the - is the screw. I hope someone can make sense of this because it would be alot easier if I could thread them into the same block and preload them by threading them apart. Also any advice on getting them started on the screw without losing the balls would be helpful. Thanks

[snowshovelbmx]

I am going to be mounting my ballscrews in the configuration of the threaded ends facing each other and can see no reason why this would nt be ok. As for getting them on the screw, there might be a cardbord tube inside the nusts right now. Just but that end up against the threads and screw the nut onto the screw.

[grinderdust]

Thanks, that was what I was hoping to hear. That way the table travel will be the same in both directions.The nut holder block is going where the acme nut was mounted. Another side question,can I remove the ball nuts from the screw in the same manner? I still have the cardboard tubes. These ball nuts scare me. I have this vision of little balls rolling away from me and under the lathe or down in a floor drain!

[Rodm1954]

Yes you can carefully remove the ballnut the same way. Take it from somebody that had them scatter across the workshop to do this over a tray with a towel to catch them and stop the bounce factor.

[snowshovelbmx]

haha very good advice, the last thing you want is to have to crawl around on your hands and knees trying to find all the balls. if they do fall out though and you catch them all in a tray it is not hard to reload them.
chris.