Where can i find Acme 1/4" Threaded Rods?

[AssassinXCV]

What types of stores would you be able to find them in? Any big corporation stores (ie, Home depot, Home Hardware, Rona, Canadian Tire) ?

[lovebugjunkie]

I have never seen acme in any of the big box stores. If you have a local Grainger, they might carry it but would be a little pricey IMO.
I bought some from here a month or two ago and very happy with the quality.
Roton Products, Inc. Quality Lead Screws and Nuts for Power Transmission

[AssassinXCV]

If i were to get some acme threaded rods, which would be the bes to choose for TPI?

1/4"-8 | 1/4"-12 | 1/4"-16 | 1/4"-20 |

[bobsch]

Originally Posted by AssassinXCV If i were to get some acme threaded rods, which would be the bes to choose for TPI? 1/4"-8 | 1/4"-12 | 1/4"-16 | 1/4"-20 |

That would depend on what you were going to use them for and what type of motors.

[AssassinXCV]

Well, finding 1/4" acme rod is harder than the 3/8", 1/2", 3/4", 1" rods.

[tjskcnc]

It really does depend on what you are planning to cut, both material and subject.
In a nutshell:
The fewer rotations your motor needs to complete one unit (inches, mm) the faster your machine will move. The trade-off may be less torque and less precision in the cuts.
The more rotations required to complete one unit the more precise your cuts will be, plus you can operate closer to the motors torque rating. The trade-off here is that your machine will run much slower.

Not very scientific, and overly simplified, not taking into account the friction of the lead nuts, types of bearings, rails, weight of moving parts, axis heights, motor rpm, etc.

[skammah]

You can also get Acme Threaded Rod at McMaster-Carr.

McMaster-Carr

[Tommy B]

Don't forget to consider that you need to have the ends of the acme screws turned down if you buy them without that added bit of machining. I bought some acme screws from Kerk motion and they wanted $400 for just chucking them up on their lathe. If I had it done through them, it would have been 2 and a half times the price of the lead screws. Buy them with pre-turned ends so they'll fit in a coupling properly, you'll save some $$$.

[AssassinXCV]

Originally Posted by Tommy B BTW, this is a huge project you are undertaking. You might want to get some experience with building a smaller one first. I built the hobbycnc one and got my feet wet with lead screws and alignment. This is just something you may consider, just to warm yourself up for the big project.

That made me LOL, my machine only has a 6" x 6" x 5 1/8" cutting area. The floor space it takes up is 11" x 18".

Here's the link to the instructions that i'm following: How to make a mini milling machine- manual or CNC!

[jalessi]

AssassinXCV,

Enco has inexpensive 1/2" Acme rod.

Enco - Guaranteed Lowest Prices on Machinery, Tools and Shop Supplies

Jeff...

[AssassinXCV]

i dont know if 1/2" rods will work, i think they will be too big for the tiny mill. Ofcourse, when i move out and have my own workshop, i'm going to build a huge one for sure, then i can get the bigger rods.

i have found 1/4" acme but on a site it's a minimum of $60, and for what i need (3x12.75" and 3 square acme nuts) only comes to $49. D:

[AssassinXCV]

Roton Products, Inc. Quality Lead Screws and Nuts for Power Transmission has some neat threaded rods. (and the ones that i was talking about^^) i would also buy some of the flanged nuts, but the outer diameter is 1"

They also seem to have a deal that the more you buy, the cheaper it gets, for what you get

you can also buy it in lengths of up to 10,000"...wonder how'd they'd ship it lol.