Acme Rod - Oil Finish Steel

[BackyardWorkshop]

Hey everybody!

Can somebody explain the difference bewteen the Alloy Steel and the Oil Finish Steel Acme Rods?

I'm looking to get some for my machine and ENCO has 6 foot Oil Finish Steel rods 1/2-10 rods on sale for $9.39 as opposed to $33.66 for the Alloy Steel ones...

Will the Oil Finish Steel work just as well?

[grahamshere]

are they electroplated. if they are it will wear off at some time.dont know if that helps

[CarveOne]

I'm using the low cost 1/2-10 acme rods that are sold by Enco and they are running fine. They are made by Keystone Threaded Products http://www.keystonethreaded.com/ and they don't really describe the difference in oil finish versus other metals that they make the acme rods from. Mine came in a cardboard tube and had some sort of oil film on the rods to retard rust. I assume that is all that is meant by the "oil finish" statement. The threads are roll formed instead of cut threads and the oil may be the hydraulic oil that is used in the roll threading process.

The 1/2-10 five start rods I purchased from McMaster Carr all have the same finish appearance as the Keystone rods from Enco.

CarveOne

[grahamshere]

oil finish means they just dip them in oil, maybe the $33 one is persison ( spelling) rod, dont know.