Machining ball screws?

[wyobmf]

Hello,
I have some ball screw that need ends put on them. Can they be turned in lathe? Would I have to anneal the ends first?
Thanks

[ViperTX]

It is easier if you anneal the ends. Some people have used a grinder to get beneath the hardened surface.

I annealed mine before turning them. You should check if the ball screw fits through the spindle and you'll need a setup to prevent the unsupported end of the ballscrew from whipping around...I used a piece of pine with a hole through it and held the pine with a vise. I wrapped one layer of aluminum from a soda can where the 4 jaw chuck would clamp down....it worked. Others have used a 5C collet with a sacrifical collet bored to the diameter of the ballscrew.

Paul

[wyobmf]

Thanks,
We had it indicated good, just kept breaking tools. I will try and aneal the ends and see what happens.

[ozzie34231]

Some of them don't aneal so easy. Maybe you have it done by now, but I drill the center, it's soft, and silver solder a piece of appropriate steel there, then machine the steel.
Ozzie

[wyobmf]

Ozzie,
That is a good idea, and it saves length on your ball screws.
But we anealed mine and they machined pretty good after that.
How strong are the ends when they are soldered on?