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Tool that cut this lead screw groove

Awleaphart

Aluminum
Joined
Mar 16, 2019
Picture two shows the end of the lead screw. Picture one show where the lead screw slides in,basically the matching mate to the screw. I wondering what cut the groove on the lead screw. Its about 3" to 4" down the screw but it appears is was not cut with just a normal end mill. I am making a new lead screw and I'm at the point of cutting this groove.
A Leaphart.



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If you refer to what you are holding, a spline cutter likely. Not something necessarily that can be bought, but made for the purpose

Note bottom of cut is radial, meaning a "wheel" type cutter, not an end mill type cutter
 
I did notice that the bottom of the cut in round. Thanks for the info.

And thanks for the pinning idea. I have already pinned the other end to the screw. It was as special as this end to hook to the taper attachment.
A Leaphart
 
If that is a factory screw, it was probably cut on a horizontal with ganged cutters on an arbor, both sides of each spline at once. It looks to me like they may have cut the rounded base part separate from the splines, because I see what appear to be relief grooves (the little nicks) at the base of the splines. Unless that's just nicks from something else... Better pictures would help judge that, but it doesn't really matter. Just do it however you can.
 
Since this is a one-off, I would cut the straight sides of the splines first with a standard end mill: that is eight individual cuts. Then I would make a single tooth fly cutter to take out the remaining wedge between them. It would need to be hand ground (HSS) to the proper radius and would fit between the splines. Four more cuts.



Picture two shows the end of the lead screw. Picture one show where the lead screw slides in,basically the matching mate to the screw. I wondering what cut the groove on the lead screw. Its about 3" to 4" down the screw but it appears is was not cut with just a normal end mill. I am making a new lead screw and I'm at the point of cutting this groove.
A Leaphart.



 
It all depends on what you now have to replicate the parts. The round bottom and tops are probably not both needed, but in each case, one is harder to produce than the other, ie the round bottom on the male or the round top in the female. For the former you need a cutter with the correct rad and perhaps finish the parallel sides seperately. For the latter, how about slotting or edm. Either way, you only need good slines to drive and one of the 2 diameters to locate it all a bit more accurately
 
We would grind a space cutter that includes the included angle and the root radius. We use old involute cutters for things like this. As someone mentioned above- hog out the material with an end mill or slotting cutter and then finish with a single tooth fly cutter like a single on a multi tooth milling cutter. The original may well have been cut on a spline mill or gear hobber.
 
My 14" Rockwell lathe had a spline hole similar to this one but 6-sided. Rather deal with duplicating the spline on the feed screw, I made a new sleeve with a broached hex in it and installed it in place of the original. On the new cross feed screw, I cut a hex to match. Back lash is about a half thousandth maybe a thousandth. Much better than it was. Just offering it as an optional method of fixing it. Ken
 
The shaft probably locates in the OD of the spine. The curved surface on the minor diameter serves no purpose. Just cut the splines with an end mill (or straddle mill it on a horizontal). Then cut down the minor diameter to avoid interference with the socket.
 
It seems to me you mentioned tapper attachment,Is this the telescopic portion of the lead screw that allows that allows the cutter to follow the taper? That bit of information may affect the results your looking for in making the spline. Also if so you sure don't want to pin it.

Tim
 








 
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