Thread: Bent ball screw

The usual way is V bolcks, a dial gauge and a press. Any good mechanical workshop should be able to do it but like everything else in Australia it will cost.

The next bit is a last resort.
If you are desperate locate the bend by rolling it on a flat surface. A table saw top or even a flat bit of MDF. Mark the point with a permanent marker and wrap the screw in a towel or use soft jaws on your vice. Place it in a vice and slip a long bit of close fitting pipe over the screw. Over bend slighlty in the opposite direction. Do it slowly and check often or you will end up with more than an S bend. I really don't recommend this approach and only do it if all other doors are closed.

If you go to the bottom of the page on this link it explains it a lot better than I have.

Thanks Rod

I found that page earlier. Just need to find someone to give it a try. Unfortunately I do not have access to a press, have just about everything else at work.
I will also get a price for a replacement from Chai, probably cheaper then getting it straightened.

I would get a replacement as well.
I have a couple in transit so I hope your experience is not an indication of what I am going to get.

I suspect you have a rolled screw. Use your bench drill as a press as the screw is of light material compared to ground units.

Place blocks either side to support the screw, press down on the bent area, pressing the quill a bit over centre and check your progress on a flat surface. I like glass as it's nice and flat. You should get pretty close with this method, atleast to the point that there is no binding.

/M

I found a small hydrologic press at work tucked away in the welding bay.
Took an amazing amount of force to straighten it. There was heaps of "spring back".
The below photo was about about try 4 out of about 8 to get the bend out, each one i try a little further. It is about 0.05mm now. It wasn't a simple bend. Was a 'S' and it still cause my machine a few issues. That is more to do with the use of MDF for the front of the Y carriage. I have an aluminium plate to replace this.
And a new ball screw is on its way from China.

Gareth

Given the forces needed to straighten it makes you wonder if it happened in transit.