Wrench Flats and Lead Screws a Match Made in Heaven

by Christopher Nook

Assembling lead screws into your machine or device can get tricky if you dont have the right tools and a screw design that helps make things easy.

So your new lead screws arrived and you're ready to install them into your machine. What's next? Well, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Keep the lead screw clean and free of dust and metal chips
Consider waiting until the last step to lubricate the screw with grease to minimize things getting messy
Always keep the screw straight when installing it into bearing supports or mounting flanges
If you need to hold the lead screw to keep it from rotating while you assemble a lock nut to it or screw it into a mounting flange, be sure not to dent or damage the threads. You can grab the screw with a pair of pliers if you put padding around the screw first. Rubber plastic sheeting works well.
Consider adding wrench flats to the design of your lead screw. When designed correctly, the flats will still allow a nut to travel over them and will serve as a a great way to keep the screw from rotating while you assemble your machine.