Finally, the ACME Threaded rod is here

Well, I finally got the ACME threaded rod, and even found a place here to buy them. After checking how much I needed, I found that I could use the whole 36" and not have to bother to trim 4" off. Once I used the lathe to strip about 3" off one end just big enough to pass through the handle I'm going to use (its actually one off the cross slide, but since I will have a motor drive on one end, I don't need a handle there), I made the same size hole in the top plate. I shaved a bit more off the last inch to bring it to 3/8, so I could thread it and use a 3/8 nut.

Since I didn't feel like trying to cut a groove in the rod end for a key way for the handle (OK, I did try and after 15 min and two broken lathe bits I figured I should find a simpler way), I drilled and tapped a hole for a set screw in the handle collar. After using a drill to make an indent on the rod, I put it all together. I was surprised how well it went together and what little effort it took to raise and lower the carriage (I temporarily put the grinder on it to bring it to maximum weight).

Next, its time to get another piece of steel plate and make a new mount for the new grinder, as its a bit large for the plate I made for the "speedway gutless grinder". I guess I shouldn't beet up to much on that poor grinder, as while it lived (and it was a damn short life of 4 days) it did help heat the shop (too bad its summer here, I should have used it to cook a snack on lol). In the mean time, I will have to paint the top plate (Princess auto ran out of the sandable epoxy primer I used, and boy is that some great stuff. Along with the enamel paint, its the best spray paint I have ever used, and by far the toughest. It compares to baked on enamel coatings, and after repeated abuse when climbing on the stand, it still shows no scratches ) one I can get another can.