SX2P - Leasdscrew Nut Adjustment.

I have just got my Sieg SX2P mill and have stripped it down for cleaning and ease of transport to the workshop. The leadscrew nuts have a slot cut across them and two small adjusting screws which can open the gap, which I assume is to reduce the backlash. With the screws fully backed-off (as delivered) the lead screw is a very loose fit in the nut. The question is how how tight do you make them. The leadscrew and nut are both steel and I could see wear being a problem, particularly as the adjustable "leaf" is only a couple of mm wide.

Tighten the screws until the nut moves up and down the leadscrew without any backlash....too tight leads to premature wear..I used lithium based grease.

Further question regarding the leadscrew nut on the Y axis.

I have stripped down the base of my new SX2P Mill for cleaning and now coming to re-assemble it I can't remember which way round the lead screw block goes. (Always assuming it was assembled correctly in the first place). Is the slit at the back nearest the column or at the front. I have looked at the exploded diagram which seems to show it at the back but that may just be diagramatic. I remembered to took a picture of the X axis before removal, but again that assumes it was fitted correctly in the first place.

Slot to the back, have a look at the X1L rebuild on ARC's site as the tables are virtually the same, pic 95 in particular

Edited By JasonB on 26/11/2018 18:32:30

As a miller cuts in both directions in both x and y it will not make any difference it’s not like a lathe which mainly works in one direction (boring is the main exception). However, you may find in use that the machine prefers to cut on one side more than the other, it’s just the vagrancy of any machine which you may have to learn to work with