Well, in addition to my X-Y vise project, I've decided to go ahead with a parallel project. I call it a nanomill...a teensy-tiny but highly accurate mill with which I can make tiny but highly accurate parts. The spindle will be the most challenging part, since its runout will have to be equally tiny due to the size of the bits.

The basic specs will be a maximum travel of approximatly 1x1x1". Yes, you read that right...an inch cubed. We're talking TINY parts -- think wristwatch sized mechanisms and gears. Maybe sculpting a cameo...that sort of thing. Very tiny, but of very high quality.

Anyway, as a start to this project, someone has given me some ballscrews and their mating nuts. Beautiful, really...and I think they're precision ground. (How can I tell?) Absolutely no detectable backlash. BUT, there's a problem. Their total travel is only about 1.5", and I have no mounts for the ends. I need ideas.

Is it possible, with a short lead screw, to support only 1 end and leave the other end floating? I have only about 1/2" to work with, here, and don't want to screw up these beautiful ballscrews. Supporting only 1 end would give me the travel I need, barely. Or, are there other creative ways to do this?

I could just scale back my plans and make a smaller machine. What's smaller than nano...pico! Yeah, a pico-mill! Write my name on the head of a pin, using CNC. That's it!

-- Chuck Knight