Decided to give a go at reducing some backlash.
Buying a new brass nut, and will mount both and spread them apart. like a split nut but with more thread. If it reduces travel to much, I will shorten the offending one.
Bought a new compound rest. I'll cut a half inch off it and mount that with guide pins to the end, and use set screws to adjust it to remove that back lash.
What do you think?