I think my SX2 has a left hand thread on the Y axis. The DRO is set up so that the tool moving away from the operator relative to the workpiece, ie workpiece moving towards the operator, is a movement in the positive direction. To achieve this the handle is rotated counterclockwise – that I think makes it a left handed feed screw.

The littlemachineshop website indicates that x axis nuts are RH and y axis LH for the X2, so that seems to confirm this.

Your Hobbymat would appear to have a RH feedscrew – opposite to the Sieg.

Rob

It depends how the nut and screw are configured

• If the screw winds into a fixed nut, then RH thread will produce the 'natural' movenent.
• If the screw is in bearings at each end, and the nut 'rides' it, then LH thread gives the 'natural' movement.

A diagram or photo of the Hobbymat slide would be useful.

MichaelG.

The hand of the leadscrew depends on whether the nut or the handle is fixed to the moving part.

For example on the X2 the Y handle is fixed to the base, the X handle is attached to the table.

Neil

All rather strange. I have a Hobbymat mill and have just checked. Turn the Y axis handle clockwise and it moves in towards the column.

Mine is based on the BFE 65 head.

John

Derek,

Try looking at Marchant Dice : **LINK**

http://www.worldofcnc.com/collections/trapezoidal

They sell very reasonably priced Trapezoidal leadscrew 'by the 100mm'

Link above is to the web-shop, but they also list on ebay.

MichaelG.

It all depends on the Mill. Some have LH leadscrews and some have RH leads screws. Neither is wrong. I have seen geared cross slides on mills, where it is 1:1 and then 10:1 to get the precision. A lot of machines with Ballscrews with a clockwise handle turn brings the table to the operator, so the cutter is effectively in the plus direction from the operator. Similar on the LH end of the mill, a CW handle movement is the Cutter effectively in the positive direction.

Neil