Step 15: Y-Axis Lead Screw

With that said, I'm going to show you how to secure both ends... anyway. The key is to drill the proper size holes in the sides of the gantry. The skate bearing that I use to secure the lateral position of the screw (I mean to say, to keep the screw from moving in and out), I first drill a hole that has the same outside diameter as the bearing only half way through the wood. I use a 7/8" hole drilling bit. This makes a nice seat for the bearing. A nut is secured on each side of the bearing, so I drill a 3/4" hold the rest of the way through the gantry side. The same is done on the other gantry side. Oh, by the way, the 7/8" hole is on the outside side of the gantry. This way, the secured bearing and the screw can be tensioned a little, but it's not necessary. The screw is actually stabilized by the way I mount the motor, because the motor is pressed against the inside rubber piece inside the coupler and keeps the screw assembly secure.