Nylock nuts (very n00b question!)

Just wondered why we don't use nylock nuts? Looks like it would make my new Prusa build more reliable if a bit more of a pain to build?

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Andrew

Based in Slough, United Kingdom

Mine's built with Nylock nuts.

You can use tension, thread locker, or nylock to all achieve the same thing. If you would like to use them go for it. I ended up threadlocking most of the parts that don't have nylock nuts because they rattled loose, so I'd certainly give it a thumbs up, personally.

Funnily enough, I wondered this a couple of weeks ago, so put together some frame vertices for a spool with nylocs. I realised pretty quickly that you have to thread a lot of nuts onto the threaded bars, and sometimes you'd have to thread them on backwards, ie nyloc end first. Also, adjusting the frame becomes problematic; you need to have a couple of nuts on as locknuts to have something to turn against. In the end I used nylocks only for the outer-most nuts, and normal nuts and washers for the rest. Obviously, nylocks are good in some places, like where you are only tightening a bolt through a couple of parts, and if clearance allows, for captive nuts. Otherwise, I think a plain nut and a washer, or star washer like nophead used on his Mendel, is easier to assemble and adjust, and is cheaper. Threadlock things that you don't want to move that can't take a nyloc.

Luckily I have a good fastener stockist in Slough, so I'm getting stainless stock and bits cheap, I'll get plain, nylock and some star washers plus I've got some loctite for pipes that's out of this world asa thread lock.

Glad it was not a totally stupid question, I'm sure there will be!

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Andrew

Based in Slough, United Kingdom

Hi Andrew, I'm not too far away from you if you need any help; I'm based between Amazingstoke Basingstoke and Winchester. I've built a fully functional repstrap (a mrkim 1X2) and I'm only waiting for a new hotend before finishing a Mendel Prusa with a linear bearings. Who's your local stockist?

Great to know there is someone localish!

Local stockist is Apex Fasteners in Ajax Avenue, they are fantastic and will sell you anything from 1 washer to a van load and are VERY cheap!

There are also a couple of bearing stockists locally too, well living next to the largest industrial estate in Europe can have it's bonuses...

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Andrew

Based in Slough, United Kingdom

As well as Wernham Hogg, of course! [en.wikipedia.org]