I need to have a stepper motor in the middle of a long (500mm) smooth shaft, as i need output on both ends. Non-Captive steppers seem to be made for threaded acme lead screws, hollow steppers seem made to allow for wires or other items through the middle.

I want to insert a 8mm shaft through a nema 17/23 stepper and secure it to the middle of the smooth shaft, I can grind a flat spot to secure it,

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Why not use a dual shaft stepper and add couplers and smooth rods on both sides?

I used a Rino worm drive in the Z axis of my printer. The output is a keyed, 8 mm hole. I used an 8mm shaft with a keyway cut into it. You may not want the 30:1 gear reduction that the worm drive provides, depending on your application. In my printer's Z axis, the worm drive prevents the bed from falling when motor power is cut.

The red part in the center is the gearbox.



you can see it a little better here:



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/28/2018 12:44PM by the_digital_dentist.

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Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]

Thanks Mark. Every time I read your comments or blogs, you give me new construction ideas!!

Your Z construction is what I plan roughly (with double shaft Stepper, but without gearbox) for my Y Axis in a dualwire-gantry printer. But using it for Z is a great idea also.