Rezi wrote:The only metal work I've done was to make an ashtray for my mum in Metalwork class at school around 1978 but I'm always happy to give anything a try.
I don'y know anything so, what metal should I get. I'm going to be brave and take a stab at mild steel as a guess.
Your bandsaw possibly won't go slowly enough to cut mild steel (100-200 feet perminute) and a metal cutting blade. So I'd go for aluminium as easier to cut - use paraffin, diesel or wd40 as lubricant with the bandsaw as slow as possible.
Glue the old one back together and make the basic measurements.
Drill out the hole for the sliding ballrace carriers first, then the slots for the adjustments for each bearing and get that all sliding nicely and only then cut away the minimum of unwanted metal to make the blade slot to keep the strength up and then form the clamping spigot.
Good luck
Bob