Lathe Cross Slide Problem

[EdK]

There still may be some hope left for this project. Taking some more dimensions of the cross slide features, the nut dimension could be changed to clear the trough if the slit for adjusting the backlash doesn't need to go all of the way through the threads but could be 2/3rds or 3/4ths of the way. That might leave enough meat left to hold the two halves together allowing the nut height to be lowered. See attached sketch. Current nut on the left and proposed new nut on the right. The green being the nut and the brownish being the trough.

Ed