Advice and opinions 3 axis gantry for cutting Ply / Hardwoods

[Jeff]

Hi

I've been drawing up the plans for my machine and just wanted some feedback before I push the button and start getting plates made.

My design is based around 2010 lead screws for the X and Y axes and HGR 20 rails and bearings. X axis is 1500mm and Y axes are 1000mm, 2 rails / 4 carriages on the X and 1 rail / 2 carriages on each Y.

I don't have access to welding so the frame construction is going to have to be aluminium extrusions, I've gone with 2 8080 extrusions for the X and 4040 for everything else with 15mm aluminium plates for everything bar the Z mount plate which is 10mm plate.

I have a 3Kw 100mm water cooled spindle but I'm starting to have second thoughts about using it as it's absolutely massive and probably overkill for wood routing. I only bought it because it had been mis-priced on Amazon and the seller offered me a £100 off the revised price if I still wanted it. Because I'm not sure about what spindle I'm going to be using I haven't finished the design of the Z axis, but I have a 450mm 1605 ball screw and some 16mm supported rails, so I will probably use these.

[Ger21]

I have a 3Kw 100mm water cooled spindle but I'm starting to have second thoughts about using it as it's absolutely massive and probably overkill for wood routing.

It's only overkill if the rest of your machine is too weak to take advantage of it. The more power you have, the better.