I open this new thread to present the design of my future router.

I have a small machine (300x200mm) whose mechanics I bought assembled and although I have not used it as much as I expected due to lack of time, but also because some of the things I wanted to do were too big for my machine.

During the last summer I had the opportunity to acquire same ballscrews and supported guides at a very good price and that was the point tha decide me to start the project of this larger milling machine, which I will affectionately call "Steppy".


Without talking anymore, here are the images the initial design I have done with SolidWorks:

3D view
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Front view
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Side view
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Top view
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The external dimensions are 750x560x530mm (without the motors) with a working surface of 510x360mm an a height of 115mm.

It is designed based on everything I have read in this and other forums. The construction materials will be 60x60 and 30x60 structural profiles as well as 20mm thick aluminum plates for the base and gantry and 15mm think for the Z axis. It uses supported 16mm guides (SBR16) and 1605 ball screws.

What do you think? Do you think it will work well? Do you see any major flaw in the design? Something that can be improved (surely yes)? All comments and advices are welcome.

Now my doubts:
- What aluminum alloy should I buy for the plates? I have read that 5083, is it correct?
- Is the thickness that I have chosen (20 and 15 mm) adequate? Would it be enough 15mm for the base and the gantry?

I'm sure I can think of some more doubs, but for the moment I think it's enough.

I'll update the thread with the build progress, but I'm afraid it will be quite slow.