First Build - Yet Another Alu Profile Router - 900 x 800

[CaptainBarnacles]

I had assumed that your previous drawings with the spindle back-plate were making it shorter so we could see past it, but your latest drawings seem to continue the theme. Are you genuinely planning to have the top of the linear rails for the Z axis hanging in mid air like that? Seems like quite a flimsy design decision for the minimal cost of some extra aluminium plate.

I'd also doubt that the ballscrew needs to be that long - but I gather you've already purchased it?

Yeah, I see what you mean about those rails being unsupported when the Z is lowered and yes, I have already got the ballscrew.

Three options then:

- Add more plate to lengthen the router mount plate.
- Consider shortening the whole linear travel by cutting the rails and ballscrew.
- Buy another ballscrew. (perhaps a 1605 would be sufficient?) Looks like I can get one for about £33 with the supports, nut bracket and coupler so that won't break the bank.

I had previously wondered about shortening the ballscrew using my ML7. I'm not a very accomplished machinist and my biggest concerns (apart from completely stuffing the job up!) were about the hardness of the ballscrew and whether the action of cutting into the thread might make the cut wander.

[AndyUK]

Yeah, I see what you mean about those rails being unsupported when the Z is lowered and yes, I have already got the ballscrew.

Three options then:

- Add more plate to lengthen the router mount plate.
- Consider shortening the whole linear travel by cutting the rails and ballscrew.
- Buy another ballscrew. (perhaps a 1605 would be sufficient?) Looks like I can get one for about £33 with the supports, nut bracket and coupler so that won't break the bank.

I had previously wondered about shortening the ballscrew using my ML7. I'm not a very accomplished machinist and my biggest concerns (apart from completely stuffing the job up!) were about the hardness of the ballscrew and whether the action of cutting into the thread might make the cut wander.

Nothing wrong with the ballscrew being that length; its just that you're not going to use its entire travel, so if the ballscrew hadn't been purchased you could save some money by getting a smaller one.

I'd argue the easiest option is just to extend the plate.

Second option is to swap the rails and carriages (as I think Phil suggests) but its quite nice to be able to remove the spindle plate in one go with just four screws on the ballnut; it can be a pain to remove the other way round.

[CaptainBarnacles]

Nothing wrong with the ballscrew being that length; its just that you're not going to use its entire travel, so if the ballscrew hadn't been purchased you could save some money by getting a smaller one.

I'd argue the easiest option is just to extend the plate.

Second option is to swap the rails and carriages (as I think Phil suggests) but its quite nice to be able to remove the spindle plate in one go with just four screws on the ballnut; it can be a pain to remove the other way round.

I did try it with the rails the other way around and I wasn't keen. I think that you're right, extending the plate is the easiest option.