round rails

[TrickyCNC]

Regards the MDF vs Steel then each to there own but just don't dismiss it on cost is my advice, it's not, if at all, that much more expensive and It's a lot more work to get the same strength built in MDF.
Accuracy becomes mostly a factor of effort, skills and patience and again it takes less effort in steel.

unless like me (and Gerry) you have a table saw, and nail gun, as opposed to a Jr hack saw and hand drill ! LOL!

I can knock up a torsion box/beam gantry in under half an hour from MDF. I just don't even have the tools to cut or drill steel easily !
Like you say - EACH TO THEIR OWN is what it come down to. one is NOT better than the other. :)

I can work with metal, as my dad had his own metal fabrication company. Yes, if you have the tools, metal is very easy to work with. But not everyone has metal working tools. Lot's like me, have sawdust between their ears :) and prefer working with wood.

All I wanted to get across in my posts over the last few days, is that it can be done cheaply and very easily in wood/MDF. Which it 'seemed' wasn't accepted on this forum.

I built one ... it WAS EASY, and I know it works !

tell me I was wrong when I said , if you pick up that 7m length of steel, it will flop about like a floppy thing ! as will most steel 'off the rack'

[Ger21]

Like you say - EACH TO THEIR OWN is what it come down to. one is NOT better than the other. :)

Let me jump on the other side of the fence for a moment and agree with Jazz, that yes, steel is better. But it is possible to build a quality machine from any materials, if the builder has the skills and knowledge to do so.

8 years ago, most people were building MDF machines, because there weren't many other options available. Most of these people ended up building better machines, usually from aluminum, as they realized the limitations of the MDF, and as more quality components became available.

Also consider that people have vastly different expectations, and vastly different budgets. I consider my standards and expectations are far higher than most. I don't think any other wood machines out there would come close to meeting my expectations, but I know that I can build one.

You can easily build an average machine from wood, with very few tools needed. If you know how to use them, you can do amazing things with a handheld router and straightedge. If you want a pretty good machine capable of making deep, fast, high quality cuts, then wood is not going to be your best choice, unless you want to spend considerable time designing and engineering, as I do.

I think if your budget is under $1500-2000 US, then wood will get you a decent machine. If you're budget is $2500 US and up, go steel or aluminum. The extra money spent won't be that much overall and you'll be better off for it.

[TrickyCNC]

I mostly agree, except on the definition of 'better'. If you just don't have the budget **, then the 'better' (more expensive) material, just wont do :)
I just felt wood was getting a bashing on this forum - without any real reason , and wanted to make the case for it. it seems to have worked a little bit, so I am happy to have done that .


EDIT> ** or means to work with it

[JAZZCNC]

I just felt wood was getting a bashing on this forum - without any real reason , and wanted to make the case for it. it seems to have worked a little bit, so I am happy to have done that .

AH AH . . .Lets see if they still think the same after they have taken your advice.?????

[TrickyCNC]

AH AH . . .Lets see if they still think the same after they have taken your advice.?????

if they build it properly, it will work :)