El Beast - Initial design phase, comments and critique welcomed!

[Zeeflyboy]

Why do you think it would it be more rigid?

(3) High rigidity in all four directions
Because of the four-row design, the HG series linear guideway has equal load ratings in the radial, reverse radial and lateral directions. Furthermore, the circular-arc groove provides a wide-contact width between the balls and the groove raceway allowing large permissible loads and high rigidity

Personally I think the machine as a whole will be more rigid with the current setup as it allows me to bolt the frame and frame supports to the tool bed for added frame rigidity while keeping the unsupported gantry arm to the minimum length. If I flip the supports 90 degrees and set them up like my current machine then I have an unsupported bed that will flex, and I can't put the cross supports in as they would then interfere with the ball screws... unless I underslung them which would be a mounting nightmare.