welding steel base or just getting aluminium extrusion

[reefy86]

will look into those boyan but it aint one of those things is it where its 50/50 if you get shit rails or hiwin like? only reason why i am going hiwin is because there is 100% guarantee i will be getting quality.

[Desertboy]

I only have 15mm Hiwin's but I have originals on the Y axis and clones on the X I can't see a difference but let's see in a year lol.

Would I buy clone again without blinking but get the right clones so the rail is compatible (Like mine) then you can swap original Hiwin's carriages onto the rail if you're carriages ever failed.

I was thinking of buying 2nd hand next time
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THK-NSK-IK...19.m1438.l2649

carriages can be repacked with new bearings if needed which is essentially a recondition as long as the rail is not nicked. I have seen lots of 2nd hand rail never seen it physically damaged, rusty yes but not chipped. The carriages are what seize on old machines left outside. The rails do go rusty but much slower than normal untreated steel possibly due to years of greasing in their pasts.

[reefy86]

whats the longest bit you guys have used without any deflection or breakage? beginning to think having a long z height is limited by the tool bit for 3d work. i can see that on some areas where i need to penetrate 300mm then either the router is going to collide or the bottom of the front plate will.

[Clive S]

whats the longest bit you guys have used without any deflection or breakage? beginning to think having a long z height is limited by the tool bit for 3d work. i can see that on some areas where i need to penetrate 300mm then either the router is going to collide or the bottom of the front plate will.

It all depends on what you are cutting, There is somebody on here making surfboards with long cutters out of a type of foam.

[charlieuk]

It all depends on what you are cutting, There is somebody on here making surfboards with long cutters out of a type of foam.

that's me I use a 7" bit and have around 9" of z travel but you wont cut much more than foam with it