Quote Originally Posted by bluesking View Post
I don't really understand what you mean by moving the mechanism with one finger. Certainly pushing the gantry, it doesn't move, there is enough friction to stop any linear force from being converted to rotational motion. For the vast majority of the travel I can just about turn the pulley with one finger - is this what I should be looking for?
I mean I can move my whole Z axis from the left to the right of the X axis (gantry) really easily, I can push it with my finger and the ball screw on the X axis just spin's like its nothing, its actually amazing that I got it so perfect pre dial indicator to check anything. I think I just got well lucky but it wasn't first time fitting, i went back and forth (literally) for hours loosening the rails and the ball nut and screw fixings until everything just moved perfectly by hand, I used the same method I gave above to do this and at some point you have to say OK that's as good as it gets and start tightening things up as permanent.

I'm really close with the Y axis (bed) but I think its just off a little bit still, like you I still have "sticky points" along the travel, if I push my gantry it is much harder to push along then the X axis for sure but dose go with enough force to get the screw spinning. Still building my machine but i'm going over at the weekend to have another play, I'll get my mate to video me pushing mine about so you can see, maybe the others with more experience can then give their thoughts.

From what I understand, anything less than dial indicator prefect just means uneven ware and tare on the parts and that on a hobby machine used 2-3 times a week, this ware would be negligible because it would take forever to accumulate enough to effect anything a hobbyist would be looking to achieve - Somewhat subjective I know.