Was about to get a toy- then I did some research...

[Juranovich]

Someone hasn't yet gotten into the theory of their motor calcs yet! More mass on the Z axis means everything has more to accelerate! NIGHTMARE!!

Personally I think we should all just make them out of bamboo and some twine, powered by hamsters, and tamagotchis as control interfaces to just be done with it :)

Interesting point! But you still have to considered the torque drop when hamsters get hungry and be sure to size the running wheel according to your choice of hamster, too small and your hamster will simply get stuck and start doing loops...Other than that you should be sweet

[JAZZCNC]

Interesting point! But you still have to considered the torque drop when hamsters get hungry and be sure to size the running wheel according to your choice of hamster, too small and your hamster will simply get stuck and start doing loops...Other than that you should be sweet

Arghh but you'll always struggle if you use hamsters, what you need with a heavy Z-axis is Guinea Pigs...

[Juranovich]

If you want the best machine then you must bite the bullet and go with Profiled linear rails. If not then you are wasting your time worrying about things like COG or plate thickness because Boyan is 100% correct that the machine is only as good as the weakest link and round rails will by far be the weakest link no matter which axis you put them on.!

Sorry for being a bit unclear, with "full hiwin" I meant as opposed to the "economy" type profiled rails. I've already been convinced to go profiled, although I expect to swear a few times more than had I gone with round rails...

[Desertboy]

Sorry for being a bit unclear, with "full hiwin" I meant as opposed to the "economy" type profiled rails. I've already been convinced to go profiled, although I expect to swear a few times more than had I gone with round rails...

For a first time hobby builder I think clone rail is fine, BST automation on Alixpress are a good place to start.

If I was sinking thousands into a frame, decent spindle, etc I'd buy original and I already have original Hiwin on most my machine just one axis is clone.

I can tell you Hiwin's are definitely smoother than cheap clone rail before I fitted them but in practice on the router working you can't tell the difference. With 1610 ballscrews one step in 0.05mm so that's really what limits your resolution. Never consider microstepping actual resolution it's something very different. On a Mill clone rail probably makes a lot less sense.

If I was working it for cash 10 hours day I would definitely go original Hiwin.

[JAZZCNC]

For a first time hobby builder I think clone rail is fine, BST automation on Alixpress are a good place to start.

No that's wrong way to look at it. When buying from China most of the cost is the shipping, the difference between Hi-win and the clone isn't massive so it's not worth wasting shipping. Don't spoil a machine for just a few $$ more.