Thoughts on Sorotec alu-line machine

[NordicCnc]

Don't know what you want me to say because you already know the answer.? #1 is stronger it's that simple.
However, 250mm is a lot of Z travel so I would ask your self do you really need that much travel as it will weaken the machine if you use a typical Z-axis design. If you don't need 250mm of travel but require the clearance for material then you may be better looking at a design with an adjustable bed so can fit tall material but still have a nice strong Z-axis.

The way I plan to solve this is whenever I am machining aluminium / very light steel, I will use a jig that I put on the table, which will then decrease the Z-clearance. This should work the same way as having an adjustable bed.

It really does come down to how you want to use the machine and with what materials. If your thinking to cut steels then I would forget both types of moving gantry and build a Fixed gantry machine from stronger materials.

The requirement is a large work area, so a moving gantry design and making it as good as possible is my goal. This of course means that it wont be as rigid and as effective for aluminium / very light steel. This is a trade-off I need to make, as I don't have the budget or space to build 2 machines right now.

Edit: If you want a design that's in between high Gantry sides and Sat directly on rails then here's one I built. Again this machine is built for working with mostly woods, it's also got a 4th axis which is why the gantry hangs over the side. The profile is 120 x 80 Item Section and the gantry is L shape design.

That is a nice looking machine you've built! Great idea with the 4th axis too.A few questions if you don't mind:

1. How does it perform in aluminium (tool, cut depth, feed rate)?
2. Do you have a build log somewhere?
3. What is the Z-axis clearance and working area?
4. Any reason why you went with L-shape design, instead of using say 90x180 box section profile?
5. Are the surfaces where the rails sit on the X-axis machined or shimmed?
6. What is the reason for having one rail top mounted and the other one front mounted on the X-axis?
7. Are the gantry sides also made of 120x80 profile? How are those mounted to the gantry?
8. The Y-axis rails appears to be top mounted. Why not side mounted?`Is it to make design simpler with the profile gantry sides?