Aluminium Profile Type Router - Initial questions

[CNCRY]

Thanks for the encouragement all, looking forward to having a moving machine soon..

Andrewg - I plan to keep the log going until the end, I'm sure there are much better build logs out there than mine, but I'm trying to show some of the smaller details/photos which made no sense to me when I started this process, and if it helps a few people along the way, then great as this forum has helped me loads so far.

As you say without seeing the fruits of someones design/pitfalls you can't be sure if it's a good one. As Andy mentioned though there are certainly more, like his which do continue.

On the dual plate, to be honest I did think of it earlier on, but at the time I was going in circles with the design and if I could physically make it so opted for a simple single plate. Jazz - I see what you are saying, essentially the ballscrew is fixed square with the frame, but the gantry may need slight squaring.

I'm hoping I can get slight adjustment if I have to go there, from shimming either ballnut or the gantry side/ballnut fixing. I have built in a very slight tolerance by using a 1mm thick piece of rubber between gantry side and ballnut fixing, which can compress 0.5mm ish to accomodate a slight twist.
So watch this space whether it works or not! If building new, I'd go for the 2 plate though.
Jazz - looking forward to your machine unveiling, maybe I can swap it with mine..

So, wasteboard, just best to start with MDF and hold down clamps screwed into it to get started?