Quote Originally Posted by eci22 View Post
By "more solid" do you mean by adding bracing? This is something I will be doing for sure. Yes they will be welded, though I am considering welding the highest x-axis guide box to the top of the frame and bolting the one closest to the ground to make fine adjustment in reference to the welded one, haven't thought this completely through yet. Do you have pictures, or a build log ? it would be great to see your machine Thanks for your input
You do better following Jazzcnc's advice rather than mine on making the structure more solid. He's had years of experience and I've only built the one machine. However, you might consider restricting the 50x50x3 stuff you've already bought to just the base frame and start again with the gantry design.

I have been thinking about putting out some details on the forum as I'm in the middle of finishing the Z-axis at long last. Not so much a build-log on how to build a good machine but more about the compromises I've had to make to fit the available budget and footprint and being very remote from suppliers and professional workshops. It works, but I wouldn't advise anyone to copy it.

If I were starting from scratch I'd brew a nice big pot of tea, open a packet of Hobnobs (or the Australian equivalent) and read everything Jazzcnc and Boyan Silyavski (if you'd like to see some really heavy engineering) have written and a number of other build-logs before buying the first nut and bolt.

Kit