your ideas on a pipe profiling machine

[Wobblybootie]

I have not yet finished my own build so can only give my ideas which are not based on experience ... I concur with M-C A moving gantry using belt drive (an Omega drive I think). Unless you have shed loads of space I would stick with the moving gantry,as the overall footprint would be shorter. A lead screw Z Axis should do nicely with an Belt drive A Axis to turn the stock just like a low speed lathe. To support the stock maybe some form of ball or roller bearings in a gutter shaped trough below the spindle which could be made to support assorted sizes of pipe, rather than have it 'floating' supported only by the 'headstock and tailstock'. perhaps cone shaped 'plugs could be used to 'jam' the pipe between centres holding it tight enough to secure it but without distorting it.

Just a few thoughts ... I would be very interested in your progress with this, so I shall watch this space ...

I seem to remember on the MechMate Forum a guy built his machine very long to enable him to manufacture the columns so popular with our American cousins ... I think his name may have been Art Ransome ... I will try and hunt it out when I have a few minutes.