Warco WM16 Conversion

[m_c]

The benefit of starting with belt drive, is it's fairly easy to swap ratios at a later date with minimal modification.
2:1 is a typical choice.

I can't comment about anything to do with linux on a home computer, as my limit with it is the command line on webservers!
Perhaps asking somewhere like CNCZone may find more linux cad users?

[birchy]

As you say, it makes sense to go with belt drives as they can be modified easily if I run into problems at a later date. Also, I want to keep the machine as standard as possible and using belt drives should allow me to use existing mounting holes.

Not too bothered about software at present as I can generate working gcode using either QCAD and dxf2gcode or HeeksCAD/CNC.

I'd also like to utilise the steppers as power feeds for manual machining. Is that possible or even worth bothering with?

EDIT: Regarding the cable selection, I can now see why 1.5mm2 is used. I'd forgotten that DC circuits run bigger currents. http://www.solar-wind.co.uk/cable-sizing-DC-cables.html. Still wondering about SY though? We use a lot of multi stranded SY at work in various sizes from 0.5mm2 upto 10mm2. What is the need for screened cables?