1st Build, Second machine

[Jonathan]

Ok obviously miss understanding but either way flimsy or strong it's fact the rails would help support.!

Of course, but if it's helping significantly you're probably doing something wrong.

First let me say dont be fooled by the lack of post's, I've been building diy cnc machines both for my self and others for meny years so I know very well all the newbie mistakes and pitfalls I just havent posted on here.

I've read plenty of your posts on CNCzone. Well, I'm pretty sure it's you. It is obvious from the few posts that you have made here that you know what you're talking about! I have not posted on CNCzone since 5 years ago as I figured I would never have time to do any machining if I did it too much.

Regards the down side and your thinking you have to move the steppers with the front plate. It makes no differnce rails on rear or front both you can still have the motor static with the right design. Your right thou the difference is negliable.

Fair enough, me not thinking...

When using Profiled linear rails it's important you have a datum referance edge but not for helping stopping them move when crashed, the main importantance is for the alignment when installing.

Agreed, the more important factor is to attain good alignment of the rails. It also explains why the sides of the bearing blocks are ground. The reason I said about stopping movement after a collision is that I remembered reading it here, page 13 where it mentions that 'it is possible that the rails and the blocks will be displaced when the machine is subjected to vibrations and impacts':

http://www.hiwin.nl/DownloadCenter/f...9TE14-1006.pdf

Then you tighten the opposing or what I call floating rail or bearing losely then slowly move the gantry or table along the rail nipping the bearing or rail as you go along feeling for any tight spots and losening adjusting the floating rail or bearing to eliminate tight spots

That's what I did and subsequently checked it with a dial indicator.

I won't pretend to be any sort of expert on profile rails - I've only just researched them and bought mine. I still may get some for my X-axis (2000mm rails). I gather you know of a good source?