Mounting motor under table?

[JAZZCNC]

This is one of the things which I need to get my head around as well. From what I read, microstepping is good... but it's bad. People report motor problems disappearing when they start to use it, but from what you say it seems to be an inferior way to achieve good resolution. I'm assuming that there is a middle ground somewhere that I need to find (not too fine a pitch, not too many divisions for microstepping).

Depends on a few factors really and the drives being used also play a big part to how micro stepping is implimented.

10x micro stepping is about the max usable and beyond this is just pointless unless you have a very high pulse width which is beyond the capabiltys of the std parallel port. . . It's gets complicated so wont go there.!

Generally micro stepping should be used but mainly for motor smoothing at lower speeds IE: small tiny moves and lower rpm's but after a point micro stepping becomes an inderence more than a help and this where the drive comes into play.
A good drive will use a technique called morphing where it changes from micro stepping to full stepping along the power curve. This also brings resonance into play and why belts can help.
Poor drives without morphing and usually mid band resonance compensation can suffer from resonance issue's caused by the vibration frequency's that interfear with signal performance and affect the motors making them run really badly and sound dreadfull. . . . Belts act as a natural damperner.

Good drives like Gecko's etc use morphing and Mid band resonance damping and this really does make differance.

If you work on the principle that micro stepping works but mainly to help with motor smoothing at lower rpm's but with the side affect of slightly improving resolution ( too a point) then you wont go wrong. Just don't relay on it soley to give you the resolution you need.
Like I say the good drives do make a big difference.

Go to the Gecko site and read the FAQ section it has some good info on how morphing and micro steeping works.