Quote Originally Posted by Jonathan View Post
What about using 16mm ballscrews (RM1610) and rotating ballnuts. You save buying the end bearings, and the angular contact bearings aren't so expensive as they're not so big as with 25mm screws. Should get a very decent feedrate. Just a thought...
Yes if it was me I'd be seriously considering it. . . I'm a massive ballscrew fan has you know.!

But I was giving easy options that could be bought off the shelf at sensible money. Rotating nut is OK if you have the equipment IE: Mill etc and knowledge to make one. Don't think neil has the equipment.? The knowledge could be gained but probably daunting for someone new and was aiming my suggestions with this newness in mind.!

Think I'd also go with a higher 20mm pitch if being used solely for cutting woods n plastics so the cutting feed is in the meat of the motors torque. Reason being think for a machine this size nema34 would be needed and they don't spin as fast as 23's so with 10mm pitch then gearing would be needed to bring the speeds/feeds up and that will affect the torque.
You have to think when cutting wood you need high feeds and deep DOC for best performance and even faster for plastics, so better to put the right pitch screws on in the first place than use gearing IMO. . . . . Back to horse's for course's. .:confused: