ok, first attempt using sketchup 8

[routercnc]

Hi Deanos,

I've compared the following 1500mm long steel gantry shapes for tool deflection due to gantry twisting (when cutting wood in the X direction):
_____________________I beam__RHS____RHS
Width _______________100_____100_____100
Depth _______________180_____180_____180
Flange/wall thickness ___6________6_______3
Mass (kg) ____________26______38______19

Deflection (mm)______0.021___0.00037__0.00068

Clearly RHS is better, but I beam is also 'useable' for cutting wood. In the end it is about what is sufficient for your needs and what you can comfortably make.