Quote Originally Posted by JAZZCNC View Post
Most machines will scratch Aluminiun away but to cut it correctly and accurately requires rigidity and NONE of these have enough to cut aluminium to any decent standard and survive.
I must be misreading this, I thought that Jazz and me would see eye to eye about routing aluminium, I did go to Specsavers so it can't be that.

Did I see that the proposed mill only requires 10mm in the Z axis? Was that a typo? People usually allow 6-12 inches on the Z axis just in case they need it in the future thus destroying the machine for what they actually do. I think 2" or 3" in the Z is optimal if you want 10mm.

If you are going to rout aluminium I further suggest you copy the milling machine. On a milling machine the long bed is only supported in the middle because that is where the cutting happens. No point supporting it where the cutting doesn't happen, let it overhang, no problems.

To make your router strong, bolt Hiwin carriage blocks upside down to something solid such as a concrete joist.

Next bolt your gantry to the same joist so the table can slide through underneath it.

Why not make the gantry out of a second concrete joist? You don't have to move it so go wild on the dead weight.

If you don't like this idea, the usual excuse for not going down this route is, "It takes up twice as much space in the X axis and I haven't got room".

If you want to cut aluminium, design in a flood coolant return from the start, anything else is a ghastly fudge.