Aluminum router build - Could use some input

[Tumblebeer]

I got the impression that I'd need either massive amounts of aluminium or preferably a welded steel frame for a raised x-axis to work. Neither would work particularly well for me (since I can't weld, nor work steel), so I think I'll go with this gantry design. I wont be doing massive amounts of milling, just the occasional part.
I'm one of those people that build mostly for the sake of building, not really with any clear goal in mind.

What kind of doc and feed speeds do you think I could expect from this? Something like 0.5mm and 1000mm/min, doing alu and still getting good finish and precision?

As for the aesthetics, I completely agree with you. As a matter of fact, I intentionally left that extrusion end open to have a fun first project to route. I would have liked making the rear end cover cover more (but not so much as to bump in to any high parts I'm cutting), but I'm working mostly with standard lengths and parts, meaning this was way cheaper and in my mind a small cosmetic tradeoff...

Thanks for the tips, I'll probably start ordering next week, need to make sure I'm completely decided first. The building will drag out a bit until the summer is over though.

[JAZZCNC]

This machine will be ok for medium duty aluminium cutting and will cut at those feeds and speeds but you will need some form of cooling with aluminium to get good results with finish. either Mist, flood or blown air.

One thing I would do is get rid of those openended profiles has the offer very little strength and they will actually make building harder.? How will you access the Bearing bolts.?
You will get the same or better strength from some simple 90deg triangle shaped plates bolted thru the gantry sides and into the bearing plates. Something like in the pics but made better looking this was just quick throw together.
This will also allow easy access to the bearing bolts and make simpler to build and adjust etc. You could drop that plate at rear or just use some Thin 2mm plate as a blank if you want to close gantry but I wouldn't and would leave open so chips fly thru.!


Also I wouldn't connect direct to the screws with steppers but use timing belts and pulleys. This will help with resonance and give other advantages by allowing ratio to be applied if needed. It's been discussed many times on forum so do a search if you need to know more.