Quote Originally Posted by routercnc View Post
Hi Charlie,

Good to read that you've switched to the conventional Z axis, although I hope you've done it due to understanding the problem rather than peer pressure.
Hi, TBH I changed because that many people can't be wrong...Can they? :-P
I understand what they are saying, although I don't fully agree because although with the conventional method at miniumum travel it is stronger because the tool tip is about 40mm from the bottom bearing block, at max travel it would be far more flimsy than my design, there must be a 'magic' point on Z where aluminium can be machined ok and if I knew that distance then I could try and work it out in my design.

None of that matters now ( I think!) because I have gone back to the drawing board with a completely different design using a fixed gantry based off a Video Jazz posted in another thread where the Y axis raises and lowers with Z. It may come to nothing and I may change my mind again!

Jazz, I know what you say about jack of all trade machines, it would help if I knew what I intended to use the machine for but I don't! I like working with wood as much as metal, I think now I am leaning more towards metal machining because more practical things can be made but I would also like to have a play with my artistic side with woods and plastics, This was why I was going for a router type build initially but the size required for some of my wood type projects have put a bit of a dampener on that :-( unless I go for a vertical machine like yours.
Cheers, Charlie