First design - Few questions

[JAZZCNC]

Thanks for the feed back... It's bit a chicken and egg situation, I could easily design something I can't make..... because I don't have a mill/router !! ... Challenge is keeping the design achievable, without spending a fortune on someone machine loads of stuff up for me. So those lovely fully machined parts will probably have to wait to the second build ;)

If you use machine tooling plate and profiled linear rails then it's not very difficult to build a very good Z axis with just a Bench saw and drill press.?
Tooling plate removes any need for machining surfaces true and parallel which is a big help in achieving accuracy.
Profiled linear rails provide smooth action and accuracy due to being built to much higher tolerances and stiffer than round type rails but they are also much less tolerant of error so tooling plate helps here also.

One issue with profiled linear rails is the lower profile means a channel needs machining in the plates to allow clearance for the ball screw but this is easily done with the table saw and router.?
First clear out most of the material using the table saw by stepping over blade thickness at a time so nibbling away material. Make the width & Depth just less than finish size. Then use the router to clean up and take to finish depth/width.

For accurate hole locations then make paper templates and stick to material. Then carefully centre punch and drill using drill press.
Same procedure can be done for shaped parts like gantry sides etc, make MDF and paper templates and use guided cutter in router.
Stick paper template on material then cut slightly oversize using a jig saw then fasten MDF template on material and finish to size with guided cutter.

Cutting aluminium with wood blades is easy, so much so that my old knackerd saw blades that struggle to cut hardwoods without filling shop with smoke easily cut 20mm aluminium. Thin kerf blades are best.
Any Carbide router cutter will cut aluminium but with router you'll want to take shallow depth cuts depending on router power and how brave you are.!! . . . Go too deep and it will jump and chatter like tigger so you'll soon know.

Go for it you'll be surprised what you can achieve with hand tools and patience.!