Apothus published a new build:

Read more about this build...

 

Oops, thought I had corrected that mistake. GRBL is stand alone, it typically runs a front end application such as bCNC to stream G-Code to the controller over serial. I have gotten the machine running using GRBL but I have moved away from it in favour of trying LinuxCNC. I think GRBL can be a good start for a lot of applications but it has very limited expandability. Eventually I want to migrate to a closed loop system, especially for my heavy Z-Axis and the parallel Y-Axis. That will be a lot easier to accomplish with LinuxCNC so it makes sense to use that from the beginning.

This one has stumped me for a bit and challenged my assumptions. Side by side was more of a 'gut feel' than the engineering decision it should have been. I have used the double lengths to reduce rotational torsion. My assumption was that by increasing the cross sectional area of the width to match the height that would be most effective. Stacking them ontop of each other would probably be better for improving the strength of direct loading if that was your main objective. If someone was to base a build off mine and less 'gun-ho' about spitting out swarf I think it would be a very interesting analysis

 

I have both rails mounted for the Gantry now with the cross bolts in. I also have a 2.2kw spindle mounted on the Z-axis with a 3:1 reduction on the stepper. The whole z carriage weight in at a staggering 10kg but the machine is rock solid. I don't have a dial indicator but I cannot observe any deflection with the carriage's extra mass.

Hopefully I'll get the limit switches and water cooling finished this next week and I'll be able to see how well it cuts.