Hi everyone, I am currently in the process of learning and designing a cnc router / plasma combination. I have a few ideas that I think will work really well, but I have a few questions as I'm new to all this CNC stuff. The machine is for hobby use and I am limited on space in my garage. 1) I want ball screws as the the gantry Y axis is 1200mm and the X axis 800mm. I am looking at the 1610 or 1616 for more speed for the plasma without effecting accuracy for the router. Now say I buy an 800mm ball screw would you use the BF/BK type blocks and fasten them to the inside front and back plates ? Or if I got the FF /FK plates and fixed them into the front and back plates would I have to reduce X axis length by roughly 40mm so the ball screw would fit ? 2) Which is the best support for ball screws and is the ball screw machined differently for each type of support - i.e. for the recessed FF/FK or the BF/BK block type ? 3) Upon designing my cnc the gantry plates will be 4mm steel and all other plates 3mm steel. I keep reading that people prefer to use steel box section / tube with metal wheels / linear rail instead of the aluminium extrusion - (plastic wheels and weight). I wanted to use the c-beam Openbuilds system but I am concerned now !! any advice would be greatly appreciated Mike
