i did a search an could not come up with a answer i liked. I am starting to build my first cnc. 36" x and y lead screws, 4" z leads screw 1.75 hp PC router. proballt 350 in/oc steppers. I am wanting to do a over head lead screw on the x and have the x rail up lust below the y axis. i want this so the cnc can be placed on somethign and cut into it, such as flooring. I will also build a vacume table for it to sit on. I plane on using 1 1/16" chrome hafele closet rod for the x and y rails. this stuff is over 1/16" wall thickness and super smooth. I have a nesting router cnc a work to cut my parts.
here is my idea. can i cut half circles out of 1" thick derlin and use it for slides? i would run 2 on top of the rail, about 6" apart, and then one under neith between then, tighend up just to barely touch so the gantry cant lift off the rails. WIll these be smooth enough? i am not looking for a super fast cnc, and it really only needs to be acurate to about 1/32 of an inch. This seams easier then building the carts with scate bearing, though i cna do that too.
On a side note, i bought my z axis with a stepper attached and can see how to get the lead scerw off. are they pressed onto the shaft? could i get it off with a blow torch and heating it up?
thanks in advace