[louieatienza]

Your Y axis who I would call the X axis it kinda a bit of a mystery as to how the extrusions are held together. I'm not completely comfortable with the approach you have taken. The extrusions should be well supported but it looks like you have thin cross section extrusions for the lateral "rungs". You would want a stiffer approach to connecting the extrusions the rails bolt to to the rest of the bed.

Again with this crusade... Just call it the gantry. If you're setting the CAM up that the material gets loaded from the front, then the gantry is the X axis.

Mounting linear rails directly on T-Slotted extrusions can be a challenge at times. Depending upon the combination of rails, extrusions, nuts and so forth getting the two rails parallel can be a real challenge. Some guys have resorted to bolting aluminum plates to the extrusions to make this easier (the rails get bolted to the intermediate plate).

Yet most every person that builds with t-slot extrusions somehow manages to mount the linear rails! Besides, using plate would be redundant - you'd just get thick plate and forego the extrusion. Unfortunately, with a set budget, purchasing plate and having it machined can be costly for two gantry risers, let alone two long table sides.

My biggest concerns are the Z axis stroke and the way the X axis rail extrusions are coupled together with the rest of the table.

The Z axis stroke shouldn't be a problem. If it was it would simply be a matter of adjusting the position of the spindle up or down in the clamp as needs warrant. As to the long axis rails (which are labeled Y) I really don't see issue here; pretty standard for t-slot extrusion build.

[wizard]

Again with this crusade... Just call it the gantry. If you're setting the CAM up that the material gets loaded from the front, then the gantry is the X axis.

It isn't a crusade, it is a quest for better communications. Generally I agree with you but I this case I think you are way off the mark. More importantly you can't be renaming axis based upon where you are standing at any one moment in time.

Yet most every person that builds with t-slot extrusions somehow manages to mount the linear rails! Besides, using plate would be redundant - you'd just get thick plate and forego the extrusion. Unfortunately, with a set budget, purchasing plate and having it machined can be costly for two gantry risers, let alone two long table sides.

And yet there are many build reports where people have struggled with this. Either due to using the wrong nuts in the T-Slots or ill fitting linear rails. How bad this is will be varies with the extrusion manufacture but if one wants to go this way they should consider extrusions that are ground and suitable for such use.

The Z axis stroke shouldn't be a problem. If it was it would simply be a matter of adjusting the position of the spindle up or down in the clamp as needs warrant. As to the long axis rails (which are labeled Y) I really don't see issue here; pretty standard for t-slot extrusion build.

It isn't a question of seeing an issue, it is something the builder needs to be aware of. I don't know how he will be using his machine or even material dimensions, I'm only suggesting that he makes sure he has clearance for the cutters he intends to use. I only mentioned this due to it being an issue that is often overlooked. Generally it is a good idea to at some point make sure you have all the clearances you need, on all axis, to achieve your working area design goals.

As for the original poster I really think he has worked towards a nice design. This is likely due to the variety of comments he has received so far.

[louieatienza]

It isn't a crusade, it is a quest for better communications. Generally I agree with you but I this case I think you are way off the mark. More importantly you can't be renaming axis based upon where you are standing at any one moment in time.

You name the axes as you have them set up in CAM and the control software. That eliminates any confusion. The gantry can either be the X or Y depending on how the machine is used. The machine don't care - it takes g-code and spits out pulses all day. It's not hard - left to right is X, front ot back is Y, up and down is Z. Rotary axis parallel to X is A. Rotary parallel to Y is B. Rotary parallel to Z is C. Very simple.

And yet there are many build reports where people have struggled with this. Either due to using the wrong nuts in the T-Slots or ill fitting linear rails. How bad this is will be varies with the extrusion manufacture but if one wants to go this way they should consider extrusions that are ground and suitable for such use.

If someone used the wrong t-nuts or purchased rails that won't work with the rest of the system that's another story. The main reasons for using the t-slot extrusions are availability, and no need for machining, drilling, and tapping long plates.

[maxspongebob]

I think your design looks good, however, don't stop where you are. Place your limit switches, cable guides, vacuum system. I have found that it is always a PIA to build extra brackets, drill holes, and change the thing after the major parts are fabricated. Often a simple change can be made in the early design to accommodate these parts.

Also, what are your electronics going to look like? Could you use a single servo on the Y axis instead of 2 steppers?