Greetings all, I've been a bit of a lurker for years and am finally able to order parts for my first build. I'm looking to keep things as inexpensive as possible, every dollar saved is another dollar I don't have to make for rent next month I'll be cutting softwood, hardwood, plastic, and aluminum and brass from time to time.

I've got just about everything I'll need worked out, but please let me know if you have any suggestions or see any glaring errors. Hopefully I'll be able to describe my build with enough clarity

I'll be using:
Base/X axis
3 ft 3030 topped with 4" steel for the X Axis (your suggestion on type would help)
The 3030 will sit ontop of 3 3ft 2020 beams for structure.

The gantry will be a 3 ft piece of 3060, though I'd LOVE to be able to get away with a piece of 3030 instead if the consensus is I can do it. For height, the 3060 will be sitting on top of 1 or 2 3030x6" pieces attached to a sled I'll be making with aluminum and rollerblade bearings. the Z axis will ride along a 7" 1/4 steel plate - again suggestions or alternatives are welcome.

I'll be using 1/2in hardened acme precision leadscrews, and making my own couplers out of 1in delrin rod.
As far as leadnut, I'm on the fence. The DumpsterCNC antibacklash nuts look great, and I'll probably wind up with them, but I'd love to find a DIY solution for that as well.

The one thing thats got me stumped is the bearings for supporting the ACME leadscrew. I'll be making leadscrew supports out of plastic or MDF, then later aluminum, and I've seen reference to needle bearings or rotary bearings, but for some reason I'm having trouble picturing the solution, so any suggestions would be helpful.

As far as electronics, I'll be going with a Gecko g540 and 4 380oz motors, 2 on the x axis.

I'll be doing a full build journal with photos once parts start to arrive - right now the only thing I've got are hand drawn scribbles and cardboard cutouts