[mdjurfeldt]

Hi,

I'm thinking about building a CBC mill with a moving table (Y-axis). Orthogonal to that motion there is a rigid gantry with linear guides over the table (the X-axis).

I'd like some advice concerning the Z-axis:

Maybe the conventional construction would be to have a tall plate attached to guide blocks sliding along the X-axis and put vertical rails on the front of that plate. The spindle would be attached to a second plate with guide blocks sliding along the Z-axis.

But what about instead putting the vertical rails on this second plate and attach the blocks on the first, which would then have horizontally sliding blocks on its back side and vertically oriented blocks on its front side.

I imagine this latter design has the advantage that there could be more free space under the gantry when the Z-axis is lifted.

Is this bad/stupid? Will it have an adverse effect on rigidity or some other bad consequence?

Best regards,
Mikael

[ger21]

You can find several examples of that method in the forums here. It's very common.