Hi Vroemm.
Just to add to your thoughts - consider air bearings. If you were thinking of large machines, then yes, you would need a sophisticated set up. In fact for a machine requiring tight tolerances it would be quite impractical.
However, if you were considering a small, lightweight machine to work foam, for example, then why not.
At school we used a very simple set up to do mechanics experiments with air supported slides. Friction free.
John
It's like doing jigsaw puzzles in the dark.
Enjoy today's problems, for tomorrow's may be worse.