I'll add to :
Quote: the rails and carriage that carriy the print head may make very good rails. Quote
INDEED! My next system -- an ongoing development - is using several rails from scrapped printers.
If you grind/sand down the print head carriage - you can join a coulple of them together to support a smallish x axis moving table. Just the ticket for a small desktop system. I'm also considering replicating the belt drive for the Y axis - but using a bigger steper than the ones from the printer.
I'll post some pick-ies in a few (gotta find the camera!)
Cheers - Jim
Experience is the BEST Teacher. Is that why it usually arrives in a shower of sparks, flash of light, loud bang, a cloud of smoke, AND -- a BILL to pay? You usually get it -- just after you need it.