I am new here, and I apologize if this has been considered before, but a search did not turn up any info, so here is my question, and a little background on the thought.
I am starting my first two CNC projects, the first will be just a small PCB router of a standard gantry mill design like is all over the interweb, and the second is going to be a CNC plasma table for my Hypertherm Powermax 1000.
My question came about from researching drive systems on this site. The PCB router I am making will just be a standard lead screw design, but for the larger plasma table, I am wondering if anyone has tried to use a larger timing belt as a rack, and the timing pulley as a pinion. I have seen the designs that use an endless belt drive, but this would be a bit different in that the belt would be mounted to a solid bar to form a rack. The timing pulley could be clamped to the rack via an idler bearing running on the bottom side of the improvised rack. I am thinking that it would be an inexpensive way to generate any length rack you could want. The only concern I would have is weather the timing belt would hold up if used in this manner. It seems to me that the forces it will see are not going to be any different than the belt would see in an ordinary installation, but I am just guessing. I guess it would not self clean as well as a driven belt design, but if used for plasma, it is not going to see any swarf or tailings.
What do you all think? Like I say, it is just a thought, and may not be feasible at all.
BTW, I have to say this is an awesome site. I have just been reading and reading for days. I am excited to get started on my projects.
Later,
Jason