Mount the motor and coupler outside the front or rear of the machine's base plate and use a longer lead screw to make use of more of the travel capability. You can put a sheet aluminum cover over the motor and coupler to keep dust and debris off of it if you wish to.
For the gantry beam, a piece of 8020 extrusion would be much stiffer than a single layer of MDF. If not that, double the thickness of the beam with two layers of MDF for improved resistance to twisting under loads.
CarveOne
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CarveOne
Resistance is not futile. It is voltage divided by current (R=V/I). |