http://www.shopbottools.com/images/alphamotor.jpg

That machine seems to use a gear on the stepper motor on all three axes. Has anybody built a DIY machine with something similar? I'm pretty sure it'd be cheaper to make some sort of toothed track for the thing to crawl down than something like a leadscrew or ballscrew, especially over long distances.

This is what I have based my machine on. It is a shopbot. It is driven along by rack and pinion. I have used timing belts instead. If you want I can show you some pics of my Bennybot machine.here (http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6143)

The main difference between mine and shopbot is mine uses servos, timing belts, and is driven from both sides using a conecting drive shaft. Besides that the shopbot looks a whole lot nicer than mine.

Yes! Pictures please!

http://www.bostongear.com/products/open/rack.html
would that product work for a rack and pinion type setup?

Click here for the pics http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6143
Yes the parts in the link you posted would work.

Sir,

I have "attempted" to attach pictures of my setup; it is mainly a test bed to tryout my controller and investigate a low cost approach to making a router.

Regards,
Jack C.

I think this is the way I'm going to go for my router. With a rack and pinion setup if I had to extend the track I could actually make part of the table removeable for storage so long as re-assembly would be easily and wouldn't require much adjustment, right?