Zoltar Inspired Design.

[Miata2k]

A few years ago I started thinking about a CNC design. In my searching over the internet I found some really great sites, CNC Zone being the best of course.

One of the designs I found was named Zoltar.
I would provide a link to the design but the builders website states
"Pictures and content may not be used else ware or linked within other websites,or even complete pages captured into your own frame's webpage as was it yours."
I guess by posting that I'm actually violating it, so do some searching if you want more info.

Anyway, there are 3 version of his desigin, but the system but I was most interested in is called the "Bracket System". It uses a standard bracket to hold bearing to be used as a linear track. I like the idea of having a standard bracket to hold the bearing that was manufactured by a machine and not me in my garage. I never thought I would have the precision to get the bearing to line up perfect.

Since I really liked the design I contacted the designer to get some more information on his plans, but he never replied with any instructions. So with out any plans I just borrowed the idea for the design of the bracket and made my own.



These brackets sat at home for the past year or so just waiting to be used. Now I'm starting back into the design and I wanted to get some input from other builders on the design of this bracket.

My idea is to use 4 of these brackets for a 3 axis machine. All of the axises would use either pipe or some type of angle for their tracks, very much like the JGRO design. I would use 2 for the gantry, one on each side, and one for each of the other two axis.

My first attempt for the gantry is to connect the two brackets together with gas pipe. I mounted a pipe flange floor plate to each bracket and then just screwed them together with a Cross in the middle. I figure I could run the lead screw through the center of the cross.



One thing I discovered in my testing, the brackets were not perfectly bent. They are a bit off so they bearing don't ride on the pipe correctly. I'm thinking about contracting with another company to build some more brackets , but I need to order 20 of them at $12.50 a piece. So before I build any more of these I'd like to get some ideas about changes to the part. If you were using this in you build what you want it to do? My only change at this time is to make the bolt hole in the center fit the pipe flange.

If I get more of these build, would anyone else want to use them for a project? I'll only need 4, so I'll have 16 extras.