I used the plans as a start but had to jump up to a 1" pinion and might have gotten it a bit too tight, since I only moved it up less than 1/2 the radius difference from 3/4 pinion to 1". we'll see if it wears in and quiets up a bit. as for chips, I was worried about that myself in order to keep chips out of the rack I'm putting 2 idlers on the very ends of the rack and hooking up a 1 inch wide rubber/fiberglass strip hooked to each since if my side plates (think of it as a "non" powered belt drive system) that hides the rack except right at the side plates. I'm waiting for the cut to length rubber belt to come in (plus 4 bearings and an electrical coupling that the bearings will be pressed into). and it just might get anchored to the C channel instead of on the side plates. That way the belt doesn't make any turns and I can use the existing holes to mount it to the bottom of it.
Attachment 315002
the black lines area is the r&P and belt cover
I have not received my 2 turn per screw so I am limited to what the Y can do @ 140 ipm got a 4tpi one in there now. X cranks up to about 600 before it stalls, backed down to 500 to be safe and Z is still my old slow one 16 turns per inch unit. (soon to be 4tpi when the parts arrive) but it is still easily 10 times faster than the original machine. if I can just get the X smoother and less noisy I'll be happy to take it back apart and paint it
still saving up for the vacuum motors to arrive from lighthouse motors