New Machine Build- 48" linear rails

[leotech]

I just picked up some 48" linear rails and screw. It's already mounted on a plate. Any ideas on how to put this all together?

[jasminder]

Originally Posted by leotech I just picked up some 48" linear rails and screw. It's already mounted on a plate. Any ideas on how to put this all together?

leotech,
48'' ? it seems that you are building a router. what size of rails you are using?

jasminder singh

[leotech]

I was planning on building a fixed gantry style router. For now, table will be a 1" subflooring plywood topped table. Z axis and router/spindle to use is the next phase of planning

[metalworkz]

Originally Posted by leotech I just picked up some 48" linear rails and screw. It's already mounted on a plate. Any ideas on how to put this all together?

Hello,
Your question is kind of hard to answer without seeing your plans for the machine? If you don't have plans I would begin to sketch the X and Y axis and try to picture the ways you can incorporate those actuators into the design to move your axis. As best as I can see from the pictures you have 2 actuators with ballscrews and slides included? I would try to leave them intact if possible and this will probably work well for the Y axis or gantry of the machine, but the other actuator may be difficult to implement for the X axis as the distance between the 2 rails is very narrow. You may be able to use a sturdy metal worktable mounted to the X actuator and possibly add some simple supports at the outer edges with bearings or if needed a couple more rails etc.

[brtech]

You said "fixed gantry" which implies "moving table". I don't think any of us can imagine a 48" moving table. You couldn't use a 1" wooden anything over 48" without too much sag unless you had some kind of bracing.

If you meant moving gantry, 48" in one dimension can be done with a single rail/screw. If you are trying to do 48 x 48, you probably need two on the X, and one on the Y. Do you have 3 of them?

[jsheerin]

Remove one rail from each assembly. Mount the two assemblies to some sort of frame with the screws facing out, the one remaining linear rail facing in. Buy a piece of 80/20, the 3030 or 3060 probably, and connect the two carriages with that. Now take the two linear rails you removed and put them on the 80/20. Add another screw and you have an x and y axis. Then you just need a z. You could probably find something surplus on ebay to use if you didn't want to build one.