help with material choices

[codevark]

Hi, I am new to this forum. I am going to try and build a gantry type cnc router machine. I have a frame built from 2"x1" steel tubing which it 4' x 3' and now i need to add some 1" round bar rails for the x-axis. Has anybody used driveline quality round bar? Is it hard and smooth enough for ball bushings to slide on? The only info i can find on it says its C 1018 material and 65000 lb. tensile strength which i don't know if that really applys to the way i'll be using it. Also what about drill rod? It comes in 3 different grades and a lot of different sizes.

[davereagan]

I would study the pages of www.mcmaster.com for linear rails. The cheapest steel I would use is TGP (turned, ground and polished) shafting either in 1045 or 114 Stressproof grade. The real question is surface hardness for this application probably. There is TGP shafting which is chrome plated as well. Fully hardened shafting is a nightmare to machine (mounting holes, etc.)

[georgeburns]

Foosball rods


I've get a set like the ones above if you want em, I'd be willing to sell mine to for a reasonable offer. Just a thought. I found out that most are made by Thompsan which makes a lot of the linear slide rods.

The neat thing about them is that they are pre drilled for each foosman, so you wouldn't have to drill them.

I'm converting my foos table into a cnc machine. I was actually looking for rods and bought linear rails for my machine. I'm an idiot... as I was disassembling the foos table I realized these would have worked.