Its good to see another Brit building,or at least planning,a new machine.I have a few things I don't fully understand about the project and would like to ask a few questions to help me comprehend the choices that have been made.Would I be correct in assuming the size is partly determined by the workshop space available?I understand the likelihood of welding inducing an amount of distortion and the challenge of arriving at a flat surface.My question would be how much welding do you need to hold the machine together in view of the loads that would be imposed versus how much welding could you apply?I'm not enough of a welder to advise on tacking and optimum weld sequence,but there has to be a strategy that would minimise distortion.
The design in the first post is clearly some way from finished and could easily stand on top of a base frame with built in adjustment.It also needs a gantry and might I suggest completing the design before cutting or welding anything?Its so much easier to amend things at the stage when they are still on screen rather than cutting pieces of steel off or welding them on.