MadModder

I think your leadscrew idea is interesting, looking forward to seeing if it works out for what you want to do with the machine. Sorry to hear about the Alibre glitches. Frustrating. But it does seem like you're moving along with this rebuild/upgrade. Keep on truckin!

Before I completely tear this thing apart again here's a couple shots of what it looks like with the new rails installed.

I installed the mocked-up lead-nut assembly just as a sanity check - it fits so I guess I'm still sane. 

Installing the X axis rails on the side frames is causing some issues.

That change, while it made the alignment of the machine MUCH easier also threw a monkey wrench into some of the other stuff.  There is no longer 1/4" between the bottom of the bed and the bearing blocks, it's more like 3-ish mm.  I've got some 1/4"x1-1/2" aluminum angle that I will modify to make the bed/bearing mounting brackets.  I'll lose another 3mm of Z work height, bringing the max working Z height down to about 60mm, but that will be fixed after I get this thing running again.  It can make itself new extended Z height side plates.  The X axis lead-nut mounting block will need to change.  The current plan is to add 3mm to the dimensions of the existing mount, and print that.  Then I install that lead-nut, measure how thick of a shim I need between the lead-nut and the bottom of the bed, print the shim, and install it - Eazzee-Peasee.

Try it now.

Oooh, swish - what plugin is that?

Hi!

The link posted above is the target when the cursor is placed above the first pic in the attached screen snap.

Upon clicking on the pic, a new tab opens (blank page) and a file explorer box prompts for file name and location for downloading the image.

Hi Tom and Country Bubba, thank! Much appreciated!   

Now I want to make it look good, the way I pictured it. Starting on that today. Might just re-paint the lathe, too, if it's warm enough. Pre-Spring spruce up.