v groove or linear guide wheels better ?

[plasmachad]

I'm looking at buying a table and was wondering what all to look for when ordering a machine . V-Groove or Linear and is steel gantry just as good as aluminum gantry . I like the water table but still trying to decide on that to lol so any ideas

[jimcolt]

V groove bearings are generally less expensive, but need more maintenance and occasional adjustment over time. All high end industrial machines use linear recirculating bearings for long term accurate, low maintenance operation.

There are many cnc plasma machines with steel gantries and many wiuth aluminum. Often aluminum is used on machines that are designed to have superior acceleration. Better acceleration will provide better cut quality as the machine is able to maintain the speeds necessary for plasma cutting.

Jim Colt

[minnfatz]

My table has an aluminum gantry and it is quite sturdy.