Timing Belts / slaving axes motors by series wiring?

Terry Toddy wrote:

> I am building a 4' x 10' cnc plasma cutter. Does anyone have experience
> using timing belts vs. a rack and pinion drive for the gantry system?

I'd be interested in you posting your design once its built. I too would
eventually like to build both a plasma cutter and a waterjet cutter
(using the same table, just replacing the "head").

> I have a design in mind that will use a stationary timing belt along the
> x axis with the <X axis> motor mounted to the <gantry>. The <torch mount>
> would be moved with a continuous belt where the motor is fixed to
> the <gantry>.

Do you mean like this:

Fixed _________________________
M )
---
( idler _______________________fixed.

gantry
I
I
I <--- gantry motion --->
I
I



M is the Motor pulley, which the belt wraps around 180 degrees, then
another 180 degrees around the idler pulley, and the Motor pulls the
gantry down the table? You might need a belt and a slaved motor at
each side of the gantry to achieve equalized forces (to avoid canting).

Doug

List:
On the topic of "slaving" a stepper motor, has anyone tried to do
that by putting a single set of driver wires in series (or parallel)
to two motors?