Newbi needs advise on torch table.

Hello every one, I am a raw newbie when it comes to
cnc milling but I am anxious to learn. What I would
like to do is build a cnc table for a plasma/oxy
acetylene torch. I have combed the net looking for
some data and I think that I have a good I idea of
what I need to accomplish. I have also browsed the
archives of this list and seen that the subject comes
up periodically which has been a good source of info
for this project. I have a few question that were not
covered in the archives though. Here is a run down of
what I have planed.

* I would like to build a table that can
handle a 4x8' sheet at a time so I think I would
probably need to build the system slightly larger then
this some where around 4 1/3 x 8 1/3'.

* I plan on powering the system with two
stepper motors on the y axis one on each side driven
with two lead screws. From what I have seen most
people are using motors in the 175-200 oz/in range.
On the x axis I would like to use a single motor and
screw of about the same size.

* I seen a kit for a table on the net where
the gantry rode on a couple of strips of 1/2" cold
roll and then bearings supported the vertical and
horizontal. This seems like a good cheap way of doing
things to me. Though I also consider buying some
linear bearings but I think that would be cost
prohibitive.

* For the z axis I would like 4-6" of travel,
so that I could put a small router or die grinder type
tool for wood routing and engraving, though this is
not terribly important. I was planing on using a
smaller motor to drive this probably via a linear
gear.

That pretty well sums up what the tentative plan is so
far, now for some of my questions that I am not sure
about.

* Where is a cheap honest place to buy motors,
controllers and lead screws on the net?

* Will I need to provide some sort of gear
reduction for the drives or will the reduction through
the screws be enough? Are all lead screws cut at the
same pitch?

* For the z axis I would like to eventually
hook up a programmable
micro controller to keep the torch at the correct
height but for the time being I would like to put just
a up down switch to manually control
the torch height. Can I hook up a three way
controller in this manner and have the computer
control the x,y and me or a second circuit handle the
z axis?

* I am not a fan of M.S products and would
like to power this thing
with a Linux based system is there any software out
there that can control a torch system?

* How does the on off on the torch work? I
understand that I will need a machine torch head for
either plasma or oxy/acetylene is the switch
build into the torch?

* How much would one expect to spend on a
system like this?

I think that about does it for now. I am sure that
there is many more issues that I am not aware of, but
any help would be much appreciated.

Will

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