WorkBee 1010 "Get Rid of the Slop" Build

First and foremost, this is a GREAT machine out of the box. Granted, it could be a little easier to put together but I believe that is a benefit since you know EXACTLY where to go and what to do should something go wrong. The base design is very good for 99% of the people using these machines but I tend to land in the 1% when it comes to my tools so here we are.

Goals for this build:
1: Raise X axis to allow thicker parts to be machined
2: Eliminate slop and flex
3: Increase serviceability should I need to tighten, replace or modify anything in the future
4: Get rid of all of the SOFT bolts that I could supplied in the original kit

After looking at probably 100 different modified "Hobby" CnC machine mods, I found quite a bit of really good information here on the OpenBuilds forums. This build borrows heavily from Jacob Lotter's 1510 modified build (1510 Workbee Modified)

Since I don't have a machine shop at my disposal, I had to get creative making the brackets. I DO have some metal cutting saws and drill presses so that helped immensely. Bottom line, if you're 1/2 way equipped and somewhat handy with tools, you CAN preform these mods.

Parts List:
4 - 15-1500mm 2x Linear Guideway Rail 4x Square Type Bearing Block HGH 15CA (HiWin Clones on ebay)
2 - Blue Ox Deluxe WorkBee Taller Y Side Plates by chrisclub1 on ebay (2" taller, 1 pair)
100 - M4 T-Slot Hammer Head Nut, 2020 Series Silver Carbon Steel Fastener Aluminum Profile Extrusion Slot
100 - M5 T-Slot Hammer Head Nut, 2020 Series Silver Carbon Steel Fastener Aluminum Profile Extrusion Slot
200 - M4-0.7 x 15 MM Metric Allen Socket Head Cap Screws Grade/Class 12.9 Alloy Bolts Black Oxide
100 - M5-0.8 x 15 MM Metric Allen Socket Head Cap Screws Grade/Class 12.9 Alloy Bolts Black Oxide
4' - 2"x2"x1/4" aluminum 90 degree angle "iron" from OnLineMetals.com
3' - 1 1/2"x1 1/2"x 1/8" aluminum 90 degree angle "iron" from Home Depot
1 - Openbuilds Z axis with linear bearings from CnC4NewBie with drop plate

Picture Explanation:
IMG_3858 - Y Axis rail mounting bracket with stock sideplates.
IMG_3859 - Y Axis rail mounting bracket with stock sideplates view 2. Note, you cannot put screws under the X axis as they hit the extrusion
IMG_3863 - Y Axis rail mounting bracket with BlueOx sideplates. All screws in place
IMG_3864 - End picture of BlueOx sideplates. Most all of the bolts have been replaced. Also painted the side plate because that was a LOT of aluminum staring at you.
IMG_3865 - X Axis gantry. I had to retain this piece for the lead screw. It also gives me someplace to fasten all of the wiring
IMG_3866 - X Axis gantry brackets. There isn't a lot of load on the rear plate so I could get away with thinner metal back there.
IMG_3867 - CnC4Newbie Z axis. This thing is a TANK!
IMG_3868 - The biggest problem I had with the factory Z Axis was it worked loose and was almost impossible to tighten. I redesigned the factory mounting bracket and it now attaches from the front. I can remove the Z Axis in literally less than a minute now.
IMG_3869 - Close up of gantry brackets. You need to cut a 1/2" off one side to clear the factory rail.

Takeaways/Lessons Learned
Get more metal than you think you'll need, especially if you haven't discovered Jacob's engineering drawings on his files page yet.
Once you place the Y and X axis rails, tighten ONE bolt at one end on each side (or top and bottom) and leave the rest of the rails loose. Cycle the axis back and forth a few times to let everything move around a little and seat itself. I then cycled by 10mm and snugged the bolts down as I went. I'm sure I affected my accuracy by an extremely slim margin but I'm not machining for NASA so I believe I'm good.
The cable chains do pop open and WILL slide out through the holes in the X/Y end plates
If you install taller end plates AND a new Z axis, you WILL need the drop plate for the Z axis. I now have right at 5" of clearance between my waste board and the bottom of the Z axis.
Mathieu at CnC4Newbie is great to work with. Very responsive to e-mail and their product is built like a tank. Highly recommend these guys!

I'm sure this isn't the only build like this but I submitted so I could hopefully give someone another resource to use in their quest for a stiffer, faster, more accurate machine.