Rostock Max vs Kossel Mini belt system

Is it worth the increased design complexity and cost to run the belt in the channels compared to the kossel minis exposed belt system?

As someone who *hates* exposed belts for both safety and aesthetic reasons, I vote yes.....

Even if that means loss in Z height?

If you put the motor sprocket under the T/V-slot extrusion and the return pulley above the extrusion, the belt can ride in the slots and you will not lose any Z height. Picture this on 2020 extrusion:



The belts tuck inside the slots nicely, and only need to come out where they attach to the carriage.....

What about stabilizing the extrusions to the other extrusions? Won't you lose z height?

Please explain to me where you lose Z height by putting the motor under the end of the extrusion?



The blue bracket is a scrap Cherri Pi delta printer top bracket that I had in my trashed prints bin, used for concept illustration purposes. The bottom bracket obviously needs to have two cross braces and not just one, and could be based off of this Kossel bracket:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:340529

You gain a little vertical tallness on the total printer because of the motor and pulley, but there is absolutely zero loss of Z travel on the extrusion. There is also the minimal additional expense for a little bit longer belts. The biggest challenge is hooking the carriage to the belt through the same slot that the wheels are riding in.....

I see what you mean! My plan was using the rostock max belt style so then it wouldnt conflict with the wheels side.

Having the belt running in the outer/inner slots versus the side slots does simplify things, but it requires having the stepper motor sticking out of the side of a Kossel-type bracket. Not a huge concern with the Rostock/SeeMeCNC design with the huge wooden base, but more of an eyesore IMHO than the exposed belts on a Kossel-type frame. That is why I was running my mini-V-slot carriages 90 degrees rotated, which may be workable without too much slop if you design a carriage like the SeeMeCNC cheapskate to run sideways. I sort of liked putting the rod-pushing load into the extrusion through the axles and not through the sides of the wheels.....