# Using full Z axis height **URL:** \ **Category:** Uncategorized\ **Created:** [December 19, 2022, 4:32pm UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/using-full-z-axis-height/17506 "2022-12-19T16:32:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![349iq2345](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/bb73d2/32.png) [@349iq2345](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/u/349iq2345)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2022, 4:32pm UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/using-full-z-axis-height/17506/1 "2022-12-19T16:32:08Z")
Continuing the discussion from [How does loading and running programs work](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/how-does-loading-and-running-programs-work/17503/6): > [@How does loading and running programs work](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/how-does-loading-and-running-programs-work/17503/4): > > > [@How does loading and running programs work](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/how-does-loading-and-running-programs-work/17503/3): > > > > also side question on waste board. it seems most users screw machine down to table then add waste board in between rails. this way aren’t you losing the thickness of waste board from z axis. could you put pieces of waste board under machine feet then add wb in between so its the same height as waste board therefore having full z axis > > I don’t know that I’ve seen anybody raising the feet with waste board material. I think you’d have to be careful about that as it may impact the stability of the CNC machine. You are adding extra leverage (kinda like a cheater bar on a wrench). I have seen some use of riser blocks on the Z gantry to do the same, but that also sparks discussion about what negative impact that may have on how solid the system now is. I really can’t advise one way or another as I have no experience. Hey Butch, whatever you use to raise the machine’s feet, it has to withstand strong bending forces in horizontal directions. A piece of wasteboard, mostly made of [MDF](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium-density_fibreboard), that has only the size of the [machine’s foot](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/can-anyone-send-me-a-link-to-the-journeyman-manual-please/13171/9), is not really suited for that since the work forces may compress the material. MDF is too soft for that, at least such a little piece that can not transfer the forces into the surface. Possibly you could make a wasteboard as one bigger piece that is able to take the entire machine _including the feet_, in this case I would use the minimum recommended thickness as explained in [the manual](https://www.onefinitycnc.com/_files/ugd/1cee9f_c602e6130f1d4b7ebc2f8795f50f77a4.pdf) (2½" – 3"), nothing less. But then replacing the wasteboard would require removing the entire machine. You are not alone in wanting to use more space than the distance from Z to machine feet’s base. Usually you would have to build a strong frame, which should have steel or strong aluminium **profiles that go through from front to rear, at least under the two Y axes** , and screw or weld these to some construction of steel or aluminium profiles underneath. Here is a machine with an aluminium extrusion profile frame with removable aluminium wasteboard: > [@Should I buy onefinity? If it’s worth it? Guide for those who joined the forum but haven’t ordered the machine yet. How to buy cnc machine](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/should-i-buy-onefinity-if-it-s-worth-it-guide-for-those-who-joined-the-forum-but-haven-t-ordered-the-machine-yet-how-to-buy-cnc-machine/7321/13): > > we ended up choosing the [Onefinity Journeyman](https://www.onefinitycnc.com/product-page/onefinity-journeyman), but one machine that this would also apply to is the cnc-step High-Z. With a size of up to 82.7″ × 41.3″ (6.9′ × 3.4′) and its open, extruded aluminium frame, I think this job would have been possible with it too. > ![cnc_router_high_z_s_1000t-1 _1000ms](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/onefinitycnc/original/2X/e/ec82bc5355e02164fd40b3330f30ec0e61a055fd.gif) > > ![milling-cut-out-control-cabines](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/onefinitycnc/original/2X/f/fd3c26dbc92483ad68f20a4b2d467a61c853c96c.jpeg) You see, making an open frame allows you to work on higher workpieces. Such solutions are mostly wanted if you want to place a bigger workpiece, possiby on a rotational axis, under the machine. What I plan, is to weld a U-shaped machine base from steel profiles, with a floating wasteboard that can be removed if necessary, but which (in contrast to the two images above) is also open at the front and the rear, in order to work on pieces that are longer than Y dimension of workarea. If the workpieces you want to use are smaller than the workarea, you could also buy the [QCW Frame](https://www.onefinitycnc.com/product-page/journeyman-qcw-frame-secure-from-above) and remove some of its beams in the middle. ---
**Author:** ![bkwoood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f04885/32.png) [@bkwoood](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/u/bkwoood)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2022, 8:27pm UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/using-full-z-axis-height/17506/2 "2022-12-19T20:27:52Z")
thanks everyone, it was just a thought. wasn’t sure if it would affect the machine or not. I’d be fine without raising it