800 mm wide makerslide

I have a 2015 x-carve with an 800 mm x-axis (due to limited space in my workshop that is the largest I can have) that I would like to upgrade with a wide makerslide. I would like to buy a 1000 mm wide makerslide, cut it to 800 mm and tap the holes for the screws. My concern is that the holes are not closed, Is it possible to tap them straight anyway or will the threads wander towards the opening? I have tapped the holes on my present machine, but those holes were closed all the way around, so that was not difficult.

I know that there are 750 mm tapped wide makerslides, but I need the 50 mm extra length, and the shorter length would also require some rebuilding.

It would be quite difficult to tap the holes by hand. I played around with trying to fix my tapped holes that wandered to the slot straight from inventables. My tap would essentially get wedged in the gap.

If I were to try and do what youre doing, I would likely fill the slots with a metal fortified epoxy like “steel stick”, drill a new hole and then tap. The would help control the wander into the slot.

I’m not sure what your concern is. You should be able to cut and tap new holes fairly easily just take your time and make sure you are going in straight. I’m assuming when you say not closed you mean that the holes are not circles but rather “C” shaped. That shouldn’t make much of a difference. It is actually easier.

Use a spiral flute tap

Thank you all for your replies. I will get a spiral flute tap and practice on the cutoff before I attempt tapping the remaining 800 mm part.