Ball Bearing Slide for 2020 or 1" Extrusions

thingiverse

This linear slide is essentially a copycat of the ExoSlide (exoslide.com). It utilizes twelve miniature MR63 bearings to run along the exterior of a square aluminum extrusion. The bearings have a load rating of approximately 15 pounds, which should be more than sufficient for most 3D printer construction projects. I've included versions designed for 2020 extrusions (20mm x 20mm) as well as 1" square aluminum tube, which is significantly cheaper and can be easily found in hardware stores. Each side features an adjustment screw that allows you to fine-tune the fit on your specific extrusion, taking into account the slight variations in width among different extrusions (.4mm or so). The MR63 bearings cost around $0.50 each, and you'll also need twelve 3mm x 12mm dowel pins at approximately $0.03 each. Overall, this linear slide is much more affordable than the Exoslides. STEP format CAD files are provided for anyone who wishes to make modifications or adjustments to the design.