What do you really get for a $350 desk top engraver ?

it was on a belt drive with an omega style configuration.

machinedude wrote:

it was on a belt drive with an omega style configuration.

I should have looked back in this thread - you did post some pics of the arrangement.

Sounds like excessive belt tension is the culprit - maybe in conjunction with a defect in the motor shaft.

Any room to mount a bearing on the motor shaft outboard of the timing pulley?  Or drive an intermediate shaft which is supported at both ends using a typical flex coupling (oldham, lovejoy, etc.)?

not easily so if it happens again i might have to rethink things. this was on the X axis so not too much mass being moved. the whole machine is pretty light less than 100lbs the X might hit 20lbs if that. most of the weight is the t-slot table and gantry beam.