For anybody following this thread, here’s where I’m at with the modified design:
It consists of a base where the rods seat (as before), and a dust shroud / that locks into that piece in the back, but then gets bolted down in front to make it solid. It fits snugly around my router, so I think grease will be called for in operation. The dust shroud has two side portholes with sliding-door covers you can use to sight the bit for zeroing. The clamp, cap, and rods are pretty similar to the previous iteration, except I’ve nudged the linear rods inwards a tad in order to improve the profile when used with the ring system. Here’s what that clearance looks like in a test-fit render:
I’ve printed the parts enough to know they fit / work together, but I haven’t had time to print a full set and do a full assemble with rails, motors, and ground control. I’ll do that as soon as I can find a suitable block of time. In the meantime, if anybody wants a set of the latest iteration’s printable model files (STLs), let me know and I’ll either post them or DM them to you.