Does anyone have any experience using a German "Gol-Matic" CNC mill? The layout and configuration of these machines is very interesting and versatile. They can be configured into a CNC lathe in a few minutes of effort. The quality appears very nice. Even if you'd never buy one, they may give some inspiration for a home-build.
Gol-Matic: http://www.mdaprecision.com/
I am interested in creating a new metal-cutting benchtop CNC mill of a different configuration, possibly borrowing gol-matic design elements. For example, picture a radial-arm drill, except instead of a single upright column, it would have two. The Y-axis would be overhead, combined with the Z. The X would remain at the bottom of the mill. Such a mill would combine elements of a gantry setup with a traditional mill. I guess the reason I'd like to go in this direction would be to create a stiffer vertical structure for a home-made mill, rather than a single column. Also, the physical separation of the X and Y axes might make for an easier build with rails and ballscrews. The X-Y "Sandwich" I used on my first mill works fine but it inherently limits the travel somewhat, as the sandwich plates (think of the bread in a real sandwich) must carry the linear motion blocks. If the blocks are for 15 or 20mm THK-styled rails, the minimum sandwich dimension is ~ 7" or 175mm square, if one uses a ballscrew between the blocks. I'd also like to get away from the classic long and skinny work table, such as my 6" X 18", and go for something more square.
Anyway, a bit of a ramble. I'd like to try something different and versatile, that would allow easy motion hardware installation, yet be rigid enough for metal.