Well I've been researching this topic for a few months now, and I'm getting close to making a decision. I've got all of my electronics picked out, so that portion is completely covered. The machine itself, however, I'm still a bit undecided on about what to do.

I'll just make it clear right now that I a) AM on a budget, and I've got to pay for school and whatnot, and b) Will not have the money to do this until summer.

Anyways, this all started with seeing some DIY CNC Machines on Instructables. I figured "I bet one of those things would be pretty nice to have around". I started noticing that people were complaining about precision, unreliable electronics, etc. After a quick Google search, I found this place, among others. In the last few months I've learned an astounding amount about CNC. The problem with this new found knowledge, however, is that it entirely destroys my original plan. This is good I suppose, as it will save me money in the long run.

I was originally planning on building my first machine (as mentioned above), but have come to the conclusion that this is not recommended. I figure that a kit would be a much better choice for my first machine. Deciding on a kit is my main issue at this point in time. Widgitmaster's Midi Router looks pretty much perfect for what I wanted to achieve (see below); unfortunately, it appears that they have discontinued production. Crap. So that leaves me entirely lost. I've found what appears to be a pretty decent looking machine over at Modular CNC, and the kit is fairly inexpensive as well. I was looking at the CNC Mini Milling Machine Kit, which has a maximum travel of 6" x 4" x 4". I'm worried this will be a bit small, and limit what I am able to do.

So with the above mentioned, I'd appreciate some guidance. I will be milling PCB's, some wood, and plastics. I would like to be able to do SOME Aluminum (I realize this requires very small passes, but that's fine) if at all possible. I would like travels of approx. ~12" x ~10" x ~4". If there are any inexpensive kits that you would recommend, please let me know! If you think that I should still try to build my own machine, let me know as well.

Thanks,


- Jesse