If you don't mind and have time can you point me to some of the guides you consider the better ones for this project?  And link me to the motors you ended up buying?

I got these motors: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111412185294?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I think the guy selling them has a pretty sweet setup - he's put his own stickers on them, with a model number. If you look up the model on alibaba/express there's only one place selling them - for slightly more than this guy is in the UK. I suspect he's struck a deal there, somehow :D

Anyway, I think the price is pretty fair - they seem to be very strong (see video up there ^^^ ) and they're dual shaft so I can stick a rotary encoder on the back end for feedback. 

As for guides, well I've been wanting to do this project for about 6 years or more. I've read countless forum threads, instructables, hackaday articles etc. There's not really any one guide I've followed, more a case of trying to understand the various theories of operation and then design my own system. CNCZone.com is a pretty active forum.

To be honest, if I was in teh USA I'd probably just have bought a Shapeoko 2 machine. But the shipping costs to the UK are ridiculous. I think the unit costs about $600 delivered in the US, over here it's about £680 (plus potential import duties etc.)

Good info, thanks!  I'm looking/trying to keep this project around the $200 mark.

Did I mention I work here?  I can probably get a lot of the build material right outside my office.  It's mostly just motors/drivers I need assistance with.  I'll also be able to get some pretty bad ass bits.

*Is the number of motors needed 3?

That's awesome if you can steal stuff for it! $200 limit isn't going to get you much otherwise. The biggest costs are the motors, drivers and PSU (I've spent £120 there but I'm banking on using old PC power supplies for free, otherwise that'd be £200), the linear motion stuff (precision linear rails and bearings, I'm planning on spending ~£90), and the lead screw. I'm going to start off with some simple M8 threaded rod as my lead screw, but I'll upgrade it (or a later machine) to a proper ACME rod with a ballscrew at some point - that's going to cost a /lot/.

3 motors minimum? Well you need at least one for each axis you want to move. Sure you can work it out from there!

I found some of these and some bearings so far.  I know we have everything to build multiple CNC's because that's what our machines are but probably on a scale far too large for my needs!

They look interesting! Wonder what their inductance is. Also it's got a pulley for a toothed belt - any idea what it came from?

No, it came from a CNC milling machine of some type.  I put my finger in there to show the size of it.  It's pretty big.

I'd guess that's a Nema 23 frame, looks roughly the same size as mine.

>>I put my finger in there to show the size of it. It's pretty big.

Said the actress to the bishop.

Looks like a hip flask made by engineers, for engineers.

So a not-hip flask, then.

I think I've decided on a design.

You might want to check this out.  It seems pretty nice and you can download a very detailed build guide here.  This manual is on sale at Amazon and B&N for ~$30, or for free on his site, I've never seen that happen before!

That's a nice looking machine. Too big (and expensive) for me, though.

It's about the exact size I was planning on.  I have this old table that I'm going to be using.  It's 43" x 43".  In the picture I have 3 of the leafs up but you can see where they end to get an idea.

Looks a bit round. Also is it a central leg with feet? Wonder how stable that'll be with a big-ass machine grinding on it (possibly, john).

No it has 4 legs.  It's round because the leafs are up on 3 sides.  They fold under the table and then it's square.  The legs are 4x4 posts, if that doesn't hold the machine then I messed up and built it out of rocks.

Why did you build it out of rocks?

Reliability.

You can always count on rocks.

A MIG? No wonder they were trying to put you away...  :-&

Dremel on Amazon Flash Sale. FLASH! Aah-aaaah!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0040GJ41Q/