Hello from a lurker...

[JAZZCNC]

What R&D! If they'd done any R&D then it wouldn't be made from plywood.

Agree with Jonathan but also under stand what your saying.!! . . . But don't think you realise just what can be achieved with £400.

I could build a base frame and Gantry for machine with 1000 x 700 cutting made from Box section steel for £60 and still have some steel left.!!

If you want bling and shiny then £500 would buy all the Aluminium plate and profile for this machine which purely by coincidence is very similar in design to Excel's machine here EXEL CNC SL6090 Pro that cost's £6000 and it's not has stiff or neat has my design(Which was designed and built well before they started).

With £2K you can build a cracking steel machine complete with profiled linear rails and all the trimmings.
To give an idea I'm just Finishing off a machine for someone like the one in the Picture which has profiled rails, ballscrews, 3Nm motor's along Proximity switch limits and energy chain all the trimmings etc.

Proper Control box (which I'm doing Now between typing here.!!) that has high quality 80V AM882 Digital drives, excellent CSMIO-P-M motion control card full with 24v signals and Estop system driven thru Pilz safety relay etc

All this for £2800 minus spindle.!! (and I'm covering most my time). . . . . Built from steel it would be Less.!!