Hello all, I've never built a CNC router before, in fact I've never even seen one (unless you count Youtube). I'm a woodworker and I primarily want my machine to handle timber. Here's my end game...

1. The ability to handle 1/4" standard woodworking router bits
2. The ability to utilise a standard wood router or laminate trimmer (prob preferable due to their more uniform cylindrical body). I dont need to vary the speed during working - only for different materials. Provisionally I would use a Makita RT0700
3. The ability to hold and clamp a wide range of workpieces - maximum size laterally of 1220x606 working area - although I might consider a wider working are such as 1220x1000 to give me the ability handle the occasional table top. I would also need the ability clamp workpieces perpendicular (upright) to the table bed (for routing unusual joints or ancathus leaves on table legs etc) so the machine should have an open/through bed to the ground when the bed sheet material (prob MDF as its easy to level and v stable) is removed. My initial concept is to have sliding bed support cross sections that can be easily loosened and so adjusted to fit a vertical workpiece - they would also provide support for clamping.

Initial provisional choices:

* Speed: A wood router might prove heavy to a cnc so I see the gantry being both strong and as rigid as possible - this will all add weight and affect speed. However, a router can only travel so fast through wood without charring it whatever its means of travel so I suspect I will be making motor decisions more based around torque than speed

* Materials. Obviously I would like the machine as rigid as possible. Working steel is out of the question for me as I do not have the tools or the skills to weld (I have enough tools for 2 lifetimes already and my list of wants is long enough without venturing too much into a whole new field of metal work equipment). So I will be limited to using a bench press drill, my wood bandsaw, hacksaws, files and possibly my mitre saw (If I can bring myself to cut anything other than timber with my beloved Festool Kapex mitre saw) - otherwise I will use my bandsaw. So, with those restrictions I believe I will be limited to working with wood, acrylics/plastics and aluminium profile. I have discounted bolted steel frames - I have many machine stands for my table saw and Planer thicknesser that are bolted steel and they flex and work bolts loose all the time.

Therefore, initial choices are as follows:

Wood for the frame/stand. I have a glut of white oak timber - its very well seasoned and very heavy and stable wood. I can dimension it exactly on my planer thicknesser and seal it. It's as strong as steel imho and I can work it to a fraction of a mm. Of course wood breathes even when endgrain is sealed but as a base with slotted fastening to the CNC framework (for seasonal movement) it will be very well suited and provide significant dampening and low end weight.

The framework of the CNC machine (the axis and gantry) will be predominately aluminium profile (sizes not decided - I know zero about aluminium profiles yet) - and I will also use sheet/plate alu of a thickness of at least 10mm for manufacturing the various templated parts (gantry, support etc). I assume I can cut 10mm thick alu on my bandsaw on its slowest setting using some cutting oil spray - any advice suggestions would be appreciated - I dont expect the blade to last more than a single project.

Design. I am new to CNC and so know very little except what I have read recently but it strikes me a rack and pinion for the x and Y and some kind of lead screw for the gantry would be my best choice for rigidity. I also admit that I am leaning towards that choice simply because I cannot imagine that a allthread lead screw is worth the bother or can deliver - seems that a ballscrew would need its ends machining unless I went for a standard size and I am confused by their assembly and mounts etc to be honest. One thing I do know is that I want 2 motors driving my X axis - one central drive just looks and feels problematic for a larger machine and my gut tells me it's going to struggle and sprain especially where any cut is being pushed along the X axis with the router to the far left or right on the Y axis. I like the idea of using a steel angle profile with v bearings to run the gantry down the X as it looks hardwearing and stable - strikes me also that standard bright steel solid round bar would also work very well as rails once polished up and tested for straightness - I cant imagine many machines capable of flexing a pair of 20mm cold drawn roundbars

Sketchup will be my friend as I plan on drawing out my full design first and then subjecting it to a barrage of public scrutiny on this site - I would rather not "reinvent the wheel" from scratch and so if anybody can recommend any sketchup plans that are reasonable examples to modify and resize I'd appreciate that as it's always easier for me to start with something even if I end up discarding and replacing every part of it.

I plan on making no decisions electronics - other than motor sizes - until I have made the mechanical machine. Likewise, I wont be buying anything other than raw materials (aluminium, timber etc) until I have built that.

Can anybody suggest a machine for me to look at for inspiration?

Sorry to start with just some ideas but the guy who taught me cabinetmaking always used to say that if you cant draw it, you cant build it - and there's a lot more to drawing than drawing pictures.