Am I being silly?

[Neale]

Yeh, but there are so many build logs and youtube videos out there so it is deciding what to copy that is the problem. After all, there are a fair few wood machines that people appear to be proud of

Ah, now - that's an easy one to answer! Just decide what you want to do with it, what do you really want to be able to do with it. Subject to affordability, everything else follows from that!

[brman]

Ah, now - that's an easy one to answer! Just decide what you want to do with it, what do you really want to be able to do with it. Subject to affordability, everything else follows from that!

I think that might be the crux of the problem. What I really want is a machine that will do anything, including taking the place of a conventional milling machine. I am unlikely to get that though.....

[Kitwn]

I think that might be the crux of the problem. What I really want is a machine that will do anything, including taking the place of a conventional milling machine. I am unlikely to get that though.....

I can tell you for certain you won't get that, not even for real money!

As I've worked my way through the collection of threads here it's noticeable how many of the serious router builders already have a manual milling machine which they use to good effect when building a CNC router.

Kit

PS. On reflection, a 'machine' that can do anything is called a 'workshop' and contains a variety of tools each designed to do a limited range of tasks well. Building a really good workshop is definitely a project of it's own and can take many years.

[brman]

I can tell you for certain you won't get that, not even for real money!

As I've worked my way through the collection of threads here it's noticeable how many of the serious router builders already have a manual milling machine which they use to good effect when building a CNC router.

Kit

PS. On reflection, a 'machine' that can do anything is called a 'workshop' and contains a variety of tools each designed to do a limited range of tasks well. Building a really good workshop is definitely a project of it's own and can take many years.

Yes, I realise that. It has taken years for my workshop to get where it is and in reality it is still a small garage which is already severely lacking in space but still lacking in machine tools. I do have access to a bridgeport mill but it is not practical to use that for regular stuff. Hence the idea of building a small router style machine in a fairly rough and ready way but one that is capable of cutting ally so it can be used to upgrade itself (or, more likely build a better one).
The alternative is to bite the bullet and rationlise my garage so I can fit one of the larger mini-mills, cnc that then think about whether I still want a router style machine.