Quote Originally Posted by JAZZCNC View Post
Not with the right spindle and design of the gantry / Z-axis. All the machines I build at this size will cut 100mm depth and retract the tool above the workpiece. However, The cutters are expensive and not easy to find. Work holding also becomes a fun challenge.!
That is an unusual amount of Z axis travel and really useful when you find a taller job that needs doing.I have had to work on 70mm thick jobs on a machine with 85mm of Z travel and it was quite,er absorbing.The comment about work holding is actually something that needs to be brought into this discussion; T slots in the table,threaded inserts or a vacuum system could all come into play.