Quote Originally Posted by brman View Post
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.