The Router I am running is:

Marchant Dice MDL-2-TR model which has a cutting area (mm) of Y=250, X=220 (gantry), Z=50.

The original set up had the the Z mounted on the side towards the Y motor mount and I found that limited travel even further than the above measure. So I changed the position of the Z which allowed all the weight to be more central as well as the slight increase in cutting area. The only down side is that I had to go into Mach3 and inverse the X axis travel set up. It was not a big problem.

I am currently running Motion King 23HS8603 Nema23 motors that are 1.4Nm. Looking to upgrade to 1.8Nm so that can move a bit faster.

Using a Kress 1050 FME router for the spindle and it cuts fine though looking at the quick change options being offered by a few different folks.

I am using DIYCNC boards which are the PCPPS-3 and the older DVR25 driver boards working wonderful and looking to at ways to slave the spindle to Mach3 (Suggestions and directions welcome on this one).

As stated using Mach3 to control the mess and it works wonderfully. Right now using soft limits and looking at which way i want to mount the limit switches I have to get that bit of added security in the system.

Using Sorotec milling bits and Dremel routing bits. Both are working wonderfully to spec and getting a very good life span out of them.

List of to do's:

upgrade to 1.8Nm Nema 23 motors
Limit switches
Mounting a vacuum uptake near the nozzle so that I don't have to directly babysit as much as currently.
Increasing Z axis depth by minimum of 30mm.
Increasing the rigidity of the gantry to fit the set up I am using
Looking at a tool changer for the Kress and if so going to add a sensor so that changes are calibrated when used.
Setting up the ability to control swarf from cutting materials other than wood which will take a separate vacuum collection point than the one currently used (this runs in to a space issue but will find an answer).
Shifting over to Ball screw of the Y and X axis.

I will get some footage up once I have finished the maintenance on her and get some cutting going.

I have already in the old config' gotten some very nice pieces done for harmonicas and concertinas.

At some point and time start building the larger Gantry router for the larger projects.

Michael