Thanks for the info guys.

I did think the backlash would be pretty bad on a sub £800 machine. Just a thought though ;)

I did indeed mean a machine with a bed 300 to 400mm.

I have been doing some scrounging and plan reading. I think i will end up trying to find the time to create my own machine. The frame is the easy part, fixtures and fittings is the tricky bit. I thought initially of using a dremmel for the head....Now beginning to think it wont be man enough.