hi all,
I've decided to take the plunge and either buy or build (or rather assemble) a 3-4 axis cnc router, capable of cutting pieces measuring at least 1250mm X 1250mm, but preferably 1250x2500.

The problem is that on the one hand I don't have any experience building CNCs, and on the other hand, I currently lack the time to dedicate more than say 18-24 work hours to building one, so I would need to get as many parts as possible off the shelf.

Either that, or buy a pre-made one, but from what I've seen, the prices for turnkey solutions are very high.

So my questions are:

1-Are there plans for 3 or 4 axis CNC routers capable of taking at least 1250x1250mm pieces which can be completed using only off the shelf parts?
If not, what would be the fastest route to building such a machine?

2-If using good quality parts, what price and degree of precision would I be looking at?

3-Is it much more expensive to buy a turn-key solution? Can you suggest reliable and cost effective UK/European manufacturers and models?

thanks
zwk