They start at around $3500 I think, but those are really to small do do much. Something like a 18" maximum length. I've given up on that approach and am instead going to make a router table to handle 48" x 12" and use a laminate router for the spindle. I may need to go to a higher speed though as I want to use some 1/16" size routers, and I'm not sure 25,000 RPM will do it. I've got a Taig mill that I CNCed and I have a bunc of leftover motors and drivers, so it's more of a matter of time to get to a final stage. I picked up a 6"x 1/2" acme thread rod last week. It is going to be a fight with it over flexing at speed, but I only intend to use about 54" of it for the main screw. I should be able to get my 48" travel from that. I'm also not going to go overboard trying for accuracy. If I can keep within 0.010" I'll be happy. That's way tighter than gluing plans to a piece of balsa ant the hand cutting and sanding to size. If you look at most plans, the width of the lines is at least 0.0625" wide, so it is easy to be off by 1/8th inch on the final product. I also have to find another five foot area in the garage for it.

Anyone looking into CNC for their models should look at Sheetcam for 2 and 2 1/2 D work. It just can't be beat. It will take input from a number of cad formats. Meshcam is a great package for 3D work, IE cowls pants and the likes. Add in Mach 3 to drive the hardware and you can have the full package for around $500. A CAD pack is also needed for your drawings and here they run from free up to a grand. I picked up a Rhino 3d package about three years back and couldn't be happier with it. It is toutted as a 3D package, but I've been using it for 2D work and have been converting Bob Roach's P&W Wap Jr plans to Cad so I can get an engine that should run with little effort as everything will fit. All this fun stuff to do and the flying gets in the way of getting it done

Don