I only found one other thread on the forums that talked about using the OX in a small business application. I am in the process of starting a side business that I intend to make a full time thing within the next 3 years. I have had a Chinese laser engraver (36x24 bed) for the past 3 years and have become quite comfortable using it. I also built the C-beam machine last year and feel relatively comfortable with the components. I plan on adding a larger CNC to my shop within the next 6-12 months. I talked to a guy this past weekend that just bought a Legacy Hybrid that put him out 20K. The machine is really nice, has five axis and runs smooth. Aside from the solid build, it seems like a lot of what you are paying for is tech support for the machine, which I do believe I will need. I can swap out a motor or driver or trouble drive or electronic issues for the most part without too many problems. Anyway, I am trying to decide if I should go the OX route or if I should get a kit similar to one that is on CNCrouterparts.com. My two biggest concerns are rigidity of the machine and reliability of the components. The budget that I am working with is flexible. I don't plan on spending 20k but I can see spending up to 5k to build a decent machine if needed. If I need to wait a few or several months to add more to the budget, I can do that. I would rather get it right the first time than go fast and cheap and have to deal with a bunch of headaches after the build. Below is what I have more or less decided on for some of the components. I am still in the early stages and don't have everything nailed down yet. -Air/water cooled spindle -Mach 4 -Gecko G540+Smooth Stepper Ethernet+PS etc -Motors (waiting to determine size and weight of the machine) -Drive system (unsure at this point, could go belt drive, ball screw or rack and pinion) I would like to have at least 6" Z travel and a minimum of 48" usable X axis. I am flexible now on the Y axis but will probably go for somewhere around 48". I anticipate using the machine mainly for wood products, probably 95%+. There will also be some metal engraving with a drag bit and probably some acrylic, maybe some aluminum, but not much. I also need to incorporate a decent dust collection system. I have a computer that I am currently using to run the laser and am planning on having the CNC near the laser, so I should be able to run both machines from the same computer unless there is a good reason to run them on separate computers. Any feedback or input anyone has would be greatly appreciated! Nate
