"Bob La Londe" wrote:

What is a decent quality small step up from my Taig.

I'd say Seig X3. Little Machine Shop sells some Seigs with factory CNC
(ball screws and Mach 3). You can't compare the rigidity of a 500lb
machine with one that is 100lbs.

As much as I hate to say it, that is what I have been finding. The moderate
size Seig is about as good as it gets without going way up in size and
price. I'ld probably go with the X4 or SX4.

I've also been looking at the MaxNC machines. I was thinking of asking them
if I could buy a MaxNC 15 without their motors, controller, and spindle so I
could fit my own setup. I've already got one of their little NC 5 machines
I bought as scrap, and plan to retro with the controller and motors I took
off my Taig when I upgraded it to the Gecko controller with bigger motors.

I guess I really need to look at a Seig and see what I think of their ways,
since a couple people already make a bolt on ball screw conversion for it.
Unfortunately the local HF store no longer stocks much of anything so I
can't look at their color painted version of it locally.

I've wanted to build a little cnc mill for ages. The X3 seems like the minimum starting
point but I keep looking at the X4. I'm hoping procrastination pays off. Maybe something
even better will show up in the near future.

Wes