1" MDF is a piece of cake. No problem there at all.
The motors seem to be 470 oz-in by MicroKinetics, model 34M470. They look pretty heavy duty to me. Step angle 1.8 deg. They are not tiny motors so I imagine you could get more powerful ones of the same size if you liked.
Can't tell you much about the electronics and joystick. I was going in a different direction completely with the Rutex controllers. I see the joystick switches in the Cadcut schematic though. It doesn't look like there is any special circuitry.
I don't have any pictures yet. I haven't got that far. I still have to build the frame. And, I was thinking about helping a friend with a T-Slots design first. It might just help fund my machine.
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"We're lost but were making good time." - Yogi Berra