Just IN- new to cnc: reduce choices?

[sevendale]

Hello cnc experts. I need some help, please. What I want to build is a 4'x8' cnc router to cut primarily wood- 2x framing lumber, plywood, 8/4 oak. I have the shop and skills to do the building of mdf/ply/wood etc. I don't care about fast (15 years of working in a mill with a cnc, those things spent most of their week idle!).
Budget is my biggest criteria, naturally, time to build I have, and a few grand in cash.
So I need to
pick rails for X and Y
pick motors (stepper, since price beats speed?)
pick software (I know AutoCad inside out, I mean controller)
pick a Z carriage assembly
pick a spindle/router (again, budget: I'm wired for 220 SINGLE phase)
Any help at all is sincerely appreciated; I've spent a lot of time lurking and so many parts of answers are floating around I forget my question by the end of an hour of reading!

[ger21]

This is your best bet for a 4x8 machine.
http://www.mechmate.com/ You can build the whole thing for a few thousand $$. There are people selling the steel parts to. Join the forum there.

[sevendale]

GER21, Thank you very much. I threw that request into what looked like a swamp of information, but you came right back with precisely what I was after but couldn't find. I hope to learn enough quick to point the way for someone else soon.

[sevendale]

Gerry! That's the one! I'll be back when I'm hip deep in trouble. Thanks again!