Please help with CNC design

[nsiters]

I have been working in the CNC trade for 3 years now and am interested in making a mini CNC mill for hobby use at home. i have been reading as much as i can find about converting a drill to a CNC mill and like the idea, but unfortunately I haven't been able to find really detailed design for a conversion. So i was hoping to describe what i want to use it for and maybe someone out there can point me in the right direction. i would like to use this machine in my sword/knife making hobbies. i would like to be able to make pockets, do engraving, etc. in steel blades and copper, brass and aluminum hilts and pommels. i was thinking of a table with at least 28" of X axis travel and a drill motor capable of making mild cuts in the above mention material. i would like to have an R8 spindle and be as rigid as possible. i would like to stay in the realm of the conversion rather than all out fabrication. i have access to machines both manual and cnc at work that i can use for fabricating parts. Is there anyone out there that knows of some good plans or would be willing to give advice to get me started so i can run with this project? all help would be greatly appreciated. thanks a lot.
Nate

[wcarrothers1]

Get your self a round pole mill from harbor freight and get the conversion instructions from homecnc.info...

That is what I did.. Great plans. Worth every $$ if you are converting a round pole mill. Used mine to make the parts of my 4x8 afterwords..

b.

[nsiters]

Thanks. i have looked at this and am considering this as one of my options... i am also still looking at a few others. any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

[bryanrabb]

you should just buy a super x-3 from Grizzly. They are sweet.