Hello, new to the forum.

[TheDude]

Hello all,
I've been reading posts on the site for a while now and decided to join.
Great site! Lots of good info!

I am currently setting up a small machine shop for hobbies. I have purchaced the MicroLux Mill from Micro-mark. It was a good price for starters and with a bit of tweaking and some quality tooling I think it will hold the tolerances that I need to work with.

I would like to start investigating the possibility of upgrading it to a CNC machine. I've noticed that most you guys have bigger mills, the X3, IH mills, etc.
I was wondering if anyone would have some advice/links as to what size kit would work for my machine. So far I've found kits for sherline and the IH, smithy, x3. Although, seems to me that the sherline kit would be too small and the others larger than I needed. Is there a "middle of the road" kit that anyone knows of?

Microlux Mill Specs.
Table size: 16 inches wide x 3-3/4 inches deep
Table travel (X direction): 8 inches
Cross slide travel (Y direction): 4 inches
Headstock travel (Z direction): 7 inches
Clearance (spindle to table-top): 11 inches
Center of spindle to face of column: 6 inches
Spindle speed: variable between 0 and 2,500 rpm
Spindle taper: MT-3
Column angle: tilts from -45 degrees to +45 degrees
Motor: 350 watt (0.47 hp) DC, operates from standard 110v AC outlet
Overall size: 30 inches high x 20 inches deep x 20 inches wide
Weight: 110 pounds (basic machine without accessories).

Includes variable-speed 1/2 hp motor with high/low speed transmission, 1/2 inch drill chuck and drawbar, table locks, column lock and drill stop, fan-cooled power supply with feedback-sensing power boost circuitry, spring-assisted headstock return, V-way chip guards, chuck/collet chip guard, indicator scales for the X and Z directions, fine-adjust knob for the Z direction, safety cut-off switch, wrench set and instruction manual/parts diagram.

Why would they spec the motor differently??

Thanks for any help.