Hello all and Merry Christmas! I know I should probably be spending time with my family right now, but they are all sleeping still I have recently gained some interest in building my first CNC machine and need some help getting started and finding good vendors to buy parts from.

Basics of what I am wanting to do :
What I am wanting to build is a 6ft wide by 6ft long CNC router machine. The reason I want to go that width is because I work at a gasket shop and we cut all kinds of materials for gaskets. The material we cut ranges from 1" to 1/16" 60 or 40 durometer rubber, 1/32" to 3/16" hard paper like material, and sometimes cardboard for templates. The widest stock we have is 60".

Budget :
Of course, money is always a factor when stepping into a project like this! Since I am doing this on my own time and I am not getting funded by the shop, I want to build this as economical as possible but with as much accuracy as I can. If I build it well enough and it works properly, the shop may buy it from me. Even if they don't and I move on, I can use it at my house for many of my projects. I don't really have a budget limit on this project since I don't really know the cost of a DIY machine other than what others have build already. This will probably be an ongoing project over the next 6 months till I have bought all the pieces I need.

Cutting Tool:
I figured that a router with a fine tip side cutting bit will do what I need for cutting all the materials I listed above. I have tinkered with using a dremel tool and a 1/8" side cutting bit on each of the materials. The hardest to cut was the 1" rubber. If I could find a 1/16" or 1/32" side cutting bit, I am sure it would do much better. If you think a different cutting tool that is not expensive would be better, please let me know!

What I am needing help on :
So far, with all the research I have done, this looks to be an expensive build. I have located a few places to purchase the electronics and motors from, but if anyone has some good suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it! As for the table parts, a lot will probably be made from basic angle iron. I do have a welder so I can weld together any metal parts needed except for aluminum. As for other parts like the lead screws, bearings, etc... I need advice on where to find inexpensive parts. Most of the full plans I have found online don't cover every little piece, so if anyone can fill me in on other components I may need, I would appreciate it as well!

Have a wonderful holiday!