OOPS double posted original here.

Probably this was posted 100x times before?


My budget is €800. I wanna mill custom Arduino PCBs & wooden/plexiglass panels for my computer flightsim.
I have some experience with GCode on a mini-desktop laser engraver, and limited electronics experience.

My requirements;
a. Big enough workarea to mill flightsim panels >=300mmx300mm
b. Must be able to mill copper PCBs throuhole 120mm x 100mm, plexiglas, wood and other soft materials.
c. USB port support.. if possible, no parallel cables-thingy
d. Available in European ebay, or european supplier
e. Precision, Must be precise for PCB milling.
f. Have limit switches.
g. Enough documentation online / community for when i am stuck.
h. Metals milling such as machine parts.. is secondary, and highly unlikely.
i. Spindle >=300w should mill wood, copper PCBs and soft materials.
j. Ball screw..?
k. Max price incl. tax, what-nots <=€800.

I watched a truckload of youtube vids, read posts and narrowed it down to;
0. PCB etching with chemicals? NO. Coz i cant mill flightsim panels with chemicals .
1. CyclonePCB -- PLUS: Open Source & USB MINUS: limited to only PCBs.
2. X-carve -- PLUS: Open source, EU-distributor & HUGE workarea & USB, MINUS: very expensive, complicated build procedure for n00b like me.
3. Shapeoko 3 - PLUS: same as X-carve. MINUS: no EU distributor
4. Stepcraft 2/300 -- EU distributor & waaaay more expensive than the X-carve. MINUS: Parallel port.
5. Chinese 3040Z. PLUS: within budget, eu-distributor, 90% ready assembled, lotsa youtube vids, MINUS: looks like only parallel cable.. and therfore expensive UC100 adapter needed.

My preference goes to a Chinese 3040Z bcs of price & easy of assembly to n00b.

Questions;
1. USB interface. UC100 vs normal Parallel-USB cable, does it work on the Chinese 3040Z' model?
2. Software. Can i use bCNC instead of Mach3? Does bCNC support a parallel-usb interface cable?
3. Whats the best alternative to the expensive UC100 adapter?
4. Which of the 5 above CNCs would you recommend, given my budget, and why?
5. Resellability.. after my flightsim cockpit is finished, i would wanna sell it again.
6. Any other tips, recommendations?

regards,
Michiel