[RomanLini]

Interesting way of looking at it. My new machine is then about $6.90 per pound. Maybe I should have made it from steel

But WAY cheaper by the pound than rib eye steak or the SharkPro+ tabletop CNC that I have been using.

It should keep better than the rib eye.

Interesting to see the cost per pound, thanks! I recently bought a heap of marine grade aluminium 5083 plate in 12mm and 16mm thick to build my next machine. The aluminium cost me $7 AUD per kg, which works out at about $3.05 USD per pound. But I have no idea of the relative stiffness per pound of a comparable structure built from aluminium vs the bamboo ply. Since my machine is quite small I think the aluminium works out better but on a large machine like yours the bamboo is likely stiffer (and more damped) for the same poundage in plate materials.

I assume too your cost includes heavy stuff like motors and linear rails, did you do a costing of just the bamboo ply per pound?