Greetings!

I guess this is part introductory post and part first build thread (I hope) post. So I've been a member since 2010, purchases a PM-45 mill to learn and hopefully convert to CNC in 2012, and am finally getting around to prioritizing that as my main side project. I've done a little manual machining with it here and there, but find it a little frustrating without any sort of DRO on it like I have with the mills at my current job. There, I've used two different knee mills, one with just a DRO, and the other with an XY cnc conversion running prototrak software that I did get a chance to program once or twice.

As for a little background about myself, I've been in the automotive industry for over 10 years, starting out in parts sales, then fabricating/welding, then technician/fabricator, and finally left that industry to work in aerospace. Fabricating and welding are great, however I've grown to love the precision and repeat-ability that can be had with machining. Which brings me to today--trying to take a fancy tool in my collection and upgrade it.

My plans right now are as follows:

-Buy and build the electronics portion of the machine
-Bench test the above
-Buy ball screws, nuts, and machine any brackets/spacers/etc needed to install on the machine
-Machine grooves in the ways for oiling purposes while everything is apart, and add a 1 shot oiler at a later date. Plumb what I can in the meantime.
-Use the mills at my job to do the above machining where possible and gain more seat time machining and with solidworks
-Assemble, Test. Debug, Make cool stuff
-Convert to belt drive, stronger motor, and VFD
-Add power drawbar
-Maybe convert to a different spindle and/or a Tormach Tooling setup

Hopefully I'm on the right track here, which is the reason for my post. While I may have joined all the way back in 2010, I lurked once in a blue moon and then more so just recently. I looked at the CNCcookbook site and took in what I could and understood at the time. I also just read through gd.marsh's thread and had also read at one time jid2's build but now want to re-read them thinking I can take in more now that I have a better understanding. Unfortunately I don't know everything right now, and having a 3 month baby around doesn't let me get online anymore like I used to so this is where my questions come into play. At this point, I have the bug bad, and really want to start accumulating parts for the build but the direction of where to go and what to buy first I just don't know what's best yet. I've narrowed it down to the following two sources I believe are the way to go, so correct me if I'm wrong.

-DMM Tech AC servo kit. I'd basically buy everything they have listed on their multi-axes kit page here, sans the power supply since I'd go with a 72v one instead
DMM | CNC Systems | AC SERVO DRIVE | AC SERVO MOTOR | ROTARY ENCODER

The other option is to piece together a kit through Keling/Automation Technologies since they seem to have everything whether I'd want to do stepper or servo.

So while it's getting late, I'll try to sum it up and ask am I on the right track? Which would be the better choice? What is the difference between DC and AC servos other than one not needing to be converted from the power supply? Is it worth trying to go steppers to save a couple bucks? (More money for other mods) And if there's anything I'm forgetting please mention it.

Thanks.