I will post some pictures and videos here about my new build. It is a moving gantry mill for milling aluminium. Why do it yourself and not just buy it? Well, there are very few machined with small footprint, large working area, not bulky..
One machine that comes to my mind is Datron.. But its expensive. Most routers that are on market and advertised as capable of milling aluminium are just not rigid. Some origami style made machines are ok for wood, but not so much for aluminium.

Some basic data:

Working area: 1250mm x 620mm x 220mm
Weight: 850KG
Structure: Stress releived weldment, T slot table 37mm thick made of steel - 200KG
Bridge: All aluminium made structure
Milling head: 1x ER25 3.2KW spindle with max 18K rpm, 1x NT30 German milling head, driven with 2.6KW servo motor - max 5000rpm
Motion: Ballscews on all axes, 25mm square rails on all axes, Mitsubishi MR J3 400W servo motors with 17bit encoders and brakes on all axes

I will use 3.2KW spindle for tools up to 12mm, and bigger NT30 for larger tools, like surface mill.
Currently I have 80% finished bridge, electronic is finished.. But I am still waiting on base and table, which should arrive next week.

Please check video for current progress:


I have built few routers before, and decided not to go with side arms like most have, as they tend to oscilate no matter how much you reinforce them. So I went with one piece plate in front, and then with various enforcements in all directions to make bridge
strong in all directions and also to make it torsionally rigid. This bridge will have less than 0.003mm deviation in any direction with cutting force of 30KG in worst Y and Z position - When Z is lowered and Y in the middle of bridge. Actuall cutting forces will not exceed 10KG in any direction. So it should work ok for milling aluminium.

If any questions, fell free to ask.