well, i'm definately no expert, but i have seen KOS's shop, and its really nice. he just needs to add an airconditioner out there, i mean this is texas after all....
I'm just getting mine up and running and i can tell you that spraying a machine down with wd40 is an option, but not one that i recomend. the problem with WD is that it goes on as a thin liquid, but if you let it set for a couple weeks, it turns into this thick goopy brown stuff... I would seriously look for something better...
as for cleanup, i dont see a problem with blowing it off with compressed air, i do this, just be careful of a couple things, first the chips will be flying around and will get into everything.. including your eyes and hair and stuff.. plus, there is the possibility that you might blow metal bits into the back of the mill and onto the circuit board and that could be a problem...
if your gonna run a recirculating coolant system, you need to consider using a storage oil that is compatable with your coolant, thing is that when you go back and fire the mill up after you coated it with the storage oil, it will get mixed in with the coolant, and this can in some cases from what i'm told, mess up the coolant. you might consider contacting some coolant manuf's or distributers, and see what they reccomend.. they might make suggestions as to what you can use for way oil as well... if you can figure out and get stuff thats all compatible then you wont have to worrie about it.. i know that on some bigger machines that i have seen, they have an oil sepperator in the coolant system, the coolant is a simi-synthetic, and then they use mineral based oils for the ways and storage coatings, and in thier coolant tank they have an oil skimmer, similar to a protine skimmer in a fish tank.
just some thoughts...
oh, and i vote for the garage, i dont like the idea of the wood dust getting mixed in with the mill stuff, but think about this, if your cutting metal in your basement and your walking around, then some of that will stick to your shoes, and you'll track it into the house, this is far less likely in the garage due to the sepperation...
Grizzly X3, CNC Fusion Ballscrew kit, 3 500oz-in bipolar steppers, 3 203v Gecko's, Linear power supply from Hubbard CNC, Mach 3, BOBcad Pro Art V22, Rhino.