[Tristan Lall]

A few more useful questions:

• Exactly what is it for? (To give us an idea of the level of fit and finish.)
• How many pieces?
• What's the budget?
• Do you need a special kind of aluminum (or will 5052-H32 sheet work, for example)?
• Does the as-fabricated heat treatment matter? What about cold work (strain hardening)?
• Do you care about edge profile (e.g. straightness, flatness, burrs, etc.)?
• Do you need only squares and rectangles, or will you maybe need curvilinear or concave shapes in the future?
• Do you want to do it yourself, or are you willing to have an outside shop handle it?
• If you end up with a machine, what will you use it for in the future?