[sanddrag]

I converted a Sieg X1 micro-mill to CNC with a HobbyCNC stepper kit. It's small, and it's capabilities are very limited, but it's still very fun, and I've really gotten a lot of good use out of it. You just have to respect its capabilities, and have a lot of patience. We're talking probably no more than about .025" DOC at 4 IPM in aluminum with a 1/4" endmill. One thing that I really like using it for is drilling several holes in precise locations in several of the same parts. I manually operate the Z, but just to have the XY position itself is a real time saver over having to dye and scribe it out. For practical application of making quality parts in a reasonable amount of time, look to something larger.