[Roland Johnson]

I'm fine with a kit. I mostly am looking to do oak wood signs/plaques and the ability to upgrade to a laser would be a plus. Maybe some soft metal...but mostly wood. I'd like to get the best I can afford to run light production. Maybe 30 15×15" signs a month amongst other smaller projects for now....and save for a bigger machine

I have a Shapeoko XXL and for the Money you can't beat it. There forum is great and very informative, and also the Customer service is excellent. Added advantage is it is Made in USA so the assembly documentation is understandable. assembly is not a problem very simple if you follow the steps.
Bottom line is after a few minor hiccups I'm totally satisfied with mine. If your looking for something for mass production that's a different story