Noted, which is why I’ve been looking at the Masso G3 controller in conjunction with stronger drivers as a viable alternative.
For now, though, I’m leaving things as they are and moving into “testing phase”. The machine will let me know what it requires as it’s presented with various scenarios.
I’ve thrown a heck of a lot at it and stalling the stepper motors hasn’t been an issue, it’s been more than happy snap off or bend bits before stalling.
Hey Carrianne,
I don’t think that stronger steppers will bring the Onefinity CNC, which is decidedly sold as hobbyist machine, into the direction of a machine reliable enough to attempt to start a production and a business. And I say this as someone who bought the Onefinity CNC for professional use, but very aware that it’s not in the stock state that you can expect that reliablity. Before thinking of this, I would first replace the whole cabling and these plugs unsuitable for CNCs, and the money you think to spend for bigger steppers would better be saved to replace the ‘step-and-pray’ motors (aka open-loop) by something reliable, not forcibly closed-loop steppers, linear encoders on glass scales are something very reliable too. Also I would make sure there is a reliable cable routing concept with of course strain relief on moving cables (the lack of such there on stock machine is very unserious) and finally, at least for milling wood, add convoluted rubber gaiters to the axes since oiled mechanics like ballscrews are absolutely incompatible with wood dust.
I don’t want to spill water into your wine, you express a lot of joy over your acquisition of this CNC machine that I don’t want to stop you, and I think in matters of hobbyist CNC machines, Onefinity has advantages over competitors. But starting a business requires to really be sure to be able to rely on your equipment. Hobbyists usually have the time to stand beside the machine, but that does not apply to a professional user. I would try to eliminate sources of possible (inevitable?) disappointment before starting a production.
PS: For the 3D model of the machine above, did you measure the machine yourself?
I’ve got a tendency to overdrive the small stuff so I’ve had to learn to ease up on doc and feeds for >= 1/8" bits. I’ve achieved some promising results from 1/4" and larger end mills at acceptable doc / feeds, though. I’ve only stalled the XY a few times with surfacing bits by trying to hog more material in a single pass than I reasonably should. That’s on me. Upgrading the steppers means more risk to the tooling so, either way, I’ve got to stop treating this like a Bridgeport and let it work at its own pace.
It’s just adding torque which, in turn, affords higher ipm at greater cutting depths, which is pretty much asking for a Bridgeport. The compromise is Nema 23 425 oz/in for a 400 pound machine vs the 8,000 pound machine’s Nema 42’s at baseline ~3600 oz/in per axis. I’m unstable… but not insane. 
No worries on that. If it turns out that the higher carbon steels prove too much for the system, the contingency is stepping down to fully supporting the other side of the business exclusively. I set my wife (the Carrianne in this scenario) up with a ceramics business alongside my metal fab endeavors and there’s always developing new products and cnc’ing models used to subsequently create plaster molds for slip casting.
FYI, she owns the machine. She made the purchase in her name, received it and helped with its setup. The purpose for this was to pull her into my world, to inspire an interest in the seemingly pointless, expensive equipment I was striving to obtain and to punctuate the point that the machine can definitely be used to support her ceramics endeavors. At this point, I think she gets it. It’s about having the flexibility to create just about anything (Joey’s a wood carver, a metal mill, a plotter, a glorified vinyl cutter, an engraver and, if I have more to say about it, a laser cutter / engraver and a plasma cutter and maybe even a ginormous 3d printer if I get find the motivation to experiment). This onefinity grants the flexibility to adapt. But no flag signs and no coasters. The market’s already flooded to the point that I’m personally sick of seeing flag signs and coasters. 
It’s pretty much the same with the heavy industrial stuff. I recall when I became a machinist apprentice many moons ago, I inquired if I could just test on scraps of hardwood instead of wasting steel. That went over like a lead balloon and I was told that under no circumstances will I subject a milling machine to the destructive nature of sawdust. I lol’d because, at the time, I thought, “How can something far softer than steel cause damage when the steel, itself, doesn’t?”. “Can I turn wood on a metal lathe?” “You can, but not for long!”
You’re just speaking my language now. I wasn’t excited about the Molex connectors to begin with. They’re a little flimsy… and I’ve abused them terribly already. On the other hand, if it wasn’t for a Molex connector on the gantry when that cable caught up on the shelving, we’d be having a slightly different conversation right now, not regarding upgrades to the cnc but how destructive and dangerous a the cnc can be and how a workstation crashed to the floor. Fortunately, the X-axis connector just simply unplugged and there was nothing but a cable management lesson to endure.
A few aspects of it initially, yes, but that was before I discovered that others here had already invented that particular wheel. What I ended up doing was combining bits of a couple different models to have a general reference for designing accessories. It’s been an enormous benefit in mocking up the table on which it lives and creating its spoilboard.
@Moggy, I am in Aus too and looking at the 2.2kw Spindle. Could I please ask which one you bought, with what VFD and accessories? I have found what I think is the right one on Amazon.com.au, except that it is spec’d for 220V rather than 240.
Did you come to any conclusions as to whether the OOTB stepper is powerful enough?
Same as you I think I will start with the Makita, but don’t want to fork out heaps for bits/cutters for it, then have to rebuy them for 1/2” for the Spindle. It seems here in Aus the Makita cost is closer to that of the Spindle as well (looks about 1/2 the cost rather than 1/3 to 1/4 in the US/Canada) so less financial incentive to go the Makita route.
Tas 
If I read your post correctly you said you put the VFD and pump on a separate power strip so you could shut down in an emergency. According to the manual on my VFD it specifically states “Do NOT power off the VFD with the spindle spinning as it may cause damage”. It is my understanding that a spinning spindle with power off is acting as a generator.
Thought I would throw this into the mix just in case.