What’s a good cheap frame/kit (value wise; price per area) that I could transfer all the K40 components into?
Are there plans with materials that cost around $200-$300 (T-slot?) that would give me a workable 2ftx1.5ft, or similar? I’d like to be able to at least cut something the size of an ultimaker frame out of 6mm wood…
Haven’t seen a kit but you can just shrink +Peter van der Walt Freeburn. Your budget should get you there
That is one choice, there are also a few other designs on Openbuilds.
If you’re doing that, I need the empty k40 shell.
The shell / box was the most valuable bit of the K40, the tube, optics, psu and controller are easy enough to source 
I have lots of K40 shells but they are rather far away to ship , it would be cheaper to make one …
@Justin_Mitchell honestly I should have built from the ground up
Lightobject sells some frame kits.