Harbor freight mill and lathe question

I'm not a big fan of the combo machines like the Smithy. Always seems to be a compromise. Not a terrible lathe, but not a good mill. Some of them lose tram if you raise or lower the head, which you need to do a lot. So pay attention to that. I think it is worth dealing with a cramped space and having a real lathe and a real mill. Deals come up if you watch. I just passed on five South Bend lathes last week because I have no more room. Two 9"A, a 10k, Heavy 10L, and a 13" for $650 each.


Dang...I never see deals like that out here. I agree that a full sized mill and lathe would be better, but sometimes you’ve got to do what you can. And the 3 in 1 is a compromise.