If this isn't the right place Mods feel free to move it, just seemed like this category is where all the small lathe talk is!

After about a year of watching Craigslist and auctions i've given up on finding anything affordable or decent condition used here, convinced it doesn't exist. So i have been considering my options for a small to medium size benchtop lathe.

Looking on Grizzy i see the G0768 and the G4000, both of them would suite me fine size wise, all i generally do is aluminum and nothing huge, but i dismissed the 7x mini lathes because if i am going to spend $600 on one then another couple hundred upgrading it from plastic gears, really who puts plastic in a machine like that, then after upgrades i still have a small machine for nearly the cost of a larger one.

The quandry i am having here is that right now the G0768 and the G4000 are offered for the exact same price, $1025 plus shipping.

The G4000 is a lot heavier and getting it moved in is a concern, the machine weight is 250lbs, the G0768 is 144lbs, so more then 100lbs lighter. I have a bench that can easily support a ton so no problems there but moving a 144lb lathe is a lot easier then 250lb. But, the G4000 has a quick change gearbox, reminds me of the old Atlas lathe, i believe thats what it was anyway, that my grandfather owned and i enjoyed many hours listening to the flat belt click while turning some little doodad for the farm.

So thats where i am looking for opinions, would the G4000 be that much of a benefit over something like the G0768 with an infinite speed control? I would think the speed control would be handier, but then i realized they are both belt driven spindles as well, not that its a bad thing but they are just on level grounds there. So the G4000 would probably give better/easier control switching feed speeds correct?

I just can't decide between the two of them. They are right at my budget, obviously i need to considering tooling and accessories, but thats why i set my budget where it is to leave a couple hundred hanging for everything else i want, QCTP etc.

The thing pushing me right now on the G4000 is that the G0768 is out of stock, contacted Grizzly they said mid November before stock will arrive. I don't want to have to deal with a truck freight delivery in the snow, right now i probably have a good couple weeks before the weather goes to pot and its going to be even more difficult dealing with all this.

Opinions on these two? Or a cheaper brand that has comparable features and the same size? I'm done looking/waiting for used, so while i appreciate those types of comments it ain't happening, a year of watching craigslist on my phone daily and eBay for everything within a couple hundred miles has left a bad taste in my mouth that i want to wash away and just move on!!