I have owned a HF 7x10 Mini Lathe since 2000. It has been a love/hate relationship as it has frustrated me, as much as it has taught me. I have tried many of the tuning and adjustments available on the internet over the years and it just won't hold anything for long. Nothing seems to be square or true on it. I can measure the backlash with a ruler rather than a micrometer and the ways look more like a roller-coaster than a straight line. To overhaul this machine would cost me nearly as much as a new machine so it is time to retire it.

Anyway.... I have decided to move up to some bigger/newer/better equipment. I am planning on getting both a new lathe and a mill. In reading the various forums, I constantly switch back and forth in my decision on what to buy.

I have been watching Craigslist for an old Southbend and Bridgeport without any luck. Anything that has come up has disappeared instantly or is so stripped as to be useless. I am in Houston so there is plenty of larger equipment available but I don't have 3 phase power.

I have a garage shop with a 50 amp 220v sub-panel. It is pretty crowded in there so I can't get any massive equipment. My budget has to be around $3k so that limits me to the benchtop tools. I am looking to get reliable results in a timely manor, but I am not building steam engines so accuracy beyond .001" is not needed. I need to be able to turn a steel part in minutes not hours!

For a mill I am thinking either the Grizzly 704 or the 619. I have a home built CNC wood router that needs some improvements so I would like to keep the CNC conversion of the mill open. I can leverage the stepper motors/controller boards/mach 3 stuff that I already have.

For a lathe, I am thinking a Grizzly 602 or 4000. I have read some serious criticism of the 9x20 class of machine so I am also thinking about going with the Micromark 7x16. Most of the frustration I have with the HF 7x10 is the shortness of the bed rather than the diameter of the work. I like the variable speed motor, but I have never been able to cut any threads let alone left-handed ones. I would like to do some small scale metal spinning so a more powerful motor is necessary from the one I have now.

I am not opposed to other models than the Grizzly. Grizzly seems to have the best balance of price/quality/included accessories.

So.... any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Neil