Howdy from Northern AZ USA , this is not Phoenix temp is 46 degrees F up here and expecting rain and snow latter today.
I have upgraded from a ShureLine mill and lathe to a Harbor Freight X2 Mill that has been modified with larger table and a number of modifications from Little Machine Shop to about a X3 they tell me. I also have a Harbor Freight 812 and it has really been great. Both machines have DRO's and the mill is being converted to computer control.
I would post some photos of the machines but cannot seem to get the size right need some help on that. I have been using it to build model train parts for repair and upgrade.
I have had no formal training just hands on with some help from some very good machinist friends who now lives a distance from me, O well. I was hoping to share experiences and ask questions. My field of work has been Field Engineering, Electronics / Electrical, and Mechanical.

Dan