Bench top mill? Mill/lathe?

I wouldn't bother with the Lathe/Mill combos. It's a compromised Lathe and a compromised Mill. I've seen one in action and the cross slide and saddle weren't rigid enough for anything but very light cuts through soft materials. Those small bench top mills are pretty much glorified drill presses yet it'll be more rigid than the combo Lathes, and fine if you're only using it once or twice a year, just don't expect it to be too accurate.

I keep looking at them as I've limited space too, workshop is only 4m x 4m, and it's not worth it if you have access to a mill elsewhere. The money is better put towards a nicer lathe.

I have used both of these. Both will do most small jobs. I like the work the mill only does, but having the added ability for small lath work is also great.

Paw Paw

I've a much treasured Bridgeport Mill and a Lathe at a mates place, but for most jobs in my home workshop, I use one of those dodgy little Mill / Drill Lathes.

Dodgy - yes. But, with keeping in mind their very definite limitations, you can do quite a lot. I've made up a myriad of tools / supports to make things over the years, and have made a huge amount of 'things' on it.

Just one example - A new, larger and deeper / gull winged ( to fit a P25 spring on an Ohlins TTX shock) spring clip:










Removable / Adjustable (for leverage ratio and ride height) lower shock mounts for PDS set up:

Every bit of machining to make things for my PDS'd / WP CC front ended CRE500, has been done on one of those dodgy little Machines.Plus, most of my Motorcycle and Bicycle Frame parts. Where there's a will,(and a shed load of patience) there's a way.

I've got a benchtop Jet Lathe. I know it's not a mill, but for its size, I've never had any problems turning cylinders or cylinder heads on it and it's been used a lot over the last 13yrs.

These parts made on the Mill / Drill / Lathe:






To make this part:



To then weld to this fabrication ('bitsy' aint it?):

To end up with this airbox / airboot set up for the PDS conversion: