[Joe G.]

Originally Posted by asid61

Good advice. However, I disagree about the X-Y table for the drill press. Drill presses are not designed AT ALL for milling. If/when the spindle bearings fail, then the whole thing becomes a massive safety hazard. This is not a substitute for a mill and should not be used as one or anything other than plastic.

I would say that if your primary interest in a mill is the ability to precisely locate features and do hole patterns, an X/Y table and drill press is a great choice. However, as soon as jobs that require endmills get introduced, time to step it up to a real mill.

I will second the many suggestions in this thread to look to the used market. Be patient, and you'll find some great deals. My team got a FANTASTIC deal on a great quality off-brand Series 1 mill clone, with DRO, work holding, and X power feed included, for $700. We've also gotten a 12" lathe at a used tool shop for $600, and had a smaller lathe donated.