Thanks for your informed advice Lance and Dennis.

In answer to the question of 'what I want to do' with the Lathe and Mill: I'd like to be able to make small parts for landing gear etc. in much the same way Lance is doing. And of course, have a bit a fun leaning something I've wanted to be able to do as a kid.

Going forward, I'd like to be able to put a 6" x 4" x 2" lump of aluminium into the Mill to make up some 4-spot brake callipers for the 'Motor Racing' that's still part of me.

And I hear what you're saying regarding chuck/swing over bed/distance between centres etc. for the Lathe. I think that something that can take a 1" ally rod and have about 12" of workable room should more than cover my needs.

Of course I'd like a 'bigger', 'better' machine, but like you have said - price, weight and size all start going up, not to mention the need for 3-phase power etc.

So, all in all, something around what I posted on the links it where I'm concentrating. I don't really need 'big' machines, but they have to be accurate down to at least a thou or so.

I have access to a larger Lathe should I need to make something more than a foot or so long, but I'll be more or less stuck with the Mill I end up buying.

Lance - if the 'scissors' shot in your pics is using the Mill head rotated 90-deg, then I'll have to make sure I get something that's capable of doing that - I think both the ones I have researched so far only rotate to 45-deg. I like the 90-deg option - it opens up another avenue of how you can use the Mill.

Thanks again for your advice guys.

BJ