I have a southbend 10 x 30, give or take. It an old navy machine. I have run several vintage southbends. I like them. Lablond is to notch. As for parts...you make them. I have a buddy who is a machine tool fanatic. He used to be a machinist. He bought one of the modern Chinese machines and frankly it was junk. He could give you a laundry list of the problems. Lots of stuff like sloppy parts and bondo to fill poor castings. There is something very pleasing about your machine being fit and finished well. When you move the parts or run it it will feel like the parts are solid and smooth, like glass on greased glass. That give confidence and promotes a smooth finish and accurate work. You will be boring tapers and internal threads, I can't see how you will do a good job with a sloppy machine. Look around for schools that are junking the machine shop program. They will have vintage high quality machines. Get on a lathe forum and get the scoop from the guys who are really into this stuff. I would definatly buy an old quality machine, you can find them used. Don't let 220V care you. I have a giant extension chord that I can plug in a the clothes dryer plug. Just make sure is is the correct phase. Some big insustrial machines are three phase, you want two phase for residental use. It is not insurmountable, you just need a phase converter. A 220 volt machine will have a lot of "guts" that is good. I would shy away from a big gear hed unless it is a great machine, like a LaBlond. I had a big little known manufacturer 15 x 48 gear head made for WWII. It was powerfull but left a poor finish.