Almost all of the 'imports' will have dials calibrated in inchs but..
Be aware that some have 8 TPI screws not 10 TPI screws that means the dial
goes from 0-.125... YIKES!!!
On a lathe crossslide this isn't too much of a pain but on a mill it's a
real bitch.

That sounds horrid to me as well, but several users of 8 TPI machines
came forward to say it was not big deal to adapt. However, it's
probably just as easy to make a point of getting a 10 TPI machine.



The biggest downside to the mill/drills is the fact that they have no
'knee'..this means that (for all intents) you are limited to the depth that
the quill will go down to maintain calibration, once you loosen the bolts to
move the head up or down you loose registration...

Very true. FWIW, I have been able to avoid it in most situations. One
time I came really close to having to move the head and do another pair
of edge finds (over about 0.1 inch of drill bit!!!), but I was able to
cheat by using shorter parallels - the work piece still hit the stop.
No question that mill-drills are a compromise, but one that I am
enjoying. Consider getting an ER 32 setup; it helps a lot.


This can also be a
problem when drilling and reaming, again the big issue is that if you use a
short center drill you are limited in drill bit / reamer length to the throw
of the quill. If you do get one of these mill/drills the thing to do is
stick a dial indicator on it so you can measure the quill depth VERY
accuratly, you'll be amazed at the work you can do this way...

Do you have a preferred way to mount the indicator?



IMHO if you are going to spend the money on a larger milling machine get a
knee mill, (what ever brand, import or old American)...
As for motor power there are lots of alternatives from swapping the motor to
voltage/frequency converters...

Any preference between a new import and a used machine? As a
first-timer, I had enough surprises buying new. Clearly anyone looking
to trade up has some experience.

In my case, long before I buy another mill I should arrange for some
outdoor storage, and I need to choose between a trailer and a pickup.

On the latter, I might have found a used truck today. It's a Dodge Ram
1500, 1996, 130k miles, one owner whom I know well and can trust to tell
the truth about being the only owner, the one fender bender in the
vehicle's history, etc. It has an automatic tranny - I could learn to
live with that, but it makes repairs more expensive, and probably more
likely. No, my 1990 Sentra is _not_ for sale

I will also take another good look for any truck rental places near my
house. I grok that renting per need would likely be cheaper than
buying/insuring/maintaining a second vehicle. Deliveries are also an
option. The problem is that I end up waiting until I need enough stuff
to justify the hassle of renting or the cost of the delivery, and the
jobs sit unfinished. Comments/suggestions are welcome.

Bill