"Dean" wrote in message
...

I have used Russian made all metric machines that cut beautiful inch
pitch threads, and vice versa. It doesn't really matter whether the
lead screw is inch or metric as long as the gear ratio is correct you
can cut any pitch you want. - where it matters is in the cross slide,
if you have a metric dial that sucks.

That last statement is a matter of personal perspective, is it not? For me,
I work almost exclusively in metric, so having an Imperial cross slide (and
compound, and leadscrew/threading dial) is what sucks for me.

- Michael