Looking at a Smithy benchtop mill.

Depending on your area, you could very well pick up a bridgeport for very close to that price. I think I would scan craigslist or similar.

any..that is my .02
 
Ditto on Craigslist and the Bridgeport. I paid $2300 for a manual J head Bridgeport that would hold 5 ten thou and was in pretty good shape. Also, you can pick up manual mills as industrial/going out of business auctions at decent prices still. Manual machines don't have as much demand in those situations since everyone is ogling the CNC stuff. Don't know if you have room for a full size machine but mass is your friend on machinist tools.
 
I say go for it!

If you don't have the space (as I didn't) or the skills to assess a mill pre-purchase (as I didn't), it makes a lot of sense to get something new that fits on the benchtop. I have a smaller version of that type of mill and love it - hold good tolerances and does everything I need it to.
 
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