[Northeast Rod Run]

your $500 budget is not really going to get you much in the way of something decent. like the others have stated, save up a little more and buy a more common piece of equipment or you tool-up costs are going to cost you much more in the longrun. plus, a lot of those offshore no-name brands have a hard time holding consistancy while just cutting brass. sometimes you can get lucky and find a decent used Bridgeport (or cheaper version) with digital readouts and a powerfeed for under a grand

I'm a bit lucky that I'm about to close on a house, and there is an old benchtop lathe in the basement. I told them if they don't want to go through the trouble of lugging it out, they can leave it there. they said ok. now I just need to pick up a used bridgeport for the garage and I'll be all set!