Hi
Lets not hijack the post with an argument, I was not offended by the comments, and believe everyone is entitled to an opinion, even if it differs from others opinions, this is when all said and done a discussion board to thrash out ideas. Look at the crap Steadfast put up with and how much he has learned and is putting into practice.
As for what people do for a living I am a retired marine electrician and I could be asked to work on UK, US, or Italian wiring systems ranging from 110 to 440V three phase, and when your up to your ankles in sea water that focuses the mind. I have also worked on Vickers variable pitch pumps 11000 V and mercury vapour rectifyers, much prettyer than solid state and much much more impressive when they blow up, so you don't take short cuts with those. I was deemed an expert in my field but I always repplied an ex is a has been and a spurt is a drip under pressure..
For the origional thread I am impressed with the machining center and the standard of work being done on it and if I had the funds and room. I would be happy with an old Bridgeport, but with that equipment it lets people push boundries and by posting the information others will see a simpler albeit slower way to copy it. Because of the ease of changing the program parrameters it makes it posible to test and fine tune or reject things which can then be copied, but however neat a device is there has to be a benchmark for comparisons.
Brian.