what small basic bench top mill?

I have got to the point were im getting frustrated with not having any real way of easily making small parts relatively accurately. I have a large pillar drill that is fine for holes and a lathe with a small vertical axis but its almost imposable to do anything properly on it. I dont have much to spend on a mill so not expecting much but wondering if i can get by with one of the small bench top ones that are available. Im thinking it will mainly be aluminium parts that i am going to need to do, simple jobs like making square plates with a few holes in and maybe machining a few lots and pockets. I was looking at the Clarke CMD300 but then stumbled across a used one of these for about £300 https://www.cromwell.co.uk/OSA2715500K

Is this sort of thing capable of doing any real work or are they little more than a toy? I supose in the future it may be cool to try and convert it to a cnc but im not worrying about that yet its more of a tool to help build my cnc and to possibly build a metal capable cnc in the future.

any advice would be great

many thanks

looking at it closer the two could be exactly the same.

Haven't used one of them but it looks more like a micro mill. I doubt you would get any heavy work done it.

looking around on the net it seams like the same design or model is used world wide and looks like you can even buy a cnc conversion. There seams to be a good number of vid of it cutting aluminium so unless any one has any other suggestions i may go take a look at the use one and possibly give it a go.

I would thoroughly recommend you have a look at the Seig offerings from Arc Euro. They can set the machine up for you and it would seem to be well worth while. I have a Clarke CMD300 and Yes, it is a toy, but I have played with it a lot.

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalo...lling-Machines

well i went and took a look and ended up walking away with it. it not great by any means but if i can drill holes accurately and do the odd slot or pocket it should be enough for what i need at the moment and to mean i dont have to take things else were to have small jobs done. I paid £325 and it came with the milling chuck which is a extra £120 a fixing set which is another £70, a small vice clamp and a few end mill bits so not to bad. I think the one mod i would like to do though would be put a belt drive conversion on the spindle and the gears are a little shonky and then maybe once my big machine is up and going maybe a ball screw and cnc conversion and maybe even some linear rails but thats a long way off. Ether way i will be putting it to test tomorrow.