Opinions sought on cheap desktop PCB milling machine

[John S]

That's about 80 x 80 mm.

[Jonathan]

That's a large track width, all through hole and no tracks between the pins - I'd have been amazed if anyone had problems with that. A lot of SMT IC's have a quarter the pin spacing of DIL, which is when it gets more difficult.

If it's a circuit which is running at relatively high frequencies I do engrave it in the 'normal' way or etch it.

I cut plenty of PCBs on the Roland PNC2300A (same as one John S has) at school with a V-cutter. It's a very weak machine, yet did what I needed at the time (up to SOIC). So you don't need a massively rigid machine for PCBs, since the cutting force is minuscule, however if you're happy with the travel on the table and expect to use it for other things then clearly rigidity is good.