Yes, I contracted a severe case of “metal ilness” a few years ago. It might be contagious, my brother has been afflicted for many years and I have two uncles who spent their entire careers as master machinists and tool and die makers. I started with a small Chinese lathe but quickly discovered the overwhelming appeal of “old iron” when I was looking to upgrade my tiny little benchtop drill press with a free-standing model.  On a whim I bought a 30+ year old “jig borer”, figuring that for about 25¢ a pound I couldn’t go too wrong and that it would make one heck of a drill press even if badly worn.

Well, it cleaned up very nicely and that “drill press on steroids” ruined me for ever being satisfied with lesser machines.  Now my 760 sq-ft workshop is jammed full of some 15,000 pounds of machinery.  If only I had more time to play there in the “man cave”.