it is perty sad that now we’re make machines. the guys out there commercially making them have never got the hint. they want to have more profit so raise the price and loose more buyers so raise it more to keep that profit— catch 22— i have club members whom want to take up faceting– they cant afford the machines. i to am making what we nicknamed the lakeside mini me, you can pick up the machine with one hand, measures 6″ X 12″. i’ve machined the base, arbor, and head assembly of aluminum and so far except for time a cost of about $90, probley about 10 hrs. time. the hardest item no matter who makes one it the index gear. the ones out there are high priced that’s what needs to be solved. gemmakermz@cs.com