New to me Sherline Lathe questions

don't have the milling column, I just bought the mill instead... but I know people who do have the milling column and they really like it.

DRO... definitely worth it. When I bought my second lathe, I got it with the DRO, and liked it so much, I got the DRO upgrade for my first lathe...
 
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Reactions: Charles Studer
I cut everything... I have done wood, but that is rare. Most of the time, I just cut plastics and metals.

To solve the dust issue (and plastic hair issue... and metal chip/shavings issue), I have a shopvac nearby to keep the area mostly clean when I am working with my sherlines.
 
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Reactions: HurriCrane Racing
DRO is a must in my book. Like Mojo, I have DROs on both the lathe and mill. Shop-Vac is very handy in keeping the work area clean. I debated the mill conversion for the lathe but ultimately decided against it and I'm glad that I did. I just like the convenience of having both setup and ready to roll when I need it without having to break it down and converting it to the other machine.
 
The mag base will stick to the X direction bed... not the cross slide... I just move my cross slide toward the head and use the magnetic base on the bed... works great.
 
I try to not cut wood on my mill. It sucks up the oil from the bed and ways. IF I have to cut wood I don't clean the metal off until after I cut the wood, Then shop vac and re-oil