Depending on what you want to use it for, there are a couple of bench top machines out there.

I know some guys who have the Grizzly and are very happy with it.

I have the Sherline 5000 and use it primarily for slotting and surfacing guards and spacers. I also use it for cutting nail nicks in folder blades with a dovetail cutter.

This is literally a portable machine and I have picked it up, put it in the front seat of my pick-up, and taken it to do demos.

It will easily handle up to a 1/4" end mill or a 1-1/4" fly cutter.

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Depending on what you want to use it for, there are a couple of bench top machines out there.

I know some guys who have the Grizzly and are very happy with it.

I have the Sherline 5000 and use it primarily for slotting and surfacing guards and spacers. I also use it for cutting nail nicks in folder blades with a dovetail cutter.

This is literally a portable machine and I have picked it up, put it in the front seat of my pick-up, and taken it to do demos.

It will easily handle up to a 1/4" end mill or a 1-1/4" fly cutter.

Thanks Joshua, yeah I have been eyeballing the Grizzly's they seem to be a decent mix

Besides my first 2 inch grinder that I got in '98 from Bader, my Grizzly bench top was the second piece of shop equipment I bought in 2000. I still use it on every knife I make.

I also have a larger mill, but this small mill is one of the handiest machines in the shop.

20 years later it is still almost the exact same machine - just another 100 bucks in price: https://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-4-x-16-Mini-Milling-Machine/G8689

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Besides my first 2 inch grinder that I got in '98 from Bader, my Grizzly bench top was the second piece of shop equipment I bought in 2000. I still use it on every knife I make.

I also have a larger mill, but this small mill is one of the handiest machines in the shop.

20 years later it is still almost the exact same machine - just another 100 bucks in price: https://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-4-x-16-Mini-Milling-Machine/G8689

Thanks Karl! i have looked at that one quite a few times, but was wondering if it may be too small for steel, but glad to have a first hand recommendation

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Thanks Karl! i have looked at that one quite a few times, but was wondering if it may be too small for steel, but glad to have a first hand recommendation

I have slotted hundreds of guards with my machine but it will do poorly for heavy material reduction.

As a precision drill press - it can't be beat. And is very useful when building folders.