You can make the China made lathes and milling machines into a decent machine if you know how. The basic design and castings are fine it is the fit and finish that leaves a lot to be desired. There are several bbs and chat groups that each deal with the mini lathes, bench lathes or lilling machines. They can and will share enough knowledge to get your crude machine refinished into a decent machine.
Your other option is to buy a old lathe and rebuild it from the ways up. Well to be honest from grinding the ways up. Not hard to drop $5,000.00 or a whole lot more into a 9 or 10" lathe if you rebuild it right. Logan factory rebuilds are a great deal but can set you back more than a high grade Parker. Then you need attachments and about a years playing around until you could make a decent aprentience, in a machine shop 50 years ago.
Never heard anything but the best report about Merrington work. Nice to know some things stay the same.
