Most guys seem to start out with a lathe, I think it's easier to learn on as you are always only working with 2 axises. That way you can learn about speeds and feeds on the lathe before you start milling and burning up/breaking end mills. If I could only have 1 machine here, it would definitely be a Bridgeport. I can do plenty of round stuff on a mill, either by using a rotary table for big parts, or by putting smaller parts right in the machine collet and a lathe tool in the vise. Set the tool on center and lock the y-axis, use the x-axis to adjust your part diameter, and the power feed down to turn. In one of the first shops I ever worked in we didn't have a lathe. I had to build a 64-cavity mold all on the mill. The boss told me if I could turn all those cavities (128 pieces total, .750 in dia.) on the mill, we would make enough profit to go buy a nice lathe. So that's what I did. Isn't hard once you get used to it. Especially with a digital read-out. I've never heard anything but bad about the combination type machines. Better off with dedicated machines I think.
