With the LM3990, I'm not worried about the weight or being able to secure it to a heavier base. That is solvable. I've read lots of decent to good things about the LMS tools, which is a plus. The smalled X and Y size is a concern. Actually the head clearance (not the head travel but distance from the bed to the chuck) is something else I have been watching and wondering how much I need. How much Z is lost when using a (good) vise, a dividing head, or a rotary table? I'm thinking neither of the last two or going on anything from LMS.