Minimum Number of Lathes

I appreciate everyone outlining their different levels of shop setup. In my lathe research I came across some mini metal lathes that I thought would working for cutting & making ferrules, joints, and buttcaps. One such model that I found pottentialy interesting for that function is a Bolton Hardware 5" x 7" Mini Combo Lathe/Mill/Drill. Anyone have any thoughts on that kind of lathe for what I would considering using it for?

When I eventually get setup I was also thinking of a small lathe that would be used to make custom pens that would match custom cue design models that I would offer.
 
If I had the money, I would have one machine dedicated to tapering, one for finishing, and another for everything else. Of course, with more money and space I'd love to have more dedicated machines, but that just isn't going to happen.
 
Back
Top