Wow, stepper monkey, that was REALLY helpful!
Thanks.
What exactly does everyone mean by an "acme screw"? I get that the acme screw has more threads per inch, but is there an actual "acme" screw company? The only acme I know of is the Warner Bros. "A Company that Makes Everything" gag...
That explains the Vivaek: it's probably designed to be reliable and fast for semi-production runs, exactly what would be needed in a labor intensive chinese factory. I guess if you were making 1000's of "carved" jewelry boxes for export to the US, this is exactly the machine you'd want. The ball screws keep it working long term, and the rest of the machine is just good enough to do the job fast and cheap.
For me then, I'll probably go with a lead screw/stepper motor/small mill configuration. Slow and steady wins the race for me. So I'll look closely at Sherline/Taig/Sieg; especially the 2026ER as it is only $2155, so that may be my baby.