How do the Taig and the 440 Tormach stack up against each other as far as material removal? I kind of visualize both of them being truly hobby machines? Opinions please.
The Tormach will remove much more material than a Taig. It is a bigger, heavier and more rigid machine weighing in at about 450 lbs vs the Taig's 80 ish. There is nothing wrong with a Taig but the Tormach is a step above.
If you can afford it, the Tormach 440 would take you a lot further. But if budget is a concern, you could start a Taig then update to something bigger later. Taigs tend to hold their value pretty well so if you sell it a year or two later for only $200-$300 less than you paid for it, it effectively cost you $25 a month to rent it...