Another thing I like about the 1236 is that it's a gap bed lathe!! So your swing over gap is 17 11/16"!! You may never need it but the added capacity is just a few bolts away...
I've been reading up as I would like to get a lathe. I started looking at mini machines, $600 or so. Found this forum, then decided I would like a PM-1127. Now I see this and am back to considering the 1236. It sure looks like a good value. I think I might miss the variable speed, but I don't think it's a huge deal.
How workable is using a 1236 as a horizontal mill? I have a few projects in mind that would be nice to mill a little as well. Ideally, I'd get both, but I don't see that happening soon.