Your post made me think a bit..
To me if it doesn't make any money, it's basically a hobby regardless of capabilities.
I think everyone posting in this thread takes pride the work they do, which is why there are so many great parts and tools being posted. People make good parts, not machines or tools or anything like that. Tools are just tools.
As for the same operations being performed at a lesser scale, isn't that the spirit of any hobby?
- I can drive a car fast (at the track?), but I'm not a pro racer.
- I can cook a good meal for a party of people, but I'm not a chef.
- I can fix my own car, but I'm not an auto mechanic.
- I can machine some of my own parts, but I'm not a machinist.
Regardless, I think we can all agree doing anything out in the shop or garage is a better use of time than picking lint out of our belly buttons. We get to use our hands and our brains to solve problems and make things. That's the good life.