Looking remarkably like the contemporary Hardinge/Cataract precision millers, the Elgin HM-5C was aimed at the same niece market for a very high-quality, sturdy and compact toolroom-class machine able to tackle smaller jobs with the same degree of accuracy as much larger and more expensive machines. While the Elgin resembled in many ways the company's VM-5 and VM-2 vertical models, and carried an identical knee and 181/8" x 18" 3 t-slot table assembly (with longitudinal, traverse and vertical movements of 12, 6 and 9.5) inches respectively), the main column was adapted to take the very much more complex spindle drive mechanism together with its 3 speed-change levers. Drive was from a base-mounted 2-speed 3/4-3/8 h.p. 3-phase motor that drove through a mechanical expanding and contracting pulley system to give a speed range from 85 to 2650 r.p.m.
Supported by a dovetail overarm carried in hand-scraped slides, the nickel alloy steel spindle was ground internally and externally and ran in matched sets of  "Super Perfect" pre-loaded ball bearings. The maximum cutter-holding capacity in the (ubiquitous and inexpensive) 5C collet was 1 inch.
A neat, table power-feed mechanism was available for an extra US$438: fitted with a standard fractional h.p. motor adapted to carry a worm-and-wheel reduction gearbox on its output shaft, it drove through a 4-step V-pulley to the usual kind of universally-jointed shaft and had 4 rates of feed: 0.26, 0.60, 0.92 and 1.25 inches per minute.
With overall dimensions (including an allowance for table movements) of 33" x 42" the HM-5C weighed around 1000 lbs and cost, in 1953, the not inconsiderable sum of US$2849 for the basic machine ready to run or $3555 equipped with table power feed and coolant--the latter figure not far removed from the average American annual salary of the same year..

Neatly arranged table power feed mechanism with a standard fractional h.p. motor fitted with a worm-and-wheel reduction gearbox and drive through the usual kind of universally-jointed shaft

Maker's accessories included a swivel-base precision machine vice and a dividing head -  the latter able to be mounted directly on the table or one of two intermediate plates: one a swivelling type and the other a right-angle adaptor