A rigid design for a machine tool having perpendicular X, Y, and Z axes includes fixed X-axis frame members at the back of the machine, fixed Z-axis vertical frame members at the front of the machine, and fixed upper and lower Z-axis frame members rigidly attached to the fixed X-axis frame members and the fixed Z-axis vertical frame members. The frame members form a fixed, rigid, closed force loop design. A movable Y-axis column is bifurcated and a headstock is mounted in the center opening of the column. The headstock is advanced and retracted relative to the workpiece by moving the Y-axis column and the headstock relative to the workpiece. Because the headstock is fixed relative to the Y-axis column, the unsupported portion of the headstock relative to the Y-axis column does not change as the Z-axis position of the headstock changes relative to the workpiece.