can be used on a drill press to position pieces, if press has good bearings, can also use milling bits to mill slots/flats on soft metal.
Check total travel on X & Y compounds, looks like ~ 6" to 8" travel to move pieces to end of way.
to check thrust slop, turn crank to move table, then turn opposite direction till it just moves & note how much rotation..
doesn't look like it has adjustment screws to adjust the ways inserts. helpful to take up slop & lock ways during machining..