Someone explain this to me...

I have always thought of free weights as the top body building tool....but recently, because I live in the boonies, a long way from a gym, I purchased a $400 weight machine...anyways on free weights I have a bench max of 320 and work out with about 250 or 260....I was dissapointed one I set up the weight machine and noticed I could only lift up to 110 lbs......but repping 110 lbs on the machine was like repping 270 on free weights, and ontop of that after I completed my workout on the machine I felt like I had received a much better workout than on free weights..is there any sort of explanation for this :unsure: ???

Your muscles became adapted to the stimulus provided by the free weights. The machine provided a new stimulus to your body and consequently you felt that you had a better workout.

However, it is very strange that you were using a much lower weight on the machine, usually it is the opposite, even if you have not used machines before.

The drop in weight is most likely due to the range and direction of motion on this machine being fixed.