A PM25 for Christmas

[wrmiller]

Managed to get it up on the tool box and scrape the paper off the table. I'll finish cleaning this morning and check the column/spindle/table interface. Other than cleaning off the table and a little red 'stuff' off the ways, this is how it arrived.

The tool box was also one of my presents.

Bill

 

[mattthemuppet2]

sweet! Looks like a really neat machine and a great Christmas present. How much, unless it came with a "this is a gift" invoice

 

[wrmiller]

OK, I'm taking a break because I think I'm chasing my tail a bit trying to align this thing. This means opinions welcome. :LOL:

I checked the spindle to column and well, I think it's OK the way it is. I've not used this method before, so someone check my figures. Stuck a half-inch piece of stainless in a R-8 collet and here is what I came up with:

About a half inch below the column, I can detect no movement on my DTI. Moved the head up 4" and I get about a .00075" swing on the indicator. I 'assume' this is good enough? This was from the factory BTW.



Then I set up to check the table to column. Put my little DTI holder in a 3/8" collet and lower the head to so I get needle movement. Zero the dial, then go to swing over to the left side of the table. Oh oh... the fixture hits the table swinging over?!?! Yipes! anic:

Background: When the mill arrived, the stand was strapped onto the top of the machine's crate, and had collapsed the top cover and was trying to get cozy with the mill. I'm thinking the column took a big hit. It looks like the column is tilted like crazy to the left.

So after I calm down, I grab a 10mm allen wrench and attempt to loosen the four bolts holding the column to the base casting. Don't know the torque setting on these grade 8 bolts, but I had to take a hammer to the allen wrench to get these suckers loose. That was after I bent my pump handle for my shop hoist trying to use it as an extender. Sheesh...

Anyway, after much fiddling around I managed to get the x-axis to just over a half thou swinging a 7" radius. So does this mean I'm under a thou if I translate 14" in the x-axis?



I'm done for now. Need coffee and something to munch on. I think I screwed up though, in that I probably should have checked/trammed the Y-axis first because if it needs shims I'm going to loose my X-axis alignment when I attempt to stick those suckers in. :banghead:


Oh well, I'll mess with it Thursday as I'm off this week and through New Years Day.

Enjoy tomorrow everyone,
Bill

 

[Ray C]

You're doing well...[

On the first measurement where you're getting 0.00075", I presume that means total deflection -which translates to 0.000375" which is just shy of 4 tenths. -Not bad!

If you're getting half thou over 7" on the table, that's darn good too.

Check things again in a few weeks after 20 hours of cutting time.

Good luck with it!

Ray

OK, I'm taking a break because I think I'm chasing my tail a bit trying to align this thing. This means opinions welcome. :LOL:

I checked the spindle to column and well, I think it's OK the way it is. I've not used this method before, so someone check my figures. Stuck a half-inch piece of stainless in a R-8 collet and here is what I came up with:

About a half inch below the column, I can detect no movement on my DTI. Moved the head up 4" and I get about a .00075" swing on the indicator. I 'assume' this is good enough? This was from the factory BTW.

View attachment 66577

Then I set up to check the table to column. Put my little DTI holder in a 3/8" collet and lower the head to so I get needle movement. Zero the dial, then go to swing over to the left side of the table. Oh oh... the fixture hits the table swinging over?!?! Yipes! anic:

Background: When the mill arrived, the stand was strapped onto the top of the machine's crate, and had collapsed the top cover and was trying to get cozy with the mill. I'm thinking the column took a big hit. It looks like the column is tilted like crazy to the left.

So after I calm down, I grab a 10mm allen wrench and attempt to loosen the four bolts holding the column to the base casting. Don't know the torque setting on these grade 8 bolts, but I had to take a hammer to the allen wrench to get these suckers loose. That was after I bent my pump handle for my shop hoist trying to use it as an extender. Sheesh...

Anyway, after much fiddling around I managed to get the x-axis to just over a half thou swinging a 7" radius. So does this mean I'm under a thou if I translate 14" in the x-axis?

View attachment 66578

I'm done for now. Need coffee and something to munch on. I think I screwed up though, in that I probably should have checked/trammed the Y-axis first because if it needs shims I'm going to loose my X-axis alignment when I attempt to stick those suckers in. :banghead:


Oh well, I'll mess with it Thursday as I'm off this week and through New Years Day.

Enjoy tomorrow everyone,
Bill

 

[wrmiller]

Well, I screwed up.

I didn't do the spindle-to-column tram right. Didn't know what I was looking at I guess. Anyway, as I was doing some other setup things, I noticed the head didn't appear to line up with it's mount to the column very well. Then I discovered the pivot bolts holding the head to it's mount were not exactly real tight. Damn...

Sure enough, the head had tilted during shipping, not the column. So, after mentally slapping myself in the head a few times, I grabbed some fresh coffee and started over. All better now.

Found a three bolt head mod at Hossmachine, so I will do that sometime in the near future. Then the belt drive, bearings, etc., etc..

I just like tinkering I guess.

Bill

 

[Ray C]

Bill,

It's all good and is a great learning experience. It's also nice to see someone take a step back, put on a fresh cap -and think it through before posting threads about "how this "%^&" machine sucks and has inherent problems"... For this reason, it's very tough to sell to the "newby" market -but you just earned some wings.

When you learn about the machine this way, the knowledge will carry over as you use it.


Ray

 

[wrmiller]

First mill with a tilting head assy. Won't make that mistake again. I'll just make different ones... :lmao:

Would be kinda cool if I could design a scaled down version of the mount on a Bridgeport. Maybe a worm gear mechanism for tilt and nod.

Something else to kill brain cells on.

Bill

 

[Rbeckett]

Bill,
I think once you get it trammed in you are going to really like the Pm machine. I bought an Edge Pro Tram while it was on sale and it is slicker than glass and should do an excellent job. Since your machine is brand new getting one now will allow you to keep an eye out for wear creeping in and changing your values. Once the gib strips all wear in and get fully polished and seated that adjustment will last for a good long time. Enjoy the new machine and don't forget to post up some pics of your first project too!!!

Bobber

 

[wrmiller]

Hey Bobber,

Yea I've seen those, thanks for the heads up.

I've had my eye on the micro-tram from Accudyne. That way I only have to watch ONE dial. :lmao:

Bill

 

[jbolt]

Nice looking machine there Bill. Congrats! I really like the blue paint in the table ways. Won't be that pretty forever but it sure looks good now!

Jay