I have a PM-30 MV with a 5" vise. Have not had any issues with the things I am doing. I got the installed DRO and I installed the X-axis drive. Going to build my own Z-axis drive as my next project. Recently bought an 8" rotary table. Great mill...trying to get a little more manual experience and then in a about a year I want to convert it to CNC.
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Does anyone have the PM-30MV mill yet?
- Thread starter Metalmill
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Sounds like a nice setup, Are you talking about the drive to raise and lower the head? Which Rotary table, brand, did you get, curiousity?
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I find the rotary tables and dividing heads very interesting, I have a 10" Vertex Rotary table Made in Taiwan which had turned out to be very tight and well built. I will look yours up just for my own curiosity sake.
Does your PM30Mv have a place for mounting the vertical Z drive?
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That Rotary table looks good, and they offer a dividing head which is very reasonably priced, How do you like the table? good quality? I am planning to buy a dividing head but the Vertex is expensive, that is why I ask.
I have been using it lately...no issues. Out of the box seemed fine. Quality seems good enough for what I do. I have not delved into the specifics of the Z-drive, but others on here have. Seems like there are suitable places for everything to mount.
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Thanks for the input, there is a plethora of these things to look at....
You are right. I had no experience with a mill when I got the PM-30MV. It has been great for me to learn on (that takes a while for me). Do I do stupid stuff sometimes, sure, but that is how I learn. I have made quite a few odds and ends, to include a taper attachment for my old Logan lathe. For me it has been the perfect mill.
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I have a PM940V and a PM1236, both are good machines, I would buy from Mathews again. I'll tell you what a dumby move is, I was using my power down feed to drill a half inch hole and hung it in a 3" thick block of aluminum, it took a pipe wrench to get the bit out and I had to replace the bearings for the belt drive pulley sleeve/shaft. Note to self, in the future manually feed the drill through the thick block... I have used a mill before owned several old mills but none of them have power down feed and I never had a lathe so I understand what you are saying completely.
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FWIW, I'm using the 5" Homge vice on my PM30, and the size seems perfect to me.
New DRO is great. The built-in quill DRO leaves something to be desired, but functions OK. Just hard to see, and arrived with a pre-drained battery!
The 12mm square head on the drawbar is a non-issue - a 14mm 12-point socket or box-end wrench fits it perfectly.
I have noticed that the table is very soft. Takes very little to leave a nick in it.
New DRO is great. The built-in quill DRO leaves something to be desired, but functions OK. Just hard to see, and arrived with a pre-drained battery!
The 12mm square head on the drawbar is a non-issue - a 14mm 12-point socket or box-end wrench fits it perfectly.
I have noticed that the table is very soft. Takes very little to leave a nick in it.