So it looks like I will be getting a rf45 clone and a 12x36 lathe, unless a great deal on used equipment falls into my lap. At least now I can cad out my garage space and prepare for next march! Quick question about the g0750. Is the gear box with it similar to the one on the pm1236? I'm not trying to stir anything up, I just wanted to take advantage of the knowledgable audience. Thanks!
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Help me spend my future budget! Help a newbie out!!
- Thread starter Earlkonig
- Start date
I think those two machine sizes are good choices. They offer the ability for some hefty DOC cuts (within their class), yet will not break the bank.
One can always assemble their stock of tooling as they go. Look for estate sales and bulk tooling deals (usually a garage shop or excess stuff). Kinda like a bag of goodies... for a deep discount... and most of them are useful. Sometimes one gets to pick through them and negotiate a price.
On the machines, here is my $0.02....
While the machines may look the same on the outside... they may or may not be the same under the hood.
What I mean is subtle things like hardened/ground gears, high tolerance bearings, better oil seals, and lots of subtle details that are not noted... yet could add up to a LOT of maintenance later. NO machine (even a $100K industrial machine) is perfect... however quality is not always the same from one manufacturer to another.
I guess what I am saying: better IMO to not get caught up in 'spec wars'... it may NOT be an apples to apples comparison.
One can always assemble their stock of tooling as they go. Look for estate sales and bulk tooling deals (usually a garage shop or excess stuff). Kinda like a bag of goodies... for a deep discount... and most of them are useful. Sometimes one gets to pick through them and negotiate a price.
On the machines, here is my $0.02....
While the machines may look the same on the outside... they may or may not be the same under the hood.
What I mean is subtle things like hardened/ground gears, high tolerance bearings, better oil seals, and lots of subtle details that are not noted... yet could add up to a LOT of maintenance later. NO machine (even a $100K industrial machine) is perfect... however quality is not always the same from one manufacturer to another.
I guess what I am saying: better IMO to not get caught up in 'spec wars'... it may NOT be an apples to apples comparison.
Looking at the charts in PM1236 photos and the charts on the G0750G they appear to have the same gearing. Personally, I would choose a Norton gear box like the PM1340GT/G4003G or something more capable. It is easy to say you will never cut 112 tpi but if you think you want to dabble in gun smithing you will appreciate the .0011 per revolution that 112 tpi translates into. The 60 tpi of the enclosed gear box will get you .002 per rev.
Not even 0.02 worth,
Dave
Not even 0.02 worth,
Dave
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2014
- Messages
- 272
Looks like tool holders and vises haven't come up yet? I love my Glacern R8 ER25/16 tool holders, 3" FM45, keyless drill chuck, and a pair of 4" vises. I believe they are made in Taiwan (possibly China) and are of outstanding quality and have an excellent surface finish. It's almost Black November (Glacern's take on Black Friday), so be sure to take a look! Maybe see how the "Hobby Machinist" pack fares pricewise. It might be enough to get you started. You likely won't need a full ER collet set either, so pick up a few 3/8" and 1/2" as those are my most common end mill shanks.
I figured my mill (PM-30MV-L) would suit me well for several years before upgrading to a larger machine. I spent good money on quality tooling, though I did go back and forth between buying several R8 ER collet holders or going straight shank TTS (Tormach Tooling System) style.
Look on eBay for a used Criterion or other boring head in good shape. I picked up an 3" indexable boring head from Shars. I took a chance on it, since the used heads alone on eBay at the time were $350+ (now they're $60 all day long?!). I slightly regret this purchase for the slop on the screw making adjustment tricky, but the inserts do cut well and I have gotten good results. If I can rig up an antibacklash setup, I'm sure it will be just peachy.
As for budget, my machine was not much cheaper than a PM-932 ($1900 delivered), and with all of my tooling and CNC conversion components, I sit around $4500-5000. It's definitely possible to get the PM-932 with 3-axis DRO and tooling in that same budget (3-axis DRO is about the same as a CNC conversion).
Knee vs. Benchtop? If the PM-836/935 is as good as they say it is, Knee Especially if you're primarily going to be using DRO and manual operations.
For CAD/CAM, I've been getting into Autodesk's Fusion 360. If you get it before November 8th, they will upgrade you to the Ultimate package for $300/year vs. the full $1200/year. They have a lot of YouTube tutorials and it is fairly quick to pick up, though I'm still in the mindset of SolidWorks. I don't know if you need software, but it's something to consider if you haven't planned on it yet.
I figured my mill (PM-30MV-L) would suit me well for several years before upgrading to a larger machine. I spent good money on quality tooling, though I did go back and forth between buying several R8 ER collet holders or going straight shank TTS (Tormach Tooling System) style.
Look on eBay for a used Criterion or other boring head in good shape. I picked up an 3" indexable boring head from Shars. I took a chance on it, since the used heads alone on eBay at the time were $350+ (now they're $60 all day long?!). I slightly regret this purchase for the slop on the screw making adjustment tricky, but the inserts do cut well and I have gotten good results. If I can rig up an antibacklash setup, I'm sure it will be just peachy.
As for budget, my machine was not much cheaper than a PM-932 ($1900 delivered), and with all of my tooling and CNC conversion components, I sit around $4500-5000. It's definitely possible to get the PM-932 with 3-axis DRO and tooling in that same budget (3-axis DRO is about the same as a CNC conversion).
Knee vs. Benchtop? If the PM-836/935 is as good as they say it is, Knee
Especially if you're primarily going to be using DRO and manual operations.For CAD/CAM, I've been getting into Autodesk's Fusion 360. If you get it before November 8th, they will upgrade you to the Ultimate package for $300/year vs. the full $1200/year. They have a lot of YouTube tutorials and it is fairly quick to pick up, though I'm still in the mindset of SolidWorks. I don't know if you need software, but it's something to consider if you haven't planned on it yet.
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