PM-25 or PM-30 Looking for Dimensions and Picts

For what little it's worth, I bought some scrap (burnouts) of 4140. I put them in the charcoal broiler, let them burn and cool down in the ashes. They are about Rockwell C 35. I've been working them up into small bits of tooling, using nothing but high speed steel tools, lathe and mill .I've tapped a couple of them 8-32 for set screws. All on my PM25, no problem, just cut slowly.
 
Based on your comments, I would say the PM-30 would be more optimal. Just going to a 2HP motor at 240V will make a significant improvement, and the belt drive will be quieter and more adaptable to CNC if you ultimately go that route. Although the CNC route requires a lot of other considerations and costs, so I would look at the immediate needs. Having the increased capacity in the different axis is very significant, it is amazing how fast you can hit the limits of your Y and Z travel. In particular when you add a vice and DRO scales, which can reduce the Y/Z travel. If one is machining smaller parts, I still think the PM-727V is a great all around mill for the size and you are limited to 120V. Years ago I ordered a mill from QMT similar to the PM-30, but due to delays I purchased a BF-30. It had similar travel, was about 200Lbs heavier and had a 3Hp BLDC motor. I never had an issue with power, but it used a 3 speed gear head which was fairly noisy at the higher speeds. I learned a lot using the mill and had a better understanding of the travel limit issues. I rarely used speeds above 2400 RPM, even for aluminum, but the increased power allowed significant meatal removal using a rougher end mill. If CNC you often use smaller end mills and much higher speeds. Most CNC conversions replace the motor and extensively modified the mill.
 
I too will be doing some gunsmithing on my machines. A new rifle stock is arriving today and will need some inletting, as well as a couple of other stocks I have on hand. This and other reasons is why I chose the 30, a longer table. Could I accomplish these tasks on the shorter table of the 25? Most probably, but I just feel better having the extra 5 1/2 ".
 
Thread back from the dead!

I pulled the trigger and got the PM-30, its literally on a slow boat from China, but since we are both on the wrong side of the globe right now it works out...with any luck we will both get home around the same time.

That being said, I'm looking to see if any of you who have one would do me favor and pass on the dimensions of the top of the column and base. I'm killing time here making plans and modeling the brackets for the CNC motors but don't have measurements to make a good sketch, any help is greatly appreciated!

Here is what I'm looking for:

The dimensions of this area of the base. Looking for the size/angle where if flares out from the where the cross slide rests to the bottom. I'm thinking about mounting to the side of the base along its depth (running below and parallel to the cross slide
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The dimensions of the area of the to of the column to include where the bolt holes are located. I'm trying to model a replacement for item #23

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Can someone tell me what that box shaped cage around the PM mills drill chuck is for? I've never seen this on a mill.
I would consider buying a new PM mill rather than an old BP. I also see that the vari speed PM mills have less RPM spindles than the belt drive models.
 
The box shaped cage around the PM mills drill chuck is a plastic guard, electrically tied to the motor. When It's open the motor won't turn.

Some have removed it and live dangerously.
 
The box shaped cage around the PM mills drill chuck is a plastic guard, electrically tied to the motor. When It's open the motor won't turn.

Some have removed it and live dangerously.
Mine was removed within 15 seconds of the first milling operation. It hit the vice and wouldn't let the head get low enough for the end mill to get to the workpiece.
 
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