PM25 vs PM30 Milling Machine

[Ben17484]

I’m using precision matthews machines as an example here as I’m guessing on this forum (mostly people from America) will be more used to these. I’m actually looking at the equivalents that are sold in the UK (Warco WM16 / WM18 or Amadeal VM25 / VM32).

I see a lot of YouTube channels that have the smaller of the two machines - the PM25 or equivalent and very few that have the PM30 or equivalent. Roughly speaking the larger of the two machines is 150% the weight of the smaller. My question is this - is that extra weight not that beneficial in mills this small? Is that why most YouTube channels seem to have the smaller version? I would have thought that the bigger version with the extra mass would be more popular than it seems to be.

So what would the real world difference be between the two? Would the larger take any bigger cuts any better than the smaller or at this comparatively small size does is not make that much difference?


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[WobblyHand]

I’m using precision matthews machines as an example here as I’m guessing on this forum (mostly people from America) will be more used to these. I’m actually looking at the equivalents that are sold in the UK (Warco WM16 / WM18 or Amadeal VM25 / VM32).

I see a lot of YouTube channels that have the smaller of the two machines - the PM25 or equivalent and very few that have the PM30 or equivalent. Roughly speaking the larger of the two machines is 150% the weight of the smaller. My question is this - is that extra weight not that beneficial in mills this small? Is that why most YouTube channels seem to have the smaller version? I would have thought that the bigger version with the extra mass would be more popular than it seems to be.

So what would the real world difference be between the two? Would the larger take any bigger cuts any better than the smaller or at this comparatively small size does is not make that much difference?


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Bigger more massive machines tend to be more rigid and have a bigger work envelope. In general you should go with the most capable machine you can afford. The simple reason the lower end machines are more popular is undoubted economic, they are less expensive and they take up less space. That's why I bought a PM-25MV, I could afford it and it would fit in my shop. If I had a larger shop and more cash, I would get a larger machine. I regularly run into workspace envelope issues. Most of the time I can work around it. Sometimes I can't. That's the compromise I chose due to my constraints.

 

[Ben17484]

Bigger more massive machines tend to be more rigid and have a bigger work envelope. In general you should go with the most capable machine you can afford. The simple reason the lower end machines are more popular is undoubted economic, they are less expensive and they take up less space. That's why I bought a PM-25MV, I could afford it and it would fit in my shop. If I had a larger shop and more cash, I would get a larger machine. I regularly run into workspace envelope issues. Most of the time I can work around it. Sometimes I can't. That's the compromise I chose due to my constraints.

The cost was the only thing that came to mind, but it feels like they are close enough in price that people would wait a little longer to get the slightly larger machine if it were really worth it?


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[WobblyHand]

The cost was the only thing that came to mind, but it feels like they are close enough in price that people would wait a little longer to get the slightly larger machine if it were really worth it?


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Speaking for myself only, at the time, I couldn't afford the better machine, so I went with the less expensive one. In retrospect I should have gone with a bigger machine. Am I disappointed with my PM25MV? No. It still lets me get stuff done that would have been impossible for me (prior to getting the mill). Within its limitations, the PM25 is a great mill. And PM is a great company.

My experience is with most small machines - you will soon bump into the work envelope issue. Having enough Y and Z on a mill is a big deal. As is rigidity and motor power. So get the biggest machine that works with your budget and shop space, even if you have to stretch your budget and space a bit...

 

[ivel03]

I have the PM30MV and have ran out of room fairly easily. It's a bench mill not a bridge port so there are many compromises but it fit the space and budget. That being said i don't have or have ever ran a PM25MV so i don't know how much better it is. If you go easy with light cuts it will do a good job. The limitation i have is me not the mill!

 

[verbotenwhisky]

Speaking for myself only, at the time, I couldn't afford the better machine, so I went with the less expensive one. In retrospect I should have gone with a bigger machine. Am I disappointed with my PM25MV? No. It still lets me get stuff done that would have been impossible for me (prior to getting the mill). Within its limitations, the PM25 is a great mill. And PM is a great company.

My experience is with most small machines - you will soon bump into the work envelope issue. Having enough Y and Z on a mill is a big deal. As is rigidity and motor power. So get the biggest machine that works with your budget and shop space, even if you have to stretch your budget and space a bit...

Buy once, Cry once....

 

[WobblyHand]

Buy once, Cry once....

So true, yet sometimes difficult to achieve. I don't regret getting the machine one bit. Should I need a bigger one, and I move, then I may get one. Right now, just don't have room for a much bigger machine. If I did, I would have gotten it, somehow.

 

[Ben17484]

Buy once, Cry once....

I get this argument, but there must be a limit to it? If you have a budget of £1000 and there’s something that costs £10,000, you couldn’t justify that with ‘buy once, cry once’?

I think in this case I probably would regret not spending the extra money to get the larger mill as the prices are relatively close, I just wanted to make sure its worth the money and the gains aren’t so marginal to not make it worth it.


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[verbotenwhisky]

I get this argument, but there must be a limit to it? If you have a budget of £1000 and there’s something that costs £10,000, you couldn’t justify that with ‘buy once, cry once’?

I think in this case I probably would regret not spending the extra money to get the larger mill as the prices are relatively close, I just wanted to make sure its worth the money and the gains aren’t so marginal to not make it worth it.


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I looked at the smaller mills, ordered a PM932-PDF cuz they said they could not get a PM940-PDF and wound up with a PM940-PDF, long story but I like the mill...

 

[rodm1]

They are a pain to ship and receive do it once.