PM932 PDF Mill ordered last week

WeirdBeard

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This is my first mill, I wanted to get one I wouldn't "grow out of" too soon. Not sure if I actually needed the PDF, but from a lot of your posts on here, it sounds like I won't be sorry the few times I do need it. Plus Matt was out of the 932M and I didn't want to wait for the next shipment. I'll be using it for some 80% lowers, motorcycle parts and anything else I can think of.

You guys have been extremely helpful in determining which mill to get! Matt was just as awesome on the phone as everyone says he is. Thanks!

I'll be hitting up DavidH about some DROs soon too. The mill won't be shipped until April so I've got time to buy the rest of the stuff I'll need to get started. I'll be asking lots of questions since I'm new to this but I'm excited!
 
I'll post pics when it arrives, the unboxing and set-up. Right now I'm working the mobile stand with levelers and more importantly on making enough room for it in the garage, so if you want to see it's parking space or stand, I'm happy to show that.
 
Sweet. It's a fine looking mill. I never used PDF. But even when I aint using the power feed on the table, I find it very nice just for moving the table back for the next cut or to Mic the part or just to get things out the way. I can tell you what, if I had a power knee on the mill, I would use it ALOT and I mean ALOT.
 
If you can afford it before April when your mill ships, I would recommend having Matt add the DRO package that he offers. I had Matt install the two axis model on the PM932M I purchase last fall and am glad I did.
 
If you can afford it before April when your mill ships, I would recommend having Matt add the DRO package that he offers. I had Matt install the two axis model on the PM932M I purchase last fall and am glad I did.

I'm kind of at the limit of my budget, but what is the advantage of the DRO package he offers. I know they can guide you in cutting radi, but I'm not sure what else they can do.
 
I'm kind of at the limit of my budget, but what is the advantage of the DRO package he offers. I know they can guide you in cutting radi, but I'm not sure what else they can do.

I can testify that the DROs will take the guess work out of: Did I wind it back enough to take out the backlash? Now where was I? Is this line exactly on the mark? Is it just a hair that I can't see to the left? Is it a hair that I can't discern to the right? That makes a difference.

Then there's the: Zero it on whichever axis you're working with, or both, mic where you're start point is and then go to EXACTLY where you want finished size, leave a few hundredths, get your crocus or emery cloth and polish to EXACT size and you're done. The first time. With no dead scrap.

Don't ask me how I know. :whistle:

I haven't looked at a dial in the last 5 months.

It's so simple, even I CAN DO IT.

Bite that 'ittle bitty bullet (relative of course) and you won't know how you did without it. At least that was my case. But then I'm a newbie dummy. But they sure take a lot of the "dummy" out of it. I just got my mill cranked up yesterday and the 3 axis DROs will be installed soonly.

Hope that helps answer your question.

Dale
 
DRO on a mill is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

For most practical purposes, it's only needed for X and Y directions. I have Z on my PM 45 and don't believe I've ever used it. I do however user the quill DRO all the time -but for setting the base height of the head, it's not all that necessary.

When professionally installed, the scales are firmly attached and give extremely repeatable results right down to +/- 0.0002". If you aspire to maintain cuts within 0.0005" your base resolution must be 1/2 of that so, granularity of 0.0002 is all that's needed. As mentioned earlier, I don't often need to (or desire) to get mill cuts within 1/2 thou but, at times, it's nice to get things as close as possible. I generally shoot for +/- 0.00075". Without DRO, it's pure luck to get it that close. With DRO, it's easy to do once you practice and know how -and of course, it depends on the mill, the material etc...

As for functionality, I use three functions. Line drilling, circle drilling and datam point setting. DP setting just means making a marker spot and being able to return to it later. It's possible to store many such locations. These are the only functions I use -along with the build-in calculator from time to time...

I'm told the graphics ability of the ES-12 is nice but, I've never seen one powered-up. I get by just peachy with my ES-8 which is about 4-5 years old now and working perfectly.

Ray
 
Well, after reading all of your insightful comments and watching YouTube video after YouTube video to learn what DROs allow you to do, I bit the bullet as was mentioned. Not a tiny bullet, but one that I think is worth it. I called up Matt and ordered a 2 axis Easson to be installed. They're awaiting shipment on them right now, but they said they'll have them in plenty of time to install on my machine in time for the April delivery. I may not use all of the functions right away, but (hopefully) as my skills progress, it will help me do things I don't even know I'll need to do in the future. That's what I'm telling myself anyway.

Everytime I come on here I learn something and lighten my wallet.

Thanks, I think.
 
Just got the email today saying that it's been shipped and should be here any day now. Stay tuned...
 
I just picked up the PM-932M-PDF from Precision Mathews last week and had them install the Easson 3 axis DRO.
The DRO is the same as the Dro Pro's DRO. I had this on my last mill. I couldn't even think of having a mill without a DRO now that I have had one.
Precision Matthews were great to deal with and had everything ready for pickup as promised.
The unit was well packed and everything was there that was supposed to be in the box.
Set up was a breeze and I had the machine unloaded and set up and running in next to no time. Everything worked as it should.
After levelling it up and tramming the table I was set to go.
This is an excellent machine for the price with nice features, I am sure you will enjoy yours and it was a wise choise to add the DRO.
 
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