# PM-833T Shop Made Base



## ahazi (Mar 22, 2020)

Question: How to (properly) attach the PM-833T/TV to a shop made base?

I bought the chip tray from PM and I am building my own base with storage drawers. The tray has threaded (10mm) standoffs welded to the tray. Looks like the tray design was picked from the combined tray/base below (without coolant feed and drain.) It does not make sense to me to attach the mill only to the tray and attach the tray to my stand separately as it seems pretty flimsy. I am thinking of grinding out the standoffs and drill holes through the tray to allow 3/8" or 5/16" bolts for attaching to the 1/2" metal plate that is on top of my stand.

See below picture of the tray and the stand from PM. Looks like the standoffs have a rigid welded connection to the base.








Is my theory correct?
How did others solve the problem?
Other ideas?

Ariel


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## parshal (Mar 22, 2020)

I have that stand with my 833.  I don't think it's as flimsy as you think but, then again, I don't have just the tray.  I'd personally want to keep the standoffs just to keep coolant/oil from draining down into whatever you have under it.  My 1340 stand has no standoffs and I used caulking to keep it from dripping down into the storage area.  The mill has large gaps on its base and I bet you'll have a tough time sealing it to the chip tray.


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## mksj (Mar 22, 2020)

The trey is only made to be an interface between it and the base, based on what I have seen on other similar bench top mills. Usually the base/chip pan is flush and the mill sits flush with the base, one uses a oil resistant sealant to seal it. The standoffs look too small and not enough contact area for the base, so I would remove them and through bolt the mill through the pan and through the 1/2" plate and just seal with a polyurethane or motor silicone sealant. This is what I did with the 1340GT lathe, I initially used silicone sealant and it failed over time. You could tap the 1/2" plate or through bolt with a sealant/washer/nut. I had a BF-30 and that is what I did on it.


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## 7milesup (Mar 22, 2020)

I made my own stand and bent my own tray.  I drilled down through the tray and into the cross members of my stand where the bolt locations were.  Then, tapped the cross members of my home made stand and enlarged the bolt holes in the tray.  I then proceeded to weld short sections of pipe onto the tray around the bolt holes.  This way I could use 1/2" bolts to hold the mill down but if I decided to run coolant the welded on section of pipes would keep the fluid from running down around the bolts.


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## 7milesup (Mar 22, 2020)

Post number 15 in THIS THREAD will give you an idea of what I did.


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## ahazi (Mar 22, 2020)

7milesup said:


> ... I then proceeded to weld short sections of pipe onto the tray around the bolt holes.  This way I could use 1/2" bolts to hold the mill down but if I decided to run coolant the welded on section of pipes would keep the fluid from running down around the bolts.



Thank you for the idea with the welded pipe around the holes, I will do the same. This will take away having to worry about sealing and a sealer failure over time.

I drilled and tapped the 1/2" plate for 7/16"-14 screws.


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## ahazi (Mar 22, 2020)

mksj said:


> ...The standoffs look too small and not enough contact area for the base, so I would remove them and through bolt the mill through the pan and through the 1/2" plate and just seal with a polyurethane or motor silicone sealant. This is what I did with the 1340GT lathe, I initially used silicone sealant and it failed over time. You could tap the 1/2" plate or through bolt with a sealant/washer/nut. I had a BF-30 and that is what I did on it.



I agree Mark, it looked flimsy this is why I asked for ideas. I am almost sure that on the original base the threaded standoffs are welded to the frame of the base, you can't bolt a 900 lb mill to sheet metal...


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## gmcblane (Mar 23, 2020)

I have no experience with this mill, but this is the internet so what does experience matter. 

After looking at the manual and the diagrams I'm not sure those are standoffs. 

It looks like the mill base rests directly on the pan. The threaded "standoffs" seem to line up with the threw holes in the base used for the mounting bolts.

Good luck 




Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk


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## ahazi (Mar 23, 2020)

gmcblane said:


> After looking at the manual and the diagrams I'm not sure those are standoffs.



I have the actual chip tray in my hands... The standoffs are threaded (M10-1.5), the bottom of the tray is sealed so the long bolts (100 mm) provided cannot continue and are exactly at the length of the height of the base of the mill (4 inch) and also if the bolts needed to go through the tray you will not have a threaded standoff.



gmcblane said:


> It looks like the mill base rests directly on the pan. The threaded "standoffs" seem to line up with the threw holes in the base used for the mounting bolts.



I drilled 3/16" pilot holes through the threaded standoffs and used a 25 mm hole saw from the back to cut the standoffs out. Today I will weld a short 1" ID pipe as was done by 7milesup. I will post some pictures in case someone else will have the same problem in the future. To secure the mill to the mounting plate, I am using 7/16", 5 inch long bolts that are threaded into a 1/2" steel plate.


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## ahazi (Mar 24, 2020)

Pictures of modifying the chip tray with 1" ID welded pipe around the holes to block potential coolant leak.











Almost there... paint the stand and start using the mill.


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## parshal (Mar 24, 2020)

Looking good!


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## ahazi (Mar 27, 2020)

Here are few steps and the final result. Now I can move it to its permanent place and start playing...


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## BGHansen (Mar 27, 2020)

ahazi said:


> Here are few steps and the final result. Now I can move it to its permanent place and start playing...
> 
> View attachment 318258
> 
> ...


Great job, looks super solid, convenient tool storage right at the machine!  You may consider expanding the chip pan to the LH/RH edges of your stand; the chips will fly.  Or just a couple of pans on either side that are easy to dump and set back in place.  Looking forward to seeing some of your projects.

Bruce


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## ahazi (Mar 27, 2020)

BGHansen said:


> Great job, looks super solid, convenient tool storage right at the machine!  You may consider expanding the chip pan to the LH/RH edges of your stand; the chips will fly.  Or just a couple of pans on either side that are easy to dump and set back in place.  Looking forward to seeing some of your projects.
> 
> Bruce


Thank you!

This is the plan. I will add removable chip storage probably beyond the stand edges on the left and right so I can catch up as much as possible.

Ariel


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## parshal (Mar 27, 2020)

I've found the factory chip tray doesn't catch many chips compared to what's within 4' of my mill.  Chips are everywhere.  I need to surround the whole mill with a shower curtain or something!


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## ahazi (Mar 27, 2020)

Good ideas to consider.

I was planning to make a tray that will go all the way to the wall next to the machine so chips will not go behind which is much harder to clean.


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## Kyain (Apr 29, 2020)

What's the height on that stand? my 833tv just showed up and I'm picking up some steel to build a similar stand for it this week. Just haven't nailed down toolbox options for under it


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## ahazi (Apr 29, 2020)

Here is the drawing (PDF and dxf in case you want to modify it) for the stand that I built. All the dimensions are for fitting the Home Depot toolbox. I am very happy from how it came out against my design goals.

This is the tool chest that I used:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-3...hest-Cabinet-in-Gloss-Red-H36TR6RXD/303643852






Please let me know if you have any questions.

Ariel


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## MC (Jun 4, 2020)

ahazi said:


> Question: How to (properly) attach the PM-833T/TV to a shop made base?
> 
> I bought the chip tray from PM and I am building my own base with storage drawers. The tray has threaded (10mm) standoffs welded to the tray. Looks like the tray design was picked from the combined tray/base below (without coolant feed and drain.) It does not make sense to me to attach the mill only to the tray and attach the tray to my stand separately as it seems pretty flimsy. I am thinking of grinding out the standoffs and drill holes through the tray to allow 3/8" or 5/16" bolts for attaching to the 1/2" metal plate that is on top of my stand.
> 
> ...


What size and thread are those bolts if you know? I bought an 833T but then had a medical issue that left it uninstalled for over a year. Recently got it up on the stand and the bolt I though went to it don't seem to want to thread. Before I screw something up I'd like to double check I'm using the right ones. Thanks


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## ahazi (Jun 5, 2020)

MC said:


> What size and thread are those bolts if you know? I bought an 833T but then had a medical issue that left it uninstalled for over a year. Recently got it up on the stand and the bolt I though went to it don't seem to want to thread. Before I screw something up I'd like to double check I'm using the right ones. Thanks


The original standoffs threads are M10-1.5, the original bolts were about 4" long which is height of the base at the mounting holes.

I hope this helps.

Ariel


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## MC (Jun 5, 2020)

ahazi said:


> The original standoffs threads are M10-1.5, the original bolts were about 4" long which is height of the base at the mounting holes.
> 
> I hope this helps.
> 
> Ariel


Thank you very much. I'll check the bolts I have in the morning


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## Skowinski (Jun 5, 2020)

Been lurking in this thread and thinking - are the PM stands for these larger bench mills not as sturdy/stable as is needed?  I've been considering a 932M and it's about the same weight as one of these 833's.  It sounds like I might need to consider making something like @ahazi has done here.


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## parshal (Jun 5, 2020)

Mine is fairly sturdy and it works.  Having a custom made, heavier, one would be better.  If I had the skills, tools and, most importantly, the time to make one I'd have done it.


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