# Pm932 Removing Worktable



## 65Cobra427SC (Jul 23, 2015)

Before I move my PM932 from the garage I want to remove the worktable to reduce the weight and give me more clearance while it's being  moved down the hall and into the workshop. It's still sitting on the pallet although the sides and top of the crate have been removed. It has both a DRO and Power Down Feed. Since this is my first mill, I only know the basics... so if any pictures are available they would certainly help... and be gentile 

Some thoughts after taking a look...

Not sure how to disconnect the worktable from the DRO... I noticed the sensor attached to the back of the table but don't want to screw things up.

Not sure how the worktable is actually removed. Do I end up cranking it completely forward and pulling it out at the front? Or is it lifted off after certain bolts underneath are removed?


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## RJSakowski (Jul 23, 2015)

I have not dealt with a PM 932 but it looks similar to the Grizzly G0755 we boought at work.  Most DRO scales are connected with a cable with a DB9 connector at the readout.  Disconnecting the DB9 connector and any retaining clips is probably the easiest way to separate.  

If you are referring the the bed, it is held in place by the dovetail and lead screw nut. You would have to remove the dovetail adjustment gib and disconnect the leadscrew nut or  unthread the leadscrew to separate.  Also the power feed assembly and thrust bearing from one or both sides.  The table should then slide out.  It is a fairly complicated job for a novice as you will have to readjust your ways on reassembly but not impossible.

If  moving the mill intact, the table can be moved around to get through doorways and around corners.  At 1100 lbs. that is a formidable beast to move.  It is also somewhat top heavy.  We purchased a dolly to move the Grizzly and had one of the wheels collapse.  The next two times it was moved, we had professionals do it.


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## toddimus (Jul 23, 2015)

One possible word of caution on the DROs...  I don't have DROs yet, but I'm almost positive this is how they work...

If they are glass DRO scales, the read head must stay connected to the scale.  That means you can't just undo the DB9 connector at the display.  You will have to unbolt either the read head or the whole DRO scale assembly from the machine's base.  If you are removing the whole saddle (X and Y axis) together, then you presumably could remove the DB9 connector for the X axis but you would still need to deal with the Y axis DRO scale needing to stay connected to its read head.

I hope that makes sense.  I don't want you to break your new scales before you get a chance to use them!

http://dropros.com/Digital_Readout_DRO_Installation.htm

Here's an install and cautions article from DROPROS.com.  Scroll about 2/3 of the way down the page until you get to "DRO KIT INSTALLATION", after all of the customer install photos.  They have laid out a seemingly good installation procedure.  I plan to refer to this document heavily once I get my DRO components.


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## RJSakowski (Jul 23, 2015)

toddimus said:


> One possible word of caution on the DROs...  I don't have DROs yet, but I'm almost positive this is how they work...
> 
> If they are glass DRO scales, the read head must stay connected to the scale.  That means you can't just undo the DB9 connector at the display.  You will have to unbolt either the read head or the whole DRO scale assembly from the machine's base.  If you are removing the whole saddle (X and Y axis) together, then you presumably could remove the DB9 connector for the X axis but you would still need to deal with the Y axis DRO scale needing to stay connected to its read head.
> 
> ...


My bad! Thanks, toddimus, for the catch.  

Yes you do have to remove one or the other.  Usually, it is easier to remove the pickup head as the mount has two or three fasteners.  If you remover the scale, the realignment is more complicated and the is a greater danger of damaging the assembly.

On the scales that I installed, there was a blue plastic shim with a fork that slid between the scale and the pickup to set the proper alignment when installing. The shim also had four mounting holes to fix the pickup to the scale for shipping.  The shim thickness is .050" but from what I have read, the clearance isn't all that critical.  If the OP chooses to go that way, I would recommend making a shim and inserting it and then taping the pickup to the scale with the blue masking tape.

Cobra, I have three of the shims.  I don't know if mine would fit your scale , but if it will, I would be happy to drop one in the mail for you.







Bob


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## 65Cobra427SC (Jul 24, 2015)

Thank you both for the info and for keeping it simple enough for me to follow... and it all made sense, which is an accomplishment for me.

Not sure about the glass part but the read head is connected to the scale. Since I wanted to remove the display as well, I disconnected all the DB9 connectors and put it in a safe place. For the X-axis, I zip tied the wire coil to the table which should work fine since I plan to remove the entire saddle. The Y-axis made me nervous for a couple reasons... the brackets used to position the read head look like they could withstand a nuclear attack, and access to the 2 small Allen head bolts holding the read head is very limited, so I haven't done anything with it yet. I plan to take another look at it this weekend but I may need to sacrifice an Allen wrench on the grinder to gain access.

Thanks for the link toddimus. I haven't read it verbatim yet but did take some time to look it over and it looks to be exactly what I need. I was slightly disappointed that the pictures in that section you referred to, showing the read head and scale, couldn't be enlarged but that's a minor complaint. Otherwise I will read it carefully this weekend.

Thanks for the offer RJS. I did notice the blue shim in the link toddimus posted but checked the boxes and none came with my mill, so it looks like I could use one. I'm going to get a hold of Matt first because if he has any, I can pick up one from him (I only live 30 minutes from his business... one of the reasons I purchased from him). Otherwise, I'll PM you with my info so you can mail one to me.

Hopefully everything will go smoothly with removing the saddle, but either way I'll be posting in this thread. If you see anything like HELP!!! then you'll know I'm in trouble.

Thanks again.


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## RJSakowski (Jul 24, 2015)

65Cobra427SC said:


> Thanks for the offer RJS. I did notice the blue shim in the link toddimus posted but checked the boxes and none came with my mill, so it looks like I could use one. I'm going to get a hold of Matt first because if he has any, I can pick up one from him (I only live 30 minutes from his business... one of the reasons I purchased from him). Otherwise, I'll PM you with my info so you can mail one to me.
> 
> Thanks again.


If you can get them locally, great.  Try to get one for each axis and store them for future use.  There should also be four small metric screws for each, maybe M3 x 6mm?  They would normally be thrown out or into a possible bin once the DRO is installed.  Your vendor should have them from your install.

Otherwise, the offer still stands.

Bob


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## toddimus (Jul 24, 2015)

65Cobra427SC said:


> ...
> Not sure about the glass part but the read head is connected to the scale.
> ...



The glass is a thin strip mounted (probably laminated somehow) to the inside surface of the long scale part.  That's why it's so fragile and they make me nervous.  

There are little lines marked at even intervals on the surface of the glass that the read head picks up to measure the travel. 

As a geeky aside, you might wonder how they can register 0.0002" resolution with lines marked on the surface of the glass.  That's really, really small!!  The lines are not spaced at 0.0002" on center, but rather 0.0008" on center (I think).  Still, that's a lot of little lines marked on the glass and there's a good reason those scales are so expensive.  Google "quadrature encoder" for an explanation on how they not only increase the resolution of the lines by four times, but also get direction information.  It's pretty clever.  
/geeky aside  

I bet Matt has a pile of those shims at the shop and would be happy to hand a few of them over to you. 

Good luck!


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## coolidge (Jul 24, 2015)

RJSakowski said:


> We purchased a dolly to move the Grizzly and had one of the wheels collapse.  The next two times it was moved, we had professionals do it.


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## 65Cobra427SC (Jul 24, 2015)

Matt responded to my email and preferred I remove both DRO scales completely. He said they are sturdy enough to remove and replace if I'm careful, but if I leave either of them on and accidently hit one while I'm removing the table, it's a goner. Since he feels removing them is a lot safer I'll carefully remove them both. Apparently if you take one of the end caps off the scale you can take the reader head out but don't get this wrong, he was NOT telling me to do this... and I have no intention on trying it either. And they are glass scales... said the reader rides on little ball bearings along the glass. He was okay with everything else I did so I'll remove both scales next.


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## 65Cobra427SC (Jul 28, 2015)

I ended up removing all three scales and brackets... removed the X and Y scales so I could remove the table... removed the Z scale so it won't get damaged while lifting the mill with a strap. Now that they're off, it's not that bad. In fact once the mill is in place it will make it easier to clean and I'll be able to do a more thorough job so that's a plus.

Going to take a look at the table now, along with the dovetail, lead screw and anything else that might get in the way to make sure I know how to get it out. When it comes time to lift it, I can always get the guy next door to give me a hand.


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## 65Cobra427SC (Jul 28, 2015)

What I thought would be no problem ended up being a pain and I can't figure out where to go from here.

My plan was to leave the table on the saddle and remove them both at the same time with the help of a neighbor. I removed the Saddle GIB and Screws, and the Y-Axis Lead Screw and Bracket. I don't recall exactly what else I removed but there was nothing left holding the saddle in place. I thought lifting the Saddle sideways at an angle would disengage the ways, but I was obviously wrong. So we moved the saddle forward but it won't slide off the front because the nut for the Y-Axis Lead Screw is in the way. And I can't remove it because the bolt(s) are under the Table.

Not to be deterred, I removed the same/similar items that keep the table in place only to have the same problem. This time the bolts holding the nut for the X-Axis screw come from the bottom and I'm not sure how to get to them without a wrench with eyes and the flexibility of a contortionist.

At this point I'm going to email Matt since it was his idea to remove the table to begin with, but in the meantime if someone knows where I went wrong please let me know. And I'm only referring to the lathe... my ex already told me where I went wrong with everything else in life many times. Don't want to go there again.


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## TomS (Jul 29, 2015)

You are almost there!  Remove the X axis hand wheels and lead screw support brackets and remove (unscrew) the lead screw.  This will allow you to slide the table off of the saddle.  You can then get to the Y axis nut bolt so you can remove the saddle.  

Tom S


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## 65Cobra427SC (Jul 29, 2015)

Thanks Tom... that worked. Removed the Table... removed that one hidden bolt for the Y-Axis Nut... and the Saddle came right off. That will make things a lot easier when moving day arrives.

I guess that finishes up this thread. Thanks everyone for chiming in. I appreciate it!


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## TomS (Jul 29, 2015)

65Cobra427SC said:


> Thanks Tom... that worked. Removed the Table... removed that one hidden bolt for the Y-Axis Nut... and the Saddle came right off. That will make things a lot easier when moving day arrives.
> 
> I guess that finishes up this thread. Thanks everyone for chiming in. I appreciate it!



Glad it worked out.  Good luck with your new mill.

Tom S


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## Railin93 (Oct 15, 2017)

Took the plunge and took the table off my new 932 today...took Matt's advice as well and took the complete DRO off all axis' and removed the table after...with the wife's help we managed to get it off in two sections without much issue once we figured out how to get it off...

Glad i found this thread because it was a huge help!


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## Railin93 (Oct 16, 2017)

if the OP wouldn't mind, ive got pics of the disassembly process and will take more as I reassemble...kinda give everyone a layman's/caveman approach to it...pics over words...lol


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## Railin93 (Oct 16, 2017)

Here's a start...had to drive the spring pin out of the power feed coupler on the LH side of the table...then the LH flange for the X axis leadscrew had to be tapped a few good times with a rubber mallet to get it free from the table (two alignment pins keep it square and secure)...


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## Railin93 (Oct 16, 2017)

Once i did that, we removed the gid screws and removed the gib for the X axis...this allowed enough freedom to move the table all the way to the right and then slide it off the leadscrew nut and remove the table...its heavy as sin so be prepared...maybe 60-70lbs it felt like...


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## Railin93 (Oct 16, 2017)

Removing the saddle was the same process only we took out the M8 1.25x45 cap screw and slid the saddle off the base...pretty easy once you see it done after the fact...i had to remove all of my DRO scales and such first...took us about three hours total but it was a great learning experience...


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## wrmiller (Oct 17, 2017)

Taking a new machine apart gives me a better mental picture of how the thing is put together and how it functions. I would even go so far as to say that even if the machine doesn't need taking apart, it should be, just so the new owner knows how things work.

It is much easier to diagnose issues later if you have a basic understanding of how the machine works normally. 

Nice looking mill BTW.


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## Railin93 (Oct 17, 2017)

100% in agreement!...thank you...I wish it was blue but im gonna make the base the PM blue so itll still be rep'n


wrmiller said:


> Taking a new machine apart gives me a better mental picture of how the thing is put together and how it functions. I would even go so far as to say that even if the machine doesn't need taking apart, it should be, just so the new owner knows how things work.
> 
> It is much easier to diagnose issues later if you have a basic understanding of how the machine works normally.
> 
> Nice looking mill BTW.


100%...


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## wrmiller (Oct 17, 2017)

Contact Matt at PM. He may have some, or at least can suggest an available paint manufacturer/code that would be pretty close. Of course we need to see pics if you paint it.


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## Railin93 (Oct 17, 2017)

wrmiller said:


> Contact Matt at PM. He may have some, or at least can suggest an available paint manufacturer/code that would be pretty close. Of course we need to see pics if you paint it.


Oh thats a given...former bodyman and painter turned welder and jack-of-all-trades...lol...i got this!!!


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