# Pm 1128vf-lb Questions



## koba49 (Mar 4, 2016)

I am new to the Forum, I have been working as a machinist for over 30 years, after all this time I have decided to get a small lathe for my garage. I have been kicking this idea around for a few years, after doing all the research I was going to go with a grizzly 0752 but the stand for it was sold out so I did not order it. I was looking up more information on this machine, and I forgot that Bolton and Precision Mathews also sold lathes, I did research them but that was some time ago. After looking at the PM lathes I thought the PM 1127VF-LB was just right for what I needed, I joined this forum because I wanted to talk directly to people actually are using the machines I was interested in. The YouTube videos people post are helpful, but detailed information can be lacking. I was looking around this forum yesterday for info on the 1127 and found that there is an 1128 model. I like this machine a lot I did notice that a few members have one of these lathes I am going to call PM later today and get more information about the 1128 I wanted to open a thread because I may have some questions for the end users before I order one. I would like to thank you in advance for your help.


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## dlhoulton (Mar 4, 2016)

Hi koba49 and welcome to the site. I'm just starting to get into the hobby of home shop machining. I don't have any background in the sport but I'm learning. I bought the PM 1127VF-LB less than a year ago and have made a few chips. I also at the same time got the PM-25MV mill. As I stated I'm just starting out so no expert advice can be given. But I can offer/share what I've learned so far. If you need any pictures or info on this lathe let me know and I will do the best I can to answer. I don't know if its a typo but you type 1127 and 1128 in your post. Looking at Matt's (PM's) web site they only have the 1127 lathe. Again, welcome to the site.


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## lpeedin (Mar 4, 2016)

I just purchased the 1127 lathe on Monday of this week along with the 727 mill.  The lathe is scheduled to be delivered next Monday (March 7th).  It'll probably be another week or so before the mill is delivered as they are waiting for a shipment to clear customs and the be inspected in house.  

At this time I can't offer any first hand experiences; however, I'm sure others will be along shortly to share theirs.


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## wrmiller (Mar 4, 2016)

Welcome to the site!  

I'll be interested in what you pick, lathe wise, and why.


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## jbolt (Mar 4, 2016)

Hi koba49, we bought the PM- 1127VF-LB lathe for the high school. It is a really nice machine for its size and does everything we need it to do for the students. 

My personal issue with the lathe is the non-standard spindle nose. The chucks bolt on which is not uncommon on the smaller import lathes. We found it impossible to get back-plates for this lathe. I'm hoping that has changed in the last few years but I have not heard one way or another. A D1-4 spindle would put this lathe over the top.

My lathe at home has a D style cam lock and I would not have it any other way. I change chucks frequently and when I use the lathe at the school it drives me nuts. I finally machined a back-plate for a Tru-Set style 3-jaw chuck and we leave that chuck on the machine 90% of the time. If we had the available space I would have gone with the PM-1236.

Jay


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## koba49 (Mar 4, 2016)

I just got off the phone with PM Matt was out, and the person there could not answer my questions, so Matt will call me back today. Dlhoulton I do think there is a model 1128 it is not on the website, but some people on this forum have bought some like last summer, I am trying to find out more about it, I just found out about it a few days ago. My problems and what I need information on is the delivery. Where I live a large truck is out of the question lift gate or not, even if I could get a truck with a lift gate I have to go 40 yards down the driveway, and it is downhill. I went over the delivery with Grizzly customer service, and it looks like I will have to pick up the fright at a terminal. but on my Toyoda truck  the distance between the wheel wells in the bed are 42" I have to know the exact dimensions of the skid and how the item is shipped, so I don't run into the problem of the thing not being able to be loaded on the truck.


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## koba49 (Mar 4, 2016)

jbolt the chuck is the one thing I do not like about the 1127 but the PM 1236 is getting outside of what I was looking at , 220 power size weight, and price. I am lucky at this current job I can use the 16" manual lathe in the shop if I want on my days off. I wanted to stay around the $2,000. area but the 1127 is going to increase that a little the 1236 would about double that


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## koba49 (Mar 4, 2016)

lpeedin the 727 mill is something I am also interested in, I am working on getting a lathe first, but that mill looks like a very good choice for the home shop


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## Whyemier (Mar 4, 2016)

I have an older Grizzly 1127 (about 15/16 years old), doesn't have all the _'bells and whistle'_ the newer models have.  Nice little machine with a few quirks.  As others will point out, at least on my model, it doesn't run slow enough so you'll be cutting off and or threading at 150 rpm.  That is fixable with the right gearing I think but haven't had the need to figure it out.  Mine also did not thread left hand until I added a reverse gear to the banjo for that purpose.  That required other small mods to the cover guard.  Still I think I could have done worse than the Grizzly 1127.


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## jbolt (Mar 4, 2016)

koba49 said:


> jbolt the chuck is the one thing I do not like about the 1127 but the PM 1236 is getting outside of what I was looking at , 220 power size weight, and price. I am lucky at this current job I can use the 16" manual lathe in the shop if I want on my days off. I wanted to stay around the $2,000. area but the 1127 is going to increase that a little the 1236 would about double that



I completely understand budgets. On the crate size, I recall we wheeled the crate of the 1127 through the classroom door which is 36". 

Good luck on your search, I know it's not easy.


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## dlhoulton (Mar 4, 2016)

Koba49, sorry the first question you asked I don't have an answer for (exact dimension of skid). Hopefully one of the members that just bought and are waiting for delivery will be able to provide those numbers for you. That's one thing I did not even bother to get when mine arrived. For mine I did pay for "lift gate" and it arrived via semi truck. It was the only thing on the truck. They lowered down from the truck gate and used a pallet jack up my very short driveway. I too had to consider power (220) and size for my little shop. Didn't want to install 220 power. Have you considered the PM 1228VF-LB. I'm not sure of the price but several members here got this new lathe. It's not listed on Matt's site but they or  members here might provide some info. It's very much like the 1127 with all of the same features. It has a different chucking system and it runs on 110 power.


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## lpeedin (Mar 4, 2016)

I'll know the skid size Monday afternoon - at least the size of the one mine is being shipped on. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## koba49 (Mar 4, 2016)

I would like to thank everyone for their help with my questions, I did talk to matt today, the skid with of 42" will just fit in the bed of my pick up truck, the reason it is important is I am going to have to go to the terminal to pick up the machine. I just did not want to get stuck with in not fitting on the truck. Also I was wrong when I started this thread, the machine I am interested in is a PM-1228VF-LB I had the wrong model number. I talked to Matt and I placed a deposit on a machine today, I also started a new thread with the correct lathe model number that is so people can find the right discussion on the correct machine, because there was some confusion on what lathe I was talking about, so any more comments   or questions, discussion please go to this thread http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/pm-1228vf-lb-on-order-all-questions-answerd.44109/


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## David VanNorman (Mar 4, 2016)

If you have a trailer hitch on your truck you might go to U haul and get their small trailer. It would be closer to the ground and might help with unloading.


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## lpeedin (Mar 10, 2016)

I have owned the 1127 lathe for over a year now and I can't say enough good things about it for the hobby type work that I do.  It has the features that a bigger lathe has such as power feed and power cross feed, a large 1.5" spindle bore, separate feed rod and lead screw, 7" bed width (same as the larger 12" x 36" machines), cuts imperial and metric threads, and does it all with a 1.5 hp DC variable speed motor running off 110 volt electric.  All of this is built into a 500# machine.  This lathe has done everything I have asked it to do.   

I have read up on the 12x28 machine that Matt sells.  I believe it has been established that this is a Sieg C10 lathe that is built to Matt's specs.  This would essentially be a head to head competitor to the 1127, which is not made by Sieg or Weiss. (Weiss doesn't actually make machines, they are actually kind of like machine pimps).  The 12x28 seems to be a decent machine from all accounts.  

I also have the 727 Milling machine and love it.  It has plenty of power for it's size.  It is also a roughly 500# machine that is very capable of doing good work.  It has essentially the same table that is on the PM25, but the X travel is reduced by 4" due to a beefed up saddle that is a little wider.  The beefed up saddle adds more support to the table, which is always good.  The speed range is good for the work I do.  I don't think a higher spindle speed would make any difference since it is a manual machine.  

Let me know if you have any specific questions about either machine. 

Thanks, 

Chad


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## koba49 (Mar 11, 2016)

dlhoulton said:


> Hi koba49 and welcome to the site. I'm just starting to get into the hobby of home shop machining. I don't have any background in the sport but I'm learning. I bought the PM 1127VF-LB less than a year ago and have made a few chips. I also at the same time got the PM-25MV mill. As I stated I'm just starting out so no expert advice can be given. But I can offer/share what I've learned so far. If you need any pictures or info on this lathe let me know and I will do the best I can to answer. I don't know if its a typo but you type 1127 and 1128 in your post. Looking at Matt's (PM's) web site they only have the 1127 lathe. Again, welcome to the site.



the lathe I am getting is 1228 I got the model number wrong, I am going to have to wait a month or so for it to get here. I am thinking about getting a milling machine but that is going to be in the future. Thank you for you help and if I have any questions I will get back to you, I will post my progress with setting up the lathe. 

Mike


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