# New mill



## KenL (Oct 3, 2013)

Yea I finally received my new Pm25 mill today. One handle was broken but everything else looks ok. I haven't cleaned it up or started it yet. Are there any big do or don't I need to be aware of before I get started on it? Can't wait to get it up and going!


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## Ray C (Oct 3, 2013)

Glad to hear you have a new machine but sorry to hear something got damaged.

Let's see some pics!


Ray




KenL said:


> Yea I finally received my new Pm25 mill today. One handle was broken but everything else looks ok. I haven't cleaned it up or started it yet. Are there any big do or don't I need to be aware of before I get started on it? Can't wait to get it up and going!


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## KenL (Oct 3, 2013)

Picture


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## drs23 (Oct 3, 2013)

That made my neck hurt.)

Nice mill. Next on my list after a DRO for my lathe.


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## wrmiller (Oct 3, 2013)

Anxiously awaiting your impressions, as someday I hope to get the same machine. Did it come in a crate? Was it damaged?

Nice looking machine. Have fun.


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## Ray C (Oct 3, 2013)

drs23 said:


> That made my neck hurt.)
> 
> Nice mill. Next on my list after a DRO for my lathe.




What'd you do that for?  Now he cant make vertical cuts!


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## drs23 (Oct 3, 2013)

Ray C said:


> What'd you do that for?  Now he cant make vertical cuts!



I was wrong for that. :LOL:


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## KenL (Oct 3, 2013)

Miller. It came in a plywood box. The box was in good condition when I received it. When I took the box off one of the handles was broken. Not sure how that happened? It doesn't take much to break the handle the way they are made.  Everything else seems fine. Broken handle is small problem. As long as everything else is ok I will be happy. One thing I am still looking for is lubrication of the head. I haven't found anything in the manual about it? Can anyone here share some info on it for me?


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## wrmiller (Oct 25, 2013)

Ken: Do you have it up and running yet? Curious as to your impressions about this machine. And...as I can't afford mine yet, I'll just have to live vicariously through your experience!  

Bill


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## KenL (Oct 25, 2013)

Bill I have ran the mill to do a couple of small jobs. So far I am really pleased with it. I have found a new old stock power feed for the long table. I am trying to figure out how to mount it. One thing I am planning on making a heavier stand to mount it on or re do the stand that came with it. It is a nice looking stand but not heavy enough . It is top heavy. Do you have any experience mounting a table power feed?


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## itsme_Bernie (Oct 25, 2013)

Wow that is pretty!  I'd love to see one of those running in person some time...  


Bernie


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## wrmiller (Oct 26, 2013)

KenL said:


> Bill I have ran the mill to do a couple of small jobs. So far I am really pleased with it. I have found a new old stock power feed for the long table. I am trying to figure out how to mount it. One thing I am planning on making a heavier stand to mount it on or re do the stand that came with it. It is a nice looking stand but not heavy enough . It is top heavy. Do you have any experience mounting a table power feed?



No, I haven't had the pleasure of attempting a power feed install, sorry. Someday though. 

Good to know about the base. My plan is to mount mine on a nice heavy gauge tool box with leveling legs, similar to my setup with my lathe. This puts the machine up a little higher. Good for someone 6'3". 

 I can use the stand the mill comes with for something else.

What size vise did you go with?

Bill


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## tripletap3 (Oct 26, 2013)

drs23 said:


> I was wrong for that. :LOL:




I sure it was a pain having stuff fall off the table.


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## wrmiller (Oct 26, 2013)

itsme_Bernie said:


> Wow that is pretty!  I'd love to see one of those running in person some time...
> 
> 
> Bernie



It's not bad eh?

For those of us who are space/weight constrained, I think this machine should be a good trade-off for me: big enough to handle my small(er) projects, but easy enough to move around if I have to. I think the 30 (next size up) might be too much for me to manhandle. I'm getting too old...

I'd LOVE to have one of PM's new PM-949Vs and a RML-1440v but that won't ever happen. So, I just use what I can. Beats not having anything. *RML-14*


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## KenL (Oct 26, 2013)

Bill I got the kit he offered. Set of r8 collets, set of clamp down and 4inch vice. I was pleasantly surprised with the vice. Pretty good for the dollars spent.


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## wrmiller (Oct 30, 2013)

Ken: How deep is your machine? I 'might' be able to move up my timetable regarding getting this thing and am wondering how big a tool box lower to get. Thanks.

Bill


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## kd4gij (Oct 30, 2013)

I have the power feed on my G0704 witch is the same mill. here is the instructions.


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## KenL (Oct 31, 2013)

Thanks KD. 
William the base is 13 inch deep.
The base and the back column is 16 inch deep.
If you count the handles it is 23 inch deep. 
It would set on anything at least 16 deep just fine might have to set away from back wall a couple of inches to clear handle? Hope this helps.i am really enjoying mine but I do plan on mounting it something more solid and larger than the stand that came with it. The stand is nice just not wide and heavy enough in my opinion.


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## wrmiller (Oct 31, 2013)

Thanks Ken, that means it will fit nicely on a 18" deep tool box lower. As the mill has a smaller footprint than my lathe of similar weight, I'm thinking a 3/8" thick piece of plate the size of the tool box might be the ticket. For my lathe I used a 42x18 piece of 3/4" plywood with a couple of 1/2" aluminum risers under the lathe itself.

The use of toolbox lowers gives me drawers to keep tools and stuff in too.


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## wrmiller (Nov 10, 2013)

Ken, (or Ray if you see this)

I see the hi/lo knob on the side of the head so I know it's a gear drive inside the head. Are these metal gears? Are the spindle drive gears metal as well?

I sent an email to PM asking for more info on the PM30 but I'm not sure I want to deal with a machine that large/heavy, and I haven't heard back anyways.

 Yours seems a good compromise between my little LMS and the PM-30 long table.  

Any and all information you can provide will help. If this violates the sites policies, send me a personal msg.

Edit: Do you know if a power feed is available for this mill?

Bill


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## Ray C (Nov 10, 2013)

The smaller PM machines have the same plastic gear.  I'm not sure if all the gears are plastic but there is one problematic one in particular that always gives-up.  For a while, Matt was supplying them with metal gears but, most folks buy those machines for CNC conversion and switch to belt drive anyhow.  He switched back to the plastic because the metal ones were costing 40 bucks more yet, he didn't raise the price on the machine.

FYI:  Matt took a short vacation (1st time in a long time) and is working on a skeleton crew back at the camp.

Ray





wrmiller19 said:


> Ken, (or Ray if you see this)
> 
> I see the hi/lo knob on the side of the head so I know it's a gear drive inside the head. Are these metal gears? Are the spindle drive gears metal as well?
> 
> ...


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## wrmiller (Nov 10, 2013)

So there's a belt-drive conversion for this mill? Or somewhere I can get the metal gears? (no, I can't make gears yet)


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## Ray C (Nov 10, 2013)

I don't know the site address but there's a yahoo group devoted to CNCing the 20, 25 and 30 mills.  I'd guess Matt can get metal gears or point you to where they're available.

Ray




wrmiller19 said:


> So there's a belt-drive conversion for this mill? Or somewhere I can get the metal gears? (no, I can't make gears yet)


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## fastback (Nov 10, 2013)

Real nice looking mill wish you the best with it.

Paul


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