# Mods For My Pm932



## rherrell (Jun 16, 2015)

I don't know about you but the locking handles for this mill are really hard to use, the Y axis in particular is next to impossible to lock and when you do you get oil from the leadscrew all over your hand.
I bought some locking handles and made some extensions for them...
	

		
			
		

		
	












It's just a piece of 1/2" drill rod tapped M8-1.25 with the locking levers screwed into one side and a piece of threaded rod screwed into the other side. I put a hardened roll pin through each side.
It works REALLY well, no more oil all over my hands!!!

I also replaced the factory quill dro with a Mitutoyo Bridgeport quill dro.






Here's a full view...







I added a power drawbar , the guy on Ebay that sells these is in Taylorsville, NC which is right up the road. It works great, I had to get it as I am disabled and I can't put my left arm over my head so working the drawbar by hand is a real challenge.






I also shortened the plastic piece on one of the quill handles, it kept hittin my vise. I left the other one long for when I need the leverage...






After I installed the dro I realized I need an extension so I made one( my first project with my new mill!!), I copied the existing one as best I could...







That's about it, I'll keep you updated with my future mods.


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## brino (Jun 16, 2015)

Hi rherrel,

A good variety of mods.
Nice to make a good machine even better thru a few customizations.

I should put some handles on my mill way locks......

-brino


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## kennyv (Jun 16, 2015)

Nice mods wish I can add  about #907 to the toy I have in the garage . Thanks for  sharing 
  So far Im happy with the PM25MV but  use a Bridgeport at work and so used to doing things . Haven't  made anything fancy yet however  the one prob I see  coming  is limited quill travel.  When I was scratching my  nickels together , excited  about XY  table travel happened to over look that was going to be my limitations.


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## Bray D (Jun 16, 2015)

Looks great! I'm curious why you swapped out the original quill DRO in favor of the Mitutoyo. Were you finding inaccuracies with the stock unit?


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## gb1551 (Jun 17, 2015)

I really like your idea about the locking handles. Can you tell us were you purchased them? 
Thanks


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## rherrell (Jun 17, 2015)

gb1551 said:


> I really like your idea about the locking handles. Can you tell us were you purchased them?
> Thanks


McMaster Carr had everything...
http://www.mcmaster.com/#1078n12/=xnsxn3

http://www.mcmaster.com/#6324k38/=xnsx6e


Bray D said:


> Looks great! I'm curious why you swapped out the original quill DRO in favor of the Mitutoyo. Were you finding inaccuracies with the stock unit?


I made up my mind to replace the factory dro before I bought the machine , I use it a lot and I wanted something I could depend on. Not that the factory one wasn't dependable, I just wanted the Mitutoyo.


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## rherrell (Jun 17, 2015)

I'd like to share something else.

Like everyone else, one of the first things you do when setting up a mill is tram the head. I got out my big metric wrenches and was all ready for the fight. I put my indicator on and set it to sweep the entire width of the table, about 9".
I set it on zero and swept it around...funny...it didn't move. I checked it to make sure it was touching and tried it again. Same result...THIS THING WAS DEAD NUTS, STRAIGHT FROM THE FACTORY!!! I could NOT believe it, I checked it 3 more times and I just started laughing. Has anyone else had this happen?

Just to be COMPLETELY truthful it's off .0002" in the X and .0003" in the Y, but that's nothing for me.


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## brav65 (Jun 17, 2015)

I like the modifications.  I am going to have to steal your locking lever idea, thanks for sharing!


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## markknx (Jun 22, 2015)

I'd call .0002-.0003 dead nuts @ 9"Did you test the column for side to side? with the sweep you will pick up front to back error on the column, but since you have a tilting head the head may be tram but not the column.

Mark


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## 65BAJA (Jul 31, 2015)

Quick question. What size T nuts did you go with? Matt told me 9/16", the website says 1/2", and the manual says 14mm. My machine won't be here until late next week for me to check personally. I would like to order T nuts and have them when I get the machine. 

Eric.


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## rherrell (Jul 31, 2015)

65BAJA said:


> Quick question. What size T nuts did you go with? Matt told me 9/16", the website says 1/2", and the manual says 14mm. My machine won't be here until late next week for me to check personally. I would like to order T nuts and have them when I get the machine.
> 
> Eric.


The slot is .547" or 13.9mm


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