# New PM20



## SENC (Jan 20, 2014)

My boxes arrived today in good shape (albeit sideways:LOL.




I only had time to unbox the stand.  It appears pretty solid and sturdy.  I'll be mounting it on a mobile base from HTC before installing the machine.



The milling machine remains in its crate for now... unfortunately my work schedule is likely to keep me from cracking it and starting cleanup until this weekend or early next week.  I'll post pics and comments in this thread as I unpack and setup.  Hopefully I'll figure out how to turn pictures right side up by my next post!


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## burtonbr (Jan 20, 2014)

Ooohhhh Yea! Nothing like new machinery day!


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## richl (Jan 20, 2014)

I admire your restraint) I would have had everything unboxed and laying on the floor:whistle:
Good luck with the new machines!

rich


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## wrmiller (Jan 21, 2014)

Your pallet showed up in a lot better shape than mine! 

Looking forward to seeing you get it up and running.

Bill


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## SENC (Jan 21, 2014)

Yes, Rich, it is requiring a lot of self control!  But work calls!


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## SENC (Jan 24, 2014)

Had a little time this evening to break into the crate.  Very pleased with how everything was packed.  Here are a few pics, then off to start an evening of manual reading.  Hope to have some time tomorrow to begin cleaning and setup.  More after it is setup.

Top off the crate...



Sides and plastic off...



Other goodies inside, including the r8 collet set I ordered and even some touch-up paint.


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## drs23 (Jan 24, 2014)

Looking good. Keep us posted!


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## wrmiller (Jan 24, 2014)

Looks just like mine!  

I see your touch up paint survived the trip. My blue can leaked all over inside the bag.

The collets are pretty good, with no fitment issues into the spindle.

Have fun and keep the pics coming!

Bill


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## SENC (Jan 25, 2014)

Had a couple hours today to clean and assemble (and do some general shop and tool cleaning)... hope to find a few more tomorrow to shim, level, and begin tramming.  I'm hoping it is trammed enough out of the box to make the tramming aids first.


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## wrmiller (Jan 25, 2014)

I don't see a vise Henry. How are you planning to make the tramming aids? They're too small to clamp to the table.  :LOL:

If you have a vise, just go ahead a make a couple of these things. They are small, and require no dimensional tolerance whatsoever.

If you think it will help, I can try taking a couple pics of mine.

Edit: forget my comments about the vise, I just blew up your picture and saw one hanging on the wall. That will teach me to speak first THEN look.  

Bill


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## SENC (Jan 25, 2014)

Thanks, Bill!  A closeup or two of your tramming aida installed certainly wouldn't hurt!  On the end of the aid that attaches to the mill, did you use a through bolt and nut, or did you tap the hole on the mill?


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## Ray C (Jan 25, 2014)

Nice...  I hope it all goes well.


Ray




SENC said:


> Had a couple hours today to clean and assemble (and do some general shop and tool cleaning)... hope to find a few more tomorrow to shim, level, and begin tramming.  I'm hoping it is trammed enough out of the box to make the tramming aids first.
> 
> View attachment 68594


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## wrmiller (Jan 25, 2014)

SENC said:


> Thanks, Bill!  A closeup or two of your tramming aida installed certainly wouldn't hurt!  On the end of the aid that attaches to the mill, did you use a through bolt and nut, or did you tap the hole on the mill?



Tapped the hole I drilled in the mill head. Used grease in the tap to capture most of the iron filings. Drilling/tapping iron is dirty work. 

Here's a couple pics of the right side aid, top and bottom. Hope these help.


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## SENC (Jan 26, 2014)

Thanks, Bill.  Didn't get much accomolished today, other than leveling.  Had an odd electrical gremlin that wasted a lot of time... couldn't get it to turn on at all after leveling.  Finally attributed it to a pinched or loose wire behind the faceplate on the electronics box... when I loosened the left 2 screws it started.  I took the faceplate off (and was reminded my hands are too dang big for tight spaces, like right agains the mill head), but couldn't find anything obvious, so made sure connections were seated properly and reinstalled.  On/off seems fine now, guess we'll see over the next few days.  Then, after cutting a couple pieces of steel for the tramming aids, I realized I'd ordered a clamping kit with the wrong size t-slot nuts.  At least they're 3/8 bolts, so all I need to order are the nuts themselves.  Frustrating, though!


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## wrmiller (Jan 26, 2014)

SENC said:


> Thanks, Bill.  Didn't get much accomolished today, other than leveling.  Had an odd electrical gremlin that wasted a lot of time... couldn't get it to turn on at all after leveling.  Finally attributed it to a pinched or loose wire behind the faceplate on the electronics box... when I loosened the left 2 screws it started.  I took the faceplate off (and was reminded my hands are too dang big for tight spaces, like right agains the mill head), but couldn't find anything obvious, so made sure connections were seated properly and reinstalled.  On/off seems fine now, guess we'll see over the next few days.  Then, after cutting a couple pieces of steel for the tramming aids, I realized I'd ordered a clamping kit with the wrong size t-slot nuts.  At least they're 3/8 bolts, so all I need to order are the nuts themselves.  Frustrating, though!



Interesting that you mention large hands and the location of that control box. Somewhere on the 'net, I saw where somebody had relocated the box to a boom on the column and put larger knobs on it. This is something I am considering, as it gets the box off the head, and because I wear a XXL mens golf glove.  Have to order the damn things of the internet, because no one around here carries them.

Glad you fixed the electrical problem. I've not had (knock on wood...) any problems with mine yet.

I assume the pics are good enough to give you an idea of what you need?

Bill


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## SENC (Jan 26, 2014)

Yep, spot on... thanks!


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## wrmiller (Jan 31, 2014)

Haven't heard from ya Henry: what, are you a working stiff like me during the week?  :roflmao:

I was just curious if you got a chance to do the tram mods yet and to get your impression of using them.

What other mods/additions are you considering for your mill? 3-bolt mod?

Reason I ask is that I just received a x-axis power feed from Griz for my mill (Matt said he didn't have any/couldn't get one). I was wondering if you wanted some pics of the install? Read the directions and it looks pretty straight forward.

I also finally got my two 36t spur gears from Quality Transmission Components and am hoping to get those altered for fitment this weekend.

But there's an important (to me) football game on Sunday so not sure how much I'll get done that day. Go Broncos!!  :thumbsup:

Bill


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## SENC (Jan 31, 2014)

Between work and a freak ice/snow storm (don't get them often in SE NC), have had no shop time.  My tslot nuts arrived yesterday, so hope to get the aids made tomorrow after I fix my electric dog fence (broken by a trac-hoe after septic line repair just before the storm hit).  Will keep you posted.  I suspect I'll do the 3-bolt mod given your and other recommendations.  I haven't ordered a DRO, yet, but definitely shoot some pics and measurements as you're installing... I'm sure I'll do it sometime.


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## SENC (Feb 15, 2014)

Finally got power back last night (due to our 2nd snow/ice storm), and after some yard cleaning this morning decided to hit the shop for a bit and did my first machining!  Just about finished the tramming aids... still need to drill for the bolts that will attach to the column.


That was fun... lokking forward to getting it trammed and working on something "bigger".


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## Ray C (Feb 15, 2014)

SENC said:


> Had a couple hours today to clean and assemble (and do some general shop and tool cleaning)... hope to find a few more tomorrow to shim, level, and begin tramming.  I'm hoping it is trammed enough out of the box to make the tramming aids first.
> 
> View attachment 68594




Hmmm, too clean.  Way too clean...  Get cutt'n...

  Ray


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## wrmiller (Feb 15, 2014)

SENC said:


> Finally got power back last night (due to our 2nd snow/ice storm), and after some yard cleaning this morning decided to hit the shop for a bit and did my first machining!  Just about finished the tramming aids... still need to drill for the bolts that will attach to the column.
> 
> That was fun... lokking forward to getting it trammed and working on something "bigger".



Looking good! I like the way you put a radius on the corners.

Bill


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## SENC (Mar 2, 2014)

Finally got my tramming aids completed and the milled trammed to reasonable tolerances (no 3bolt mod, yet, so a tad off on y), and decided to start on an aluminum jig for my duck call inserts.  After sawing the block, I machined the ends square then started on the 1-1/8" channel that goes through it (4" block, so having to go from both sides).  I started by center drilling, then drilling with my largest drill bit (3/4"), then proceeded with a boring bar.  As pictured below, it is drilled from both ends and bored to about 1 inch roughly 3" through... hope to finish boring today.  Speaking of boring, what is the correct orientation of the boring cutting blade to the metal it is cutting?  As you know, I'm new at this and learning as I go, so please offer suggestions or corrections if hou see something I've done silly.


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## toag (Mar 2, 2014)

I respect people that keep the plexi shields on their machines.  I say this with no guards on any of my machines... I would have had that bugger off before it was plugged in.  But they do keep the chips out of your hair/eyes!
nice looking machine!


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## darkzero (Mar 2, 2014)

toag said:


> *I respect people that keep the plexi shields on their machines.*  I say this with no guards on any of my machines... I would have had that bugger off before it was plugged in.  But they do keep the chips out of your hair/eyes!
> nice looking machine!



Same here, my PM1236 came with the chuck guard which is nice cause it's connected to a lockout switch that prevents you from leaving the chuck key in. That guard just annoyed the hell out of me & doesn't shield chips or oil from flying so I took it off.

My mill doesn't come with any guards but I do have a mag mount shield that I use sometimes but only to help keep the chips from flying on the floor.


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## SENC (Mar 2, 2014)

Got my jig finished, and had a great time making an aluminum mess!


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