# Ask The Pros...pm 1127 Set Up Question



## Arock PCB (Feb 12, 2016)

Hello HM, I figure if I have the best tool(this forum) why not use it. After recently taking pocession of my PM 1127 I am wondering if I should take apart my lathe and clean and inspect before I put it in service. I have done this before with a grizzly lathe that was a must for it was definitely not ready to use outta the box. Now my PM 1127 looks far superior and am very impressed with Matt's organization so I would be most grateful to hear about what members and have done and think. I know there is a warranty involved that I'm sure is voided upon disassembly. Thanks. 
Austin


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## planeflyer21 (Feb 13, 2016)

Being older now and (a bit) wiser, I do this with most any machine.  Most times there is no issue and, on occasion, I learn a bit about how it operates which enhances my understanding.


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## lpeedin (Feb 13, 2016)

Actually, your warranty should remain in tact assuming you don't start modifying things. Simple disassembly and reassembly won't be an issue. I would check things over, mainly the hard to reach places like under the compound slide and cross slide.  I found my machine to be very clean and just had one or two little spots to clean.  Besides, it will give you a better understanding of your machine.


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## Arock PCB (Feb 13, 2016)

Thank you gents, I believe I am going to break it down to prade rest. I guess I am most curious about how well/clean they come from the factory as opposed from other dealers. I'm not worried about it either way. I am quite used to moving parts and their tendencies. Above all I am so happy to get a machine like the PM 1127 with so many options at a great price and a compact package.


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## wrmiller (Feb 13, 2016)

Arock PCB said:


> Hello HM, I figure if I have the best tool(this forum) why not use it. After recently taking pocession of my PM 1127 I am wondering if I should take apart my lathe and clean and inspect before I put it in service. I have done this before with a grizzly lathe that was a must for it was definitely not ready to use outta the box. Now my PM 1127 looks far superior and am very impressed with Matt's organization so I would be most grateful to hear about what members and have done and think. I know there is a warranty involved that I'm sure is voided upon disassembly. Thanks.
> Austin



Matt isn't going to void your warranty for disassembly to clean/inspect your machine, unless as previously said you start modifying and or breaking things. If you are unsure about how to proceed exactly, contact Matt and ask him. I'm sure he has recommendations on this. 

I personally would not remove the spindle and start pressing bearings out, but light disassembly to get all the gunk out and properly lubricate things is expected.


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## Arock PCB (Feb 13, 2016)

Very right wrmiller, I think I'll just take the Tailstock, saddle, compound and slide apart and clean/inspect. Maybe pop the gear box cover off and wipe it out and make a new gasket(seems like a lot of people's leak from the factory).


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## jer (Feb 20, 2016)

That's pretty much what I did to my PM10x30V too.


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## Sandybourne (Feb 23, 2016)

Thanks for the set up thread, my 11-27 arrived last week and now on its stand,phew.


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## Arock PCB (Feb 23, 2016)

Good for you sandybourne. It's a great lathe and a surprising beast. I was gonna first get a 10" geared head but the specs on the 1127 just had me floored. So did just how big and powerful it is. Not a toy. I hope yours works out great for you. I'm so impressed with Precision Matthews, I'm gonna upgrade my little mill to a bigger one from Matt.


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## Sandybourne (Feb 23, 2016)

Matt and his staff have been excellent, I did purchase a PM25-MV late last year, now the lathe is here I can locate it were I want it in the workshop and get the show on the road.


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## Arock PCB (Feb 23, 2016)

Good to hear. My shop is custodian to whatever sanity I have left.


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## Sandybourne (Feb 27, 2016)

Just out of interest , what oil are you guys using in your 11-27 gearbox, as Mobil 627 is not available now ?

Would mobil gear 600 XP150 be a good replacement and not void any warranty ?

Thanks in anticipation.


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## Arock PCB (Feb 27, 2016)

Yeah sandybourne I put mobilgear 600 xp 150 in mine. It's what replaced the 627. We use it in our swing gear motors on our shipboard cranes. Good stuff. You can get it from Amazon or Walmart online in a gallon size shipped to your house for 28 bucks. Should last for many years at a yearly change out rate. You can also use whatever type of 75w90 or 80w90 you want. There were no bronze or brass fittings in the gearbox that I saw so you could even use ATF fluid or hypoid oil if you wanted I suppose. I'd spend the little more on the mobilgear and put the best stuff in possible but that is only my opinion and nothing else. Hope this helps. 
Austin


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## mksj (Feb 27, 2016)

FYI, Mobil Gear 627 is an ISO100 oil viscosity, the XP150 is an ISO150 and may be a bit too viscous. Mobil DTE Heavy is an ISO 95 gear oil, around $25 a gallon when on sale at ENCO, probably a good choice. Usual lathe gear and carriage oil is often an ISO68 (Mobil Heavy/Medium or DTE 26 motor oit SAE 20), but probably doesn't matter in this application since it is such low stress. This is also what is recommended for the oiler ports. If a auto gear oil, probably stay with a 75W90 and avoid those listed for limited slip or synchro transmission gears (which use modifiers to increase frictional drag). I find the standard Mobil gear and way oils to work well, so stick with them on the lathe. Since this is a belt drive with no head stock gears, not really much in the way of break-in procedure.


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## Arock PCB (Feb 27, 2016)

Indeed, but it's a gear bath setup and not under any psi so added viscosity is of no consequence. In fact, by looking at the arrangement I believe the gears to benifit ever so slightly from a little added viscosity.


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## mksj (Feb 27, 2016)

Actually this is often not the case. It can add a significant amount of heat and drag. There is also the issue when splash lubrication is used to channel oil to the bearings. This is especially true in gear head lathes, but in something like this, you could probably put just about anything in and it would work. I am just clarifying what is specified. I have a gear head mill, and when I replaced the stock gear oil with a better product, I gained about 100RPM on the top end and it runs cooler. A lathe gearbox runs probably at 1/10 the speed, so no issues.


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## Arock PCB (Feb 27, 2016)

Drag is not an issue. These gears are designed to sit in the oil hence the gear bath. This is not a fancy double helical bull gear with multiple input and and output pinions changing high speeds and high torques that need strict temps and viscosities. And there is zero worry about oil channels like in a gear headed lathe as they're are none in this set up. But if someone is worried that much about it put in a 75w90, 80w90, or some ISO100 oil. I just suggest the mobilgear XP series oil for the superior additives they put in for gear applications. All terrific points you bring up, I can tell you know your stuff.


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## Sandybourne (Feb 27, 2016)

Thanks guys, that was an interesting and informative read , I did think of Castrol R to make it go really fast and also smell nice ....I will give the XP150 a go, I see it's available on Ebay, thanks again.


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## Arock PCB (Feb 27, 2016)

Yep, I love this forum. I haven't read any bad information or opinions in my very short time here. A lot of help from members when you need it. A true sign of a great forum.


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## lpeedin (Feb 29, 2016)

I am running Valvoline 75 -90 gear oil in mine.  I agree that having something a little thicker that will cling to the gears and "walk up" the gear train is a good thing with an oil-bath setup like the 1127's gear box.  I thought that the ISO68/ SAE 20 oil seemed a little bit too thin.  Matt had told me a while back to just run standard gear oil so that is what I did.  I didn't go Walmart brand cheap, but I didn't go out of my way to find the Mobil gear oil.


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## Arock PCB (Feb 29, 2016)

Hah, you made me grin 3D, yeah going with the mobilgear is quite an over kill I admit. Don't get me wrong, I love my cheap Chinese machines and the 1127 in particular, but that gear box is not quite "high tolerances". Kinda made me giggle when I opened it. I don't know what I was expecting but it caught me off guard. But like I say, I'm highly impressed with the "balls" of that machine. For three grand delivered to my door I'm very happy. It's just the ever vigilant engineer in me that made me buy the mobilgear. But by the numbers I figured that gallon should last me 7-10 years of oil changes. Depending on how much I use to flush and of course greatly on how much I spill. And really who am I kidding, I'm sure I will upgrade to a bigger lathe before long and someone will be getting a fine adjusted 1127 for cheap, hah.


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## Arock PCB (Feb 29, 2016)

oops..double post


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## lpeedin (Mar 1, 2016)

Arock, I agree with you that the value of the machine is high compared to the cost.  I figured mine to be a 10 year machine even though I am sure it will last much longer.  By that time I should be able to step up to a 13x40 or 14 x 40 machine, which will be big enough to handle anything I could ever want to do.    I actually bought a couple of the quart sized containers of gear oil with the built in pour tip and only used about half of one for the first oil change.  I am running the same oil in my apron gear box as well.  I am actually coming up on a year so I will be changing mine again as well.


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