# Got me a new PM 25MV



## ed0849 (Oct 9, 2014)

I finally got my PM 25MV yesterday after giving up on Grizzly. The UPS guy rolled it right up to my garage door. I also got my dro's from DRO PROS, I got the ES-8A 2 axis they look to be pretty well made.





I already took off the X table and inspected and removed the oil (probably whale blubber or something) I removed some small burrs and sharp edges, otherwise the ways looked in pretty good shape. I noticed some of the ways are scraped and some are not.




I bought a 1/2" mounting clamp set and I discovered the T Nuts don't fit they are way too big so I called up Matt at Quality Machine and he told me the slots are actually 12mm, be nice if they corrected that on their website. Actually i'm glad I bought the inch set instead of the metric set as the metric set has metric threads in the T Nuts, Ill just mill the nuts I have with my new mill.



I also asked Matt where the spindle lock was, he said there wasn't any and you just hold the spindle with your hand while tightning the drawbar, I'm going to make a spindle lock and make some improvements on the drawbar. I also noticed that the base looks kind of narrow, I don't want this tipping over on me as I am not bolting it to the floor, I ordered some 2" square tubing with .250 inch walls, Im going to make some outriggers and put some leveling feet under those, I will post some pics when I get to that. Also I was wondering if I should cut an access hole in the top of the cabinet and chip pan so I can have access to the leadscrew adjustment nut, Is that for adjusting backlash?? Any feedback would be great. That's it for now.


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## brav65 (Oct 9, 2014)

Congrats Ed.  I got mine today and got it uncrated.  I set it on the stand and the mill does not reach far enough back to be able to bolt to anything.  How does your mill line up with the top of the stand?


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## wrmiller (Oct 9, 2014)

Looks to me like the Hobby-Machinist members took a serious toll on Precision Machine's PM25 inventory.  )


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## GA Gyro (Oct 9, 2014)

From an Email conversation: About 3 weeks ago, Matt had a LOT of machines in the hobby category of all sizes in stock... it appears most of them are sold now.

Next batch probably will be THXgiving or Christmas presents.


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## ed0849 (Oct 10, 2014)

brav65 said:


> Congrats Ed. I got mine today and got it uncrated. I set it on the stand and the mill does not reach far enough back to be able to bolt to anything. How does your mill line up with the top of the stand?



I havent placed mine on the stand yet as I am going to modify the stand, but I will measure it up when I get home tonight.


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## brav65 (Oct 10, 2014)

Never mind,  I realized as I was laying in bed last night that I had the stand upside down.  What a knuckle head!



ed0849 said:


> I havent placed mine on the stand yet as I am going to modify the stand, but I will measure it up when I get home tonight.


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## JohnJohn301 (Oct 10, 2014)

brav65 said:


> Never mind,  I realized as I was laying in bed last night that I had the stand upside down.  What a knuckle head!



That's a good one Brooks - 
And I kept looking at your pictures thinking to myself, "now why would they drill holes in the bottom of that stand?"   

2 more days and mine will be here!


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## ed0849 (Oct 11, 2014)

I finished installing my X axis dro today. I used the existing screw holes that was used for the way/leadscrew protector as I don't have a right angle drill to drill new holes and I didn't want to take off the upright column. I first mounted the scale on the rear of the X table and leveled it to within .002. I also had to make a custom bracket for the read head.



Notice I put in 4 jack screws so I wouldn't have to worry about shims.










Here is the cover installed I had to drill a couple of holes in the scale mounting bracket. I also have to remove the lip on the rear of the cover as it hits the column. I plugged in the display and it actually worked. I wanted to check the accuracy so I jury rigged a set of 6" verniers to compare against, at 4" it was within .001. I am confident it is accurate. Now I just have to figure out something to cover the Y leadscrew. Tomorrow I start the Y axis, I think I already know how I'm going to do it:thinking:


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## ed0849 (Oct 12, 2014)

I finished my Y axis today. First thing I had to do was modify the mounting bracket the scale mounts on with some jack screws because the side of the casting is not square. I mounted the bracket and dialed in the jack screws until the bracket was square. Next I leveled the scale with a indicator, I got it within a few thousands. Next I mounted the brackets for the read head, I had to remove part of the brackets with my bandsaw because it was interfering with the handwheel. I powered everything and it all seems to be working fine. I didnt like all the backlash in the Z axis handwheel so I put a .030 shim behind the bevel gear. Next I'm going to start working on my stand, I think I am going to cut a hole in topof the stand so I will have access to the bottom of the machine. My square tubing is supposed to be in Wednesday for the legs.


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## JohnsonFabrication (Oct 12, 2014)

very nice DRO install, looks sweet.


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## zmotorsports (Oct 12, 2014)

Nice job.  Congrats on your new PM milling machine.


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## ed0849 (Oct 18, 2014)

I finally finished working on my stand here's what I did. First I cut a hole on the top of the stand so I would have easy access the the bottom of the machine, it wasn't easy cutting 2 holes in 3/16 steel plate with a 6 inch hole saw and then cutting out the remainder with a sawzall.





I got my 2 inch square steel tubing 24 inches long with 1/4 inch walls looks pretty heavy duty to me.




Here they are all painted with the leveling pads I am going to use.




And with them mounted on the stand, I used 1/2-13 grade 8 bolts and stainless nuts only because I had them laying around.




And finally the final resting place for my mill, I also put 1/2 inch thick hard rubber pads under the leveling feet.




I checked the tram on the head and I adjusted left to right to within .001, front to back is off about .004 I'll have to figure out how I am going to do that. Well that's it for now


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## MarioM (Oct 18, 2014)

Congrats for your new mill.  It looks very nice.  Are you going to try to take that .004 difference front to back.  I just checked tram on my new PM-932 and found .0015 front to back. Just left it as it is for now.   Will be watching what you do with yours.


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## brav65 (Oct 19, 2014)

Nice work Ed, everything looks great.  I am going to have to do something like you did for a base because the mobile base I got is not stable enough.  I like the bracket you made for the x axis.  I am eager to see what you do for a way cover as I will be in the same situation.  I have some ballistic nylon that I may try to use.  It would be simple to sew up something I will let you know if it works.


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## wrmiller (Oct 19, 2014)

Wow, we are on very similar paths! In talking to CO the other day, I asked if the Y axis nut was adjustable like the one on X, and Paul said yes you get to it from the bottom of the mill. So when I asked how you do that with the new chip tray in place he was like "oh crap, we didn't think of that". They will probably be modifying the design soon.

So yesterday I was at Ace buying a hole saw and holder. I already have the sawzall. Always something...


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## ed0849 (Oct 19, 2014)

I want to try and fix my .004 front to back but they seemed to use bondo where the column and base meet I already found that out taking the front handwheel plate off the Y way. Big chunks of bondo (or real thick paint) came off and looks terrible, now I have to touch it up. As far as a way cover goes I am going to try a bellows type cover like they have on the Z axis. Maybe I can find some kind of heavy duty window covering and modify it to fit.


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## ed0849 (Oct 19, 2014)

wrmiller19 said:


> Wow, we are on very similar paths! In talking to CO the other day, I asked if the Y axis nut was adjustable like the one on X, and Paul said yes you get to it from the bottom of the mill. So when I asked how you do that with the new chip tray in place he was like "oh crap, we didn't think of that". They will probably be modifying the design soon.
> 
> So yesterday I was at Ace buying a hole saw and holder. I already have the sawzall. Always something...



I hope you bought a heavy duty hole saw, I don't think a home use one will do it. Also make sure you have a heavy duty drill you know the kind that will rip your arm off if your mot paying attention, a cordless wont cut it.







Good Luck


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## ed0849 (Oct 19, 2014)

ed0849 said:


> I hope you bought a heavy duty hole saw, I don't think a home use one will do it. Also make sure you have a heavy duty drill you know the kind that will rip your arm off if your mot paying attention, a cordless wont cut it.
> 
> View attachment 86053
> 
> ...



Oh I almost forgot to say that I bolted the chip tray to the base and cut through both at once.


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## GA Gyro (Oct 19, 2014)

Those pictures remind me of a remodeling job I did the heating and AC for, last winter.  

In my area 'ventilation' is part of the heating and AC license... ventilation, including the metal duct for the hood over a cooking area.  
I had to cut an 6" hole (yes, 6" holesaw), and drill the hole through a 6x12 wood beam in a house that was built in 1920.  Yes, the wood was original, and it was HARD!  The part that gets old: is after drilling about an inch... you have to take the holesaw out and remove the wood... both of which are HOT and the wood has expanded, so it is stuck in the wood... and of course this was a high ceiling house, so this was ladder work.  Time consuming and messy, may have been understatements.  
I have a Ridged low RPM angle head drill; even with that tool it took a bit of work to cut the hole... 

Next time... I think I will let someone else do the hole... I will do the duct... 

Just commenting: be careful using a hole-saw on metal... lots of things can happen.  Take your time (do not feed too aggressively), and might want to keep some WD40 on the cut.  If it were me, I would use a low RPM drill if one is available... tends to do less damage to your body if it 'snatches'... which it probably will... perhaps a number of times.


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## wrmiller (Oct 19, 2014)

Milwaukee 4" bi-metal and a older Craftsman 1/2" variable speed electrical drill (yes, it will take your arm off if you aren't paying attention).

And I'm only going through the chip tray (0.15"?) so I 'should' be able to get this done. We'll see.


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## GA Gyro (Oct 19, 2014)

I think I had one of those Craftsman 1/2" drill motors.... had brushes one could change by removing the plastic insert... one was on the top, the other the bottom.  :nuts:

When I purchased the Ridged angle head low RPM drill (if I remember, around 200+- RPM is max)...
I committed the 'un-pardonable' sin... I put the old Craftsman in a garage sale.  :nono:
Really did not need it any more, and it still worked.

Figured someone else could use it... and I would not be tempted to use it and break some part of my body... :allgood:


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## John Hasler (Oct 19, 2014)

I still have one of those, but mine is too old to be variable speed.  It can break parts of your body even if you are paying attention.  When I was using it to drill 27/64" holes in the deck of the Avey I screwed a 3' pipe in where the (missing) handle goes and let it ride against the column.  I don't like to think about using that thing to drill upward with a hole saw on a ladder.


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## GA Gyro (Oct 19, 2014)

John Hasler said:


> I still have one of those, but mine is too old to be variable speed.  It can break parts of your body even if you are paying attention.  When I was using it to drill 27/64" holes in the deck of the Avey I screwed a 3' pipe in where the (missing) handle goes and let it ride against the column.  I don't like to think about using that thing to drill upward with a hole saw on a ladder.



Thankfully, that 6" hole was horizontal, however through a LOT of HARD wood.  

The angle head drill motor is a big improvement when it comes to doing larger holes... and yeah, I figured out a way to rest the 'torque direction' of the drill motor handle against some framing... so I was not 'fighting' it.  The dust alone, was a mess though.

I have a 3" Lennox (Lowes grade) holesaw that is stuck solid on the threads of a hole saw adapter tool... the pins managed to be pulled back and the threads are stuck solid. Tried putting the arbor in a vise and a pipe wrench on the hole saw... would not budge it.


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## wrmiller (Oct 19, 2014)

My bad. I forgot that the Craftsman gave up the ghost earlier this year and the Significant Other saw this one on sale and brought it home for me. I even washed the dishes that night.


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