# PM-1228VF-LB



## SRay53TxTn (Feb 26, 2020)

PM-1228VF-LB showed up this afternoon. No damage and all parts are accounted for.
Now the stand assembly, lathe mounting, and placement fun begins. I'll be in the garage grinning for a while.


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## Aukai (Feb 26, 2020)

Mine is still waiting for the DRO to be attached.


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## SRay53TxTn (Feb 26, 2020)

Only a few smallish projects for me at this point.
DRO is a consideration for later. I'm just an old fart beginning some precision retirement fun.


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## Aukai (Feb 26, 2020)

Your the same guy as me


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## SRay53TxTn (Feb 26, 2020)

My assembly had a little shorter ride from Pittsburgh to Nashville. Looks like we will both have some fun days ahead


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## Aukai (Feb 26, 2020)

Yes Sir, we will


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## SRay53TxTn (Feb 26, 2020)




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## Aukai (Feb 26, 2020)

Get your cookie trays before you play, playing gets messy.


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## mikey (Feb 26, 2020)

SRay53TxTn said:


> View attachment 314829



Ho, @Aukai, the Haole from Tennessee wen' trow you da' Shaka! How cool is that!!


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## Aukai (Feb 26, 2020)

That was pretty special  
Pretty sure he could figure out Tennessee, and how cool is that, in the sentence


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## SRay53TxTn (Feb 27, 2020)

Man this thing is heavy and after trips to Home Depot and Harbor Freight; got it rigged up for installation on the base tomorrow.
Matt filled me in on what some of the extra nuts-bolts-brackets were for.

Went smoothly except for neighbor lady who stopped by to see what was up when it was hanging in the air  (think she's a husband hunter & my wife wasn't pleased), garage door closed from now on.

Stopped at Walmart and picked up cookie sheets for my chip collection


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## north1 (Feb 27, 2020)

Never would have thought a Precision Matthews lathe could be used as a “pickup” tool.  It must be quite a looker;-)


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## darkzero (Feb 27, 2020)

Haha, maybe I should keep my garage open instead of closed all the time!   Then again there's no one in my neighborhood that walks by worth keeping the door open for.


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## Aukai (Feb 27, 2020)

My garage is facing the wrong way


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## Dhal22 (Feb 27, 2020)

Aukai said:


> My garage is facing the wrong way




I live in a cul de sac.....


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## SRay53TxTn (Feb 27, 2020)

I'm in a cul de sac too, however, couldn't close the garage door due to lathe proximity.
Interest must have been the lathe, cause I'm no catch - Just a retired home hobby machinist with a mean wife.


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## SRay53TxTn (Feb 29, 2020)

Finally in its spot. Phew, it was a moving experience.
Starting the shipping grease removal process.  I've been smiling all day just taking my time cleaning and oiling.  Hope to make some chips in the not to distant future. A buddy has already contacted me asking about making some bushings for his lawn tractor.


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## Ozbusa67 (Mar 21, 2020)

I recently  Received mine  I've been working on its trying to get it to run .the carriage doesn't move very smooth. This is what I found and still working on it moves but not to smooth. And yes I  Adjusted the gibs


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## Ozbusa67 (Mar 21, 2020)

Here is my set up


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## aj34me (Mar 23, 2020)

Ozbusa, When you had the carriage apart. Is there any chance that you saw a way to adjust the control wheel gear to keep it engaged?  My carriage doesn't move very smoothly either. And I do not like having to push in on the control wheel while turning it. I will probably disassemble my carriage as you did in order to help with the movement. Any tips on doing that. Thanks, Ric


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## Ozbusa67 (Mar 23, 2020)

Aj  here what I found under the carage and it only touching in a few tiny places


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## Ozbusa67 (Mar 23, 2020)

Here is what it looked like without blue on it this is the back side .


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## Ozbusa67 (Mar 23, 2020)

And the gibbs are joke not flat or smooth they made them with a  Chisel and a brick


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## ConValSam (Mar 23, 2020)

I have the same lathe and found the threading dial was super tight and caused most of the jumpy ness in the apron.  I removed mine for now.


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## aj34me (Mar 23, 2020)

WOW! That looks terrible. I know that I am taking mine apart now. Thanks to the both of you for the response.


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## SRay53TxTn (Mar 23, 2020)

Maybe Matt from PM should chime in on this?


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## qualitymachinetools (Mar 23, 2020)

We offered to work with him and find a solution, but he did not want to take us up on that, so I am not real sure?


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## qualitymachinetools (Mar 23, 2020)

This is the people having a discussion about it last week after he notified us, I am constantly on them about these fits. If anyone comes up with a problem, of course email us and let us know, if theres an issue we always take care of it.


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## Ozbusa67 (Mar 23, 2020)

They want me to spend more money on a other lathe that maybe the same way and it's not variable speed or dc motor so I'm still not sold on the idea of spending more money  on something that runs worst than my old enco9x20


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## Ozbusa67 (Mar 23, 2020)

And my thread dial is not on the machine I have still trying to get it to run before I thread something


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## qualitymachinetools (Mar 24, 2020)

I just offered the option that if you wanted to upgrade to something like the 1236T you could, its a different class of machine, and it was what came in to my head to offer as an option. It ain't like we said too bad and left you stuck. Last you said the other day was with all this going on right now (Worldwide virus) you would get back to us after that clears up. And I said not a problem. 

 Anyway, Point is, if you or anyone has a problem with anything at any machine, let us know, that's why we are here. We always figure something out, no one is ever stuck. Sure moving a new machine in isnt the easiest thing, but most vendors out there would say too bad and stop answering the phone or emails like I hear about all too often. (Not Grizzly, they are fine. But many others, I get that story at least weekly - But for some reason people still keep buying from them)

Back to the lathe, I have also been working with the people at the factory since I was made aware of this last week, they are aware and will be taken care of. If theres a problem and it comes up, just email us. (Not on here, I don't check too often)    

 Things happen, but the one thing I can say about us is they are ALWAYS taken care of and corrected.


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## Ozbusa67 (Mar 24, 2020)

I was not trying to bash you or pm at all. I was just letting aj know what I had we received are machine about the the same time and I have spent over 60 hrs on it and still to get to work now with time I will spend more time on it . I have a 727v that I I truly love it works great and I can move any handle on it with  1 finger . That is why I spend the money on a brand lathe  I thought for that kind of money it would be the same as the mill. But to my surprise it wasn't . I didn't want to spend any more money then I all ready spent this was at the top of my budget and if I was to get 12x36 I would spend  more on a vdf and a new motor to get the option that I have with this one .


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## qualitymachinetools (Mar 24, 2020)

Stating a problem is really not bashing, I just replied since someone emailed me and pointed it out. I wanted everyone to know we are here if anything is needed. No need to put that much time in to it, we can always exchange it out too or just send it back.  The fit on the smaller Chinese lathes is never going to be what they are on the Taiwan machines, but it definitely should be better than that. So thats why the 1236T came to mind as an offer. Yes more money too, but also higher end.          (MOST chinese lathes out there are much worse than that, they work, and they wear in, but definitely not ideal)           Thats why I had them investigate at the factory like in the picture, it will be handled.


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## Ozbusa67 (Mar 24, 2020)

PM can you tell me what size the 3 phase motor on the 1236t I'm looking in the cost of the power install and yes I know we can't do anything at this time


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## mksj (Mar 24, 2020)

The 1236GT has a 1.5Hp motor, the 1340GT has a 2 Hp motor. The stock 3 phase motors do fine with a VFD, I recommend the Hitachi WJ200 or the Teco E510 which can be paired with an external braking resistor. I do not recommend the HY, Teco L510 or generic VFDs for a lathe application.  My experience with others doing a basic VFD install, is it can be done for around $400-500 inclusive of the cost of the VFD. You retain the stock control system and remove the high voltage motor wiring and use the contactors to switch the VFD low voltage inputs. Alternative is to go with a single phase version. Worth considering if you are looking for a higher quality machine.


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## Ozbusa67 (Mar 24, 2020)

Thanks a ton so with the VFD  I can run 120 or do I need to run 240 -220


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## Ozbusa67 (Mar 24, 2020)

Has any one done a write up on this or is there a another thread on it


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## tweinke (Mar 24, 2020)

mksj has a nice write up posted here


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## mksj (Mar 25, 2020)

VFD's for 2 Hp are 230VAC single phase input. Attached is the last version of the basic conversion which applies to the 1340GT, only difference would be the motor size/kW setting for the 1236GT. I have some additional info on enclosure recommendations if needed.  The information is a starting point and assumes you are comfortable with high voltage wiring and can do it in accordance with electrical code.  I recommend people program the VFD's via the front panel, quite easy once you try. I recently built a 1340GT system and tried to program the VFD via the current Hitachi software and it was not compatible with the current WJ200 models. I contacted Hitachi Tech. support but never heard back from them. In the past, they just referred the problem back to Japan where change is slow.








						Pm1340gt Lathe Basic Vfd Control Conversion Using The Stock Control Board And Switches
					

Many individuals buy the PM1340GT lathe as a 3 phase machine with the intent to convert it over to a VFD system, the usual VFD that is used is the Hitachi WJ200-015SF. Unfortunately the conversion often requires a somewhat complex and costly conversion process to optimize many of the VFD...




					www.hobby-machinist.com


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## Ozbusa67 (Mar 25, 2020)

Thanks mjks you are full of very important info thank you for sharing it was with you !


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