# Precision Matthews 1340-GT Lathe



## TFC (Apr 30, 2014)

Hello, All, 
I'm interested in hearing from anyone who is an actual owner/operator of the Precision Matthews 1340-GT (Gunsmithing) Lathe which is of Taiwanese manufacture.  I am about to write a check to purchase one (new) for my gunsmithing business.  However, before I commit with $ I'd like to know current owners'/operators' thoughts and experiences with this machine, whether they be good or bad.
Thanks.


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## zmotorsports (May 2, 2014)

TFC said:


> Hello, All,
> I'm interested in hearing from anyone who is an actual owner/operator of the Precision Matthews 1340-GT (Gunsmithing) Lathe which is of Taiwanese manufacture.  I am about to write a check to purchase one (new) for my gunsmithing business.  However, before I commit with $ I'd like to know current owners'/operators' thoughts and experiences with this machine, whether they be good or bad.
> Thanks.



No personal experience yet but I hope to have mine in a few weeks.  I have heard nothing but good about this lathe and I like the fact that it is made in Taiwan vs. China which is the main reason I jumped at when I ordered mine about six weeks ago.

I will do a full review with a lot of pictures once I get mine.

I also ordered the Taiwanese 935TV milling machine from Matt as well.

Mike.


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## TFC (May 26, 2014)

I placed a 10% deposit on one of these machines with options.  I was recently informed that tracking numbers have not yet  been issued on these machines.  If I recall, that means these machines have not left Taiwan.  This information, received last week from the PM/QMT representative, is in conflict with an e-mail I received from PM/QMT headquarters on April 10, 2014 stating that the machines have left Taiwan.  Conflicting information abounds!


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## qualitymachinetools (May 27, 2014)

There is no conflicting information, we have more than one shipment of them coming in.


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## qualitymachinetools (May 27, 2014)

And also, we get the shipping information on every shipment. But just depending on which company they ship with, sometimes it can be tracked online, sometimes its useless. I can always check with our broker on them, and I have approximate dates on every shipment. We have 7 large shipments on the way in, not just one. The time frame he gave you will be accurate, no question about it.


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## zmotorsports (May 27, 2014)

All I can say as that I am more than ready to receive my 1340GT and 935TV which I am hoping to see any time now.

It had better be everything I am hoping for and then some with as long as I have waited.  Not that it is Matt/Quality Machine Tools fault, I understand the build time, lead time, shipping time and number of orders placed.  Plus I am sure I have been a pain in the ass with all of the questions that Matt has answered when I was thinking about changing my order from the 932PDF to the 935TV knee mill.:thinking:  I am just stating that I have never had to wait so long for anything that I have ordered and after doing a lot of research I feel comfortable dealing with Matt/QMT.

Can't wait for those two spots in the shop to be filled and making chips.)

Mike.


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## Ray C (May 27, 2014)

zmotorsports said:


> All I can say as that I am more than ready to receive my 1340GT and 935TV which I am hoping to see any time now.
> 
> It had better be everything I am hoping for and then some with as long as I have waited.  Not that it is Matt/Quality Machine Tools fault, I understand the build time, lead time, shipping time and number of orders placed.  Plus I am sure I have been a pain in the ass with all of the questions that Matt has answered when I was thinking about changing my order from the 932PDF to the 935TV knee mill.:thinking:  I am just stating that I have never had to wait so long for anything that I have ordered and after doing a lot of research I feel comfortable dealing with Matt/QMT.
> 
> ...



Let's put it this way...  The 1340GT is the lathe I should have purchased several years ago, due to the amount of threading and precision work I found myself in the midst of.  It's an outstanding all-around general purpose unit and particularly well suited for gunsmith work.

When I purchased my 1236, a crazy series of events took place right at the time I was starting to do commercial work.  I ordered a 1236 and it was several months due to arrive.  The factory had an issue and delayed it one month.  OK, that happens.  It arrived on the ship just in time for a hurricane and the ship bobbed in the water for a week and finally got diverted from NY to CA taking an extra week.  It got off the boat but, was unloaded by a different handler who lost all the customs paperwork -that took two weeks to resolve.  While on the dock, there was a Union dock worker strike for two more weeks then it made it's way by train to PA -only to be met by another Union rail worker strike -causing another eight day delay. 

I lost my first decent contract job but, such is life.  I wasn't crazy about the customer anyhow.  Matt offered to upgrade me to a 1340 at his cost but, in all honesty, I couldn't accept that as I honestly don't feel someone's livelihood should be given away because of a series of events that are not in his control.

I've been perfectly served by my 1236 but, the automatic gear change box sure would be nice.  Still though, it cuts perfectly straight and I take cuts within a half-thou at will and with ease.  It has never let me down or had a malfunction of any sort.  I purchase steel for jobs 500 and 600 lbs at a time and furthermore, that lathe has cut more stainless steel boat shafts of various types than I can even guess at...  I've probably threaded a hundred miles, one inch at a time... Inside bore, outside bore, left hand, right hand, double threads -most of it on stainless steel.  The overall unit shows no signs of wear.   The 1340 will do everything a 1236 can and then some...


Ray


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## Marco Bernardini (May 27, 2014)

Ray C said:


> When I purchased my 1236, a crazy series of events took place right at the time I was starting to do commercial work.



Now that could be a great subject for a comedy film… "A lathe called Wandering"! :rofl:


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## Ray C (May 27, 2014)

Marco Bernardini said:


> Now that could be a great subject for a comedy film… "A lathe called Wandering"! :rofl:



More like: planes, trains, busses and automobiles...


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## zmotorsports (May 27, 2014)

Ray, so on the 1236 is the gearbox different than the 1340GT.  The 1340GT is the same style as our JET 1336 at work and I find it very user friendly which is one of the draws to the 1340GT, but the main reason was that it was Taiwanese and Matt told me that if I were to compare the that one with one of the Chinese lathes side by side is where I would really see the difference.

To be honest I have done very little threading on the JET lathe at work simply because I haven't ran across the need to in the workplace much and almost none on my Smithy that I had before because the Smithy was such a pain to change out gears for each thread pitch.  I thought with this 1340GT maybe I would start doing more threading as I have had more of a need to do so at home on various projects than at work.

Mike.





Ray C said:


> Let's put it this way...  The 1340GT is the lathe I should have purchased several years ago, due to the amount of threading and precision work I found myself in the midst of.  It's an outstanding all-around general purpose unit and particularly well suited for gunsmith work.
> 
> When I purchased my 1236, a crazy series of events took place right at the time I was starting to do commercial work.  I ordered a 1236 and it was several months due to arrive.  The factory had an issue and delayed it one month.  OK, that happens.  It arrived on the ship just in time for a hurricane and the ship bobbed in the water for a week and finally got diverted from NY to CA taking an extra week.  It got off the boat but, was unloaded by a different handler who lost all the customs paperwork -that took two weeks to resolve.  While on the dock, there was a Union dock worker strike for two more weeks then it made it's way by train to PA -only to be met by another Union rail worker strike -causing another eight day delay.
> 
> ...


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## Ray C (May 27, 2014)

zmotorsports said:


> Ray, so on the 1236 is the gearbox different than the 1340GT.  The 1340GT is the same style as our JET 1336 at work and I find it very user friendly which is one of the draws to the 1340GT, but the main reason was that it was Taiwanese and Matt told me that if I were to compare the that one with one of the Chinese lathes side by side is where I would really see the difference.
> 
> To be honest I have done very little threading on the JET lathe at work simply because I haven't ran across the need to in the workplace much and almost none on my Smithy that I had before because the Smithy was such a pain to change out gears for each thread pitch.  I thought with this 1340GT maybe I would start doing more threading as I have had more of a need to do so at home on various projects than at work.
> 
> Mike.



The top-side gearboxes are similar styles consisting of flat-tooth gears with 14[SUP]o[/SUP] pressure angles for high power transmission.  The ratios are not the same but the overall style is similar.  The bottom gearbox is quite different.  The 1236 has manual change gears for all threads (US or metric) whereas the 1340 just requires flipping some paddle positions for US threads and a gear changeover position for metric.  It's also much more convenient to change the IPR settings.  Finally, the Taiwanese units have nicer fit & finish and overall higher attention to detail.


Ray


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## zmotorsports (May 27, 2014)

Great, thanks for the info Ray.

Mike.




Ray C said:


> The top-side gearboxes are similar styles consisting of flat-tooth gears with 14[SUP]o[/SUP] pressure angles for high power transmission.  The ratios are not the same but the overall style is similar.  The bottom gearbox is quite different.  The 1236 has manual change gears for all threads (US or metric) whereas the 1340 just requires flipping some paddle positions for US threads and a gear changeover position for metric.  It's also much more convenient to change the IPR settings.  Finally, the Taiwanese units have nicer fit & finish and overall higher attention to detail.
> 
> 
> Ray


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## psient (Sep 15, 2014)

Late at posting here. I own a PM1340 and have used it for years. Matt is really professional and aside from never having received a screw that failed on the GIB (warranty) never had a problem. I still use the lathe and it is accurate. You can always trust Matt to get to you as soon as he can. 

I hope your new lathe is working out.

Jon


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## RIO (Nov 7, 2015)

zmotorsports said:


> No personal experience yet but I hope to have mine in a few weeks.  I have heard nothing but good about this lathe and I like the fact that it is made in Taiwan vs. China which is the main reason I jumped at when I ordered mine about six weeks ago.
> 
> I will do a full review with a lot of pictures once I get mine.
> 
> ...




HEY MIKE, I posted a comment on your youtube video about the PM1340GT, please check it out.  Thanks!!!
- RIO


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## zmotorsports (Nov 9, 2015)

Saw that.  Thank you for the compliment.  If I can be of any further assistance feel free to ask.  When you order tell Matt that Mike Zuech's video helped you make your decision.  I would appreciate that.

I see that you just joined here also.  Welcome.

Also, in addition to my youtube video review, I also have a thread on here showing the setup, some of the mods I did to mine and a written review it will be of any help.

Here is a link.
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/my-precision-mathews-pm1340gt-arrival.24887/

Mike.


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