# Newbie - Just Joined - Bought a New Mill



## Nyala (Dec 29, 2018)

Hello everyone,

At 70 years old I'm a newbie.  I inherited a South Bend Model C 9" lathe from my machinist father.  Small but accurate and very nice since he rebuilt it.  He gave me lessons before passing.  I also have all of his old equipment.  I have made a number of items on the lathe that were for personal use and very much enjoy working with metal.  To expand my horizons and have something new to sink my teeth into and get excited about, a few minutes ago I ordered a new Precision Matthews, PM-25MV mill, with 3 axis DRO.

I have been a lurker here for a few weeks, gleaning your ideas and thoughts regarding this mill as I waited to pull the pin and order one.  Thanks to all of you, I believe that I'm ready for setup.  Then a steep learning curve will begin.  I don't know anything about a DRO but I have repeatedly watched a number of videos.

I don't have any projects in mind.  I'll wait until I semi-learn how to use this thing before worrying about that.  Everything that I would do with this would strictly be for personal use. I'm retired and don't plan on going back to work.  I have no interest in setting this up as a CNC.  It will be just me, turning dials and creating something that I might like.  A small time home hobbyist.

I hope you don't mind but I might need to pick your brain from time to time as I learn what's what.

As for now, I am looking forward to the arrival of my mill.

Thank you.

Denny


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## JimDawson (Dec 29, 2018)

Welcome aboard Denny! 

We'll be happy to help out with any questions you have.


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## wlburton (Dec 29, 2018)

Welcome.  You'll fit right in here.  

Bill (another 70 year old semi-novice)


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## T Bredehoft (Dec 29, 2018)

You will enjoy your PM25.  I grew up (professionally) with a variety of large milling machines, have had my 25 for at least three years and find it adequate for my puttering. Don't expect it to equal a Bridgeport, etc. You will like the DRO, though it saves a lot of headaches.


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## Firstgear (Dec 29, 2018)

Just bought a mill and a lathe...I am 63 and a novice...this web sight has a ton of information.  If I had any gripe, some members will start a thread about a problem and after a few replies back and forth there is never a conclusion.  GRRRRR


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## mikey (Dec 29, 2018)

Welcome to HM, Denny!

Gonna' be a lot of fun learning to use the new mill. No matter our age, if we're learning, we're growing and that is what hobby machining is all about.


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## Z2V (Dec 29, 2018)

Denny, let me add another welcome. I also picked up this hobby after retirement. Some very knowledgeable guys have already replied here and there are many others to learn from.
Enjoy your new hobby.


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## mikey (Dec 29, 2018)

Firstgear said:


> Just bought a mill and a lathe...I am 63 and a novice...this web sight has a ton of information.  If I had any gripe, some members will start a thread about a problem and after a few replies back and forth there is never a conclusion.  GRRRRR



A fair gripe, Firstgear. I've seen this, too, and am probably guilty of it at times myself. If I understand you correctly, you are referring to threads of the past and you cannot find the information you seek there. Threads do not close on HM so if you are looking for an answer in an old thread and can't find what you need then just post a response to that thread with a specific question and someone will chime in.

When starting a new post, it really helps if the OP is clear on what he is asking. All too often, the OP doesn't have the knowledge to frame the question properly or fails to give enough detail for us to give an appropriate answer. Under these circumstances, the guys will respond with what they think you want to know but not being clairvoyant, they miss the mark. So, the onus is on us as the OP to be very clear on what is being asked and to keep the discussion focused. Not all of us do that. 

The other option is to PM one of the members who you think can give you the answer you seek. Sometimes a one-on-one is the best way to sort out what you need and most guys here will be open to that sort of thing, provided you don't over do it. 

Hope this helps.


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## westsailpat (Dec 29, 2018)

Purest . Did you order any tooling with the machine ? I'm pullin' up on 63 , retired and loving it .


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## WyoGreen (Dec 29, 2018)

Denny, I bought a PM30MV a few months ago, and am loving it. I've picked up a lot of knowledge on here and am still in the learning stages myself. I also just use it as a hobby, and have repaired, rebuilt, invented several things over the last few months. 
My grandfather had a farm in Blanchard, Michigan and I spent a few summers there.
Good luck on your new machine, Steve (another 70 year old newbie)


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## mmcmdl (Dec 29, 2018)

Welcome aboard Denny .


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## mmcmdl (Dec 29, 2018)

WyoGreen , just where are you in Cheyenne ? I have a whole lot of family out there . We enjoyed the " Grand daddy of them all " years back . Wish I could get back out there soon .


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## BROCKWOOD (Dec 29, 2018)

Welcome! I'm a novice machinist & a want-a-be novice retiree!


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## Nyala (Dec 29, 2018)

I bought a collet set and a clamping set with the mill.  Other than that I'm good, at least for the moment.  My Dad left me vises, end mills, reamers, taps, lathe cutting tools (up the ying-yang), v-blocks, parallels, calipers, micrometers, dial indicators, etc., etc., etc.  I won't know everything that I have until I get it all laid out and sorted.  I have a 6 drawer tool box, on top of a 4 drawer stand, sitting next to a 5-6 shelf 18"x48" shelving unit, all loaded with something to do with metal working.


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## Tom1948 (Dec 29, 2018)

Welcome Denny. I just joined myself. I am 70 also.  I got into this hobby about a year ago. I have a PM1022 & PM 727V.


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## FOMOGO (Dec 29, 2018)

Welcome to the forum Denny. Lot of great folks here, and I'm thinking many of us are your age or close to it. A fine group of Geezers indeed. Cheers, Mike


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## 7milesup (Dec 29, 2018)

For once I feel young!   Just turned 53 and have been retired for about 3 years.

Welcome Denny!  Great bunch of folks here.


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## Rickwjenn (Dec 30, 2018)

Welcome Denny!   I was on the sidelines until age 58 and bought mine.  This is great forum - I relied on it heavily to get my machine up and making parts!


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## WyoGreen (Dec 30, 2018)

Mmcmdl, I live just north of town. I used to do a lot of Frontier Days celebrating, but as I've gotten older I don't do it as much. The music has gotten too loud and the crowds too large.
My next project on the mill is to learn gear cutting, so I suppose that will be the next pile of tool purchases. One thing about metal working, you do get the opportunity to buy lots of tools!


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## Nyala (Dec 30, 2018)

Can anyone tell me the distance from the bottom of the mill to the top of the table?  I have an idea for a stand but want to make sure I have a good working height so that info will be very useful.  Thank you.  Again, the mill is a PM-25MV.


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## dcsleep (Dec 30, 2018)

On my PM-25MV it's 6-13/16" from the surface the mill is mounted on to the top of the table. That includes the tray that sits under the mill.

I've had mine for about 6 months and have had a great time with it. You will probably find that you quickly tire of cranking the head up and down using the hand wheel. There are several threads here regarding how to "powerize" it using a small motor (i.e. car seat motor). It was my first mod and first real project.

Welcome!


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## Nyala (Dec 30, 2018)

Thank you, dcsleep.


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## Nyala (Dec 30, 2018)

Here is what I'm thinking of using for a stand.

https://www.harborfreight.com/26-in-x-22-In-Single-Bank-Blue-Roller-Cabinet-64433.html

It weighs 174 lbs, vs the factory stand that weighs 70 lbs.  It will hold up to 1000 lbs and would be more versatile.  I would add a 2" thick hardwood top and bolt it to the cabinet then bolt the machine through the hardwood and the cabinet.  The casters would be removed, and using dcsleep's measurement above I should come out with a table top height of about 44", which is elbow height for me.  The top of the machine should be in the area of 75 inches and I'm 72" tall. If need be, I can bolt everything to the floor.  Tools, etc. added to the drawers would increase the stand's overall weight.

Thoughts?

Thanks.

Denny


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## WyoGreen (Dec 31, 2018)

Denny,
I put my PM30mv on a tool box I picked up at Home Depot on sale. I went with it because it was 24 inches deep. I laminated a new top for it 26 inches deep. My Pm30 has about 1 inch of space left at the front when sitting on it. I like the extra width because it gives me a place to lay tools under the mill table. I left the wheels off and it sits flush on a concrete floor. I also added a couple pieces of 3/8" angle iron under the top going from edge to edge to bolt the mill to. (probably overkill!)





https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-46-in-9-Drawer-Mobile-Workbench-in-Black-HOTC4609B13M/304959851


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## dcsleep (Dec 31, 2018)

I have my mill on the 26x22 HF cabinet you linked (except mine is red). Tons of storage and it puts the mill at the perfect height for me (I'm 6'3" and the table is about elbow high). I can work without bending over and still comfortably reach the top of the mill. I have it on a base which lets me level it on an uneven floor. The casters are still on it in case I want to move it but you need to be very careful with that much weight on top. It also took a little creativity to get the mill on the cabinet as my workshop ceiling isn't that high.


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## thomas s (Dec 31, 2018)

Welcome Denny.


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## mcdanlj (Dec 31, 2018)

WyoGreen said:


> I put my PM30mv on a tool box I picked up at Home Depot on sale. I went with it because it was 24 inches deep.



Me too. I haven't yet replaced the top or braced it, and I left the wheels installed for now. (I got one off the floor because the two crated ones they had at the time were both damaged.) The bottom drawers are tall enough to hold my BS-1. I like having it a bit higher from the casters being installed, other than it putting the Z crank uncomfortably high. (I still need to make a power Z feed; the motor I was going to use vanished, probably in a case of the wrong trash being thrown out.) Like you, I enjoy having the extra space at the sides for tooling.

I was going to build a rigid case around it, but backed off because it didn't seem necessary so far. Spending the money on tooling instead...


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## Nyala (Dec 31, 2018)

Thanks to all who welcomed me and another big thanks to all those who helped me with my other questions.

I have purchased the cabinet from Harbor Freight and will begin constructing the top.  Now I just have to wait for my machine, probably another 7-10 days minimum.

Additional questions will be posted in new threads.  Thanks again everyone, you are already making this process easier.

Denny


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## shooter123456 (Dec 31, 2018)

I would like to add another welcome!  I also have a PM-25 and I love it.  I CNCd mine, and I know you mentioned you weren't interested in that, but I can say with confidence that it is a very well built and capable machine.

I have taken the machine apart completely several times and changed out many of the major components, so if you have any questions or need any help, don't hesitate to ask.

Welcome to the forum and best of luck with the new machine!


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## starr256 (Jan 3, 2019)

There is a demographic here that is different. Retirees starting a new adventure. Spent 45 years writing software, some of it for really cool projects (camera controller for a Mars orbiter) when suddenly I said "Enough!".  Wanted to make something I could touch. Over the last six months I have bought a PM1030V and a PM727V, both with DRO. And a bunch of support stuff. Am having a marvelous time learning something completely different. Building tooling, fixtures, jigs an small practice thing. Some times having to do it twice. All in all, I have spent less than a moderate fishing boat and gear would have cost. This site and the internet in general have been a great help. Now, if I could just get the workshop warm..........


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## thomas s (Jan 3, 2019)

Welcome starr.


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## ttabbal (Jan 3, 2019)

starr256 said:


> Spent 45 years writing software, some of it for really cool projects (camera controller for a Mars orbiter)



Very cool! I'm still working in software, but I've always liked making things and have been having a great time learning lathe and mill work. Even when I screw up, I learn something and figure it out eventually. That's one thing I like about this forum, we aren't so judgy about screwing up. 

My wife is a bit bemused that I keep using the tools to make more tools, but it's still fun!


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## Nyala (Jan 3, 2019)

You guys are great.  I have no idea what my first project will be but if I screw it up, at least I know I'll be in good company; and I'll have someone to help straighten me out.


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## dcsleep (Jan 4, 2019)

I'm recently retired after 35 years developing software. Always liked to use my hands to create something more tangible on my time off but I'm relatively new to working with metal. Love this forum and the always helpful attitude of its members.


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## B2 (Feb 16, 2019)

Your right!  I purchased my first, and only, mill (a PM-940M VS CNC) at age 70 .... a bit over a year ago!


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## Kiwi Canuck (Feb 16, 2019)

Nyala said:


> I bought a collet set and a clamping set with the mill.  Other than that I'm good, at least for the moment.  My Dad left me vises, end mills, reamers, taps, lathe cutting tools (up the ying-yang), v-blocks, parallels, calipers, micrometers, dial indicators, etc., etc., etc.  I won't know everything that I have until I get it all laid out and sorted.  I have a 6 drawer tool box, on top of a 4 drawer stand, sitting next to a 5-6 shelf 18"x48" shelving unit, all loaded with something to do with metal working.


Welcome to the forum.
I too am new to machining on a mill, the thing I am learning about is work holding and how important it is to figure out the best way to hold the material so it can be machined safely.
Another thing is planning the sequence of cuts to reduce the steps and give you a usable part rather than another learning opportunity.
I am having quite a few learning opportunities still and find it frustrating to mess up after the 2nd or 3rd go round but I know it will come with time.
It is good to practice on delrin or aluminum to start, and not too expensive if you mess up and have to scrap the parts.
Good luck.
David


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## Dhector (Feb 16, 2019)

Welcome to the forum. Dont let some of these guys fool you, lots of smart helpful people. Newbie myself!!!!



Kiwi Canuck said:


> Another thing is planning the sequence of cuts to reduce the steps and give you a usable part rather than another learning opportunity.
> I am having quite a few learning opportunities still and find it frustrating to mess up after the 2nd or 3rd go round but I know it will come with time.
> Good luck.
> David


If you figure all of that out, write a book and I'll buy the first copy!!


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## mmcmdl (Feb 16, 2019)

Wyo , my niece was " Miss Frontier Days " back in 96 . The whole family from the east spent 5 weeks out there . It was a pretty big deal . I remember the concerts but most especially the air show at the base . 

We just drove around with no place to go . Estes Park , Rocky Mountain Nat Park , Yellowstone , Colorado Springs , Rushmor , Devils Tower , Crazy Horse , Jackson Hole , etc . I would LOVE to do a repeat of the trip . 

Sorry I'm late to the post .


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