Best PM lathe for threading?

[Pcmaker]

I have a PM1127. Threading is incredibly time consuming because of change gears. Such a pain to be messing around with changing gears when you have to thread a workpiece and THEN changing the gears back for feed rates.

If and when I decide to upgrade my lathe, which PM machine is easiest to work with when threading? Is there one where you don't change gears even when switching between metric and standard?

 

[ttabbal]

It seems like most of them have a change required between metric and imperial. It is just one though. It should be possible to integrate that into a gearbox, but perhaps due to the large size it doesn't make sense to do it.

I figure if the design uses metric and imperial threads on the same project, the design is wrong. Switch between projects and call it a day.

One thing I do wish the 1127 had is a switch between feed and threads without having to to swap gears. Perhaps not the full range, but being able to switch would be nice. I found I could avoid most of them by carefully considering order of operations and occasionally using a collet to grip finished surfaces.

There's also ELS setups, but they come with a different set of problems. I think it's worth it, but some people prefer the mechanical setups.

 

[davidpbest]

ERL-1340 will do all common metric and imperial thread pitches without having to remove/replace gears. It's not on the PM web site, but they carry it. Mark Jacobs has one.

Or you could upgrade your 1127 with an electronic lead screw.

 

[Nogoingback]

Switch between projects and call it a day.

Excellent...

 

[mksj]

I would look at the 1236T or 1340GT with a Norton gearbox, that will give you a range of imperial threads/feeds with no change gears, but one will still need to use change gears for metric. The PM-1440GS which has not been available for a long time is a mid-priced universal gearbox Chinese lathe, would be my only other recommendation in this price range if it becomes available. If you want a universal gearbox in a Taiwanese lathe (pretty much all threads except MOD/DP), then you are looking at much more expensive lathes (ERL, RML and TRL series) which are in the 10-14K cost range.

An ELS is an option as far as cost effective in the less expensive lathes w/o universal gearboxes. The Rocketronics system is one of the more advance full featured ELS designs that is more of a turnkey type, plus the ELS 4 includes positional coordinates, VFD spindle speed control, additional inputs for limit switches and E-Stop.

Home - Rocketronics English

www.rocketronics.de

ERL-1340

PM-1340GT

 

[T Bredehoft]

I scrounged extra gears and made a couple of spare banjos, for the standard threads I use. Set one for feeds, others for threads, Its only a couple of minutes to change banjos.

 

[erikmannie]

The PM-1640TL and PM-1660TL can single point the entire range of both metric and Imperial thread pitches with NO change gears. This was one of the main selling points for me when I bought one.

I don’t mind the effort in changing gears, but I do mind the time needed to do it.

 

[wrmiller]

To do metric threads on my 1340GT I need to change one gear, according to the manual. But I've not done that yet, and may never.

The Norton gearbox on my lathe was a bit sticky when it was new, but has since broken in a bit and works smoothly now. I wish it was an enclosed gearbox, but it does what I need, when I need it.

 

[Janderso]

I would look at the 1236T or 1340GT with a Norton gearbox, that will give you a range of imperial threads/feeds with no change gears, but one will still need to use change gears for metric. The PM-1440GS which has not been available for a long time is a mid-priced universal gearbox Chinese lathe, would be my only other recommendation in this price range if it becomes available. If you want a universal gearbox in a Taiwanese lathe (pretty much all threads except MOD/DP), then you are looking at much more expensive lathes (ERL, RML and TRL series) which are in the 10-14K cost range.

An ELS is an option as far as cost effective in the less expensive lathes w/o universal gearboxes. The Rocketronics system is one of the more advance full featured ELS designs that is more of a turnkey type, plus the ELS 4 includes positional coordinates, VFD spindle speed control, additional inputs for limit switches and E-Stop.

Home - Rocketronics English

www.rocketronics.de

ERL-1340
View attachment 333924

PM-1340GTView attachment 333925

I see an old friend here.
It's amazing how close the levers and lay out is to my Clausing Colchester 15X50. Cutting imperial or metric is just a flip of the levers and there is a gear change-swap to go from one back to the other. Never done it.