Good morning PM users, new guy here

S

Steve R

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May 27, 2020
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Hello everyone. I have been looking at getting a new lathe (have an Atlas) and looking at couple of the PM's 1340GT & 1440GT. I'm also planing on getting a mill. I was looking at the 833T and starting to lean toward the 949T, I have the room so that is not a concern. Haven't decided on the V or S part yet. These will be for my hobby and helping my son out with is business and doing prototype/design and some production work. The 1440GT & 949T will pretty much max out my $$ for the equipment. One of the biggest concerns I have is spending that kind of money without looking at the machines. I'm located in kind of in the Central - SE corner of South Dakota. Is there anyone around here or a neighboring state that would allow me to see their machines?? I'm not looking to use or run them but it would be nice to actually touch and see some of the controls. I have talked to PM but they didn't have much on hand and it is 12 hr one way. I'm very open to everyone's comments that have any of the machines good or bad.
Thanks
Steve
 
Hi Steve,
Sorry I can't help you with viewing some lathes but am wishing you the best of luck in your venture.
Welcome to the fun here.
Mike
 
Welcome to H-M, Steve! Be careful not to spend so much on your machines that you do not have enough left over to tool them, which costs more than one might guess. Those are good machines. My family is from Reliance (near Chamberlain) on my mom's side, and from Yankton on my dad's side.
 
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Hi Steve, and welcome to the forum! :)

I'm too far away to show you a 1340GT or my 935 mill, sorry. And I'll second what Bob said in that you need to keep a big chunk of your budget set aside for tooling and whatnot. I personally spent as much on tooling, dros, and other stuff as I did for the machines themselves!
 
Welcome to the rabbit hole errr, forum!
We’re here to help you spend your money! Wisely of course. ;)


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Welcome to the rabbit hole errr, forum!
We’re here to help you spend your money! Wisely of course. ;)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Welcome to the rabbit hole errr, forum!
We’re here to help you spend your money! Wisely of course. ;)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
+1 for making sure you set aside enough for tooling, micrometers, bits, and bobs.

The "oh, just another $50 here; another $100 there" purchases add up in a hurry.

My machines are 'old iron' so I didn't spend the big bucks on new equipment. But I've easily got more money tied up in tooling, measurement equipment, and the like than in the machines themselves. By a long shot, in fact.

So, I'd take your total budget and divide by 2 or so. That's what you ought to spend on the machines, in my opinion.

I'm just over in Minneapolis; you'd be more than welcome to take a look at what I've got, but my lathe is from 1943 and my Bridgeport is from 1989. So not even close to the same category as what you're looking at.
 
DavidR8 said:
Welcome to the rabbit hole errr, forum!
We’re here to help you spend your money! Wisely of course. ;)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

It's ok Dave, sometimes I stutter too...!!

Steve R... Welcome. Like Dave pointed out, we will be glad to help you spend your money. As far as tooling, the guys have it correct, you are going to spend a fair amount on accoutrements for the machines. However, it also depends on your timeline and other factors. IF you are going to buy everything at once, yes, that is a huge amount. My suggestion is buy what you need now to make the parts you need now. As you grow into this, you will find what is really necessary for your equipment. For example, maybe you NEED a slitting cutter for the mill, or maybe it is not high on the list so wait until your funds recover. I buy and sell a fair amount of stuff on auctions to fund my habit... errrmmm, I mean hobby.

I have a PM833T which I would be glad to show it to you, but for 7 hour drive, I don't think it would be worth it.

Also, new iron vs old iron... I too would like a really nice older American lathe. Problem is, most of them are so far away and usually on an auction that I can't justify the time to "just go look". I would not buy Chinese. Taiwanese, sure. My next lathe (currently have a PM1022, which is too small) will most likely be new and from Taiwan, just because it is a known quantity, as in new with a warranty. YMMV
 
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