Looking for my perfect size hobby mill....

[Aaron_W]

I too looked at all the specs of both, And there are a bunch of videos about both on the net as well... I'm thinking going with a bare PM-932M as opposed to the VS one... is it really that big a plus to go with the VS over the Gearhead..?

Variable speed is nice but I don't think a huge thing. I have lathes that use both, variable is handy, but I don't find changing belts a big hassle. Variable speed on a lathe can be nice turning large diameter piece where bumping the speed up / down can give you a better finish, have not found it necessary when milling since the cutter turns instead of the work piece.

My Clausing is a belt change machine but it is set up with a 3 phase motor and VFD which gives it variable speed.

$900 cheaper I can see the appeal and it just moving levers / knobs seems much easier than belts. I've not used a gearhead, but understand they are noisier which could matter, but $900 buys a lot of I don't mind.

On the other hand as a forever machine $900 pretty quickly becomes a trivial amount divided over time, but regretting not splurging will always be there.
Definately worth some research on the M VS V from people with first hand knowledge.
The PM people seem to be very helpful and could probably help you here.

 

[verbotenwhisky]

VS is very convenient. There are so many tool changes for every simple series of operations that if you have to spend time changing spindle speeds in anyway that takes time, you will just use less than ideal speeds. Machines that require belt location changes are a real PIA. Not sure about the geared head system.

My Mill is a V as previously noted, it has 2 belt position, low is 100 to 1650 and High is 300 to 5000, I have never used the low settings, the high has great torque and plenty of RPM range, I just dial it in with the VFD knob.... so the V isn't a PIA at all.

 

[Aaron_W]

Oh and I sort of glossed over the drill press thing back a few posts. It is not so much that a mill is less capable than a drill press, mostly it can be less convinient to use than a drill press for a lot of drill press tasks.

In my particular case I also do woodworking, and the Clausing does have a smaller capacity than a medium size drill press, and it's location in my shop doesn't help matters when it comes to long pieces of wood.

A mill can certainly stand in as a drill press, so no need for both until the lack of a drill press annoys you.

 

[Mr Mike]

The cast iron base for $400 is likely a no brainer though unless you already have other plans, it would be hard to build something as stout for that money.

Absolutely yes to getting the iron base...

although you could probably find a decent used knee mill for this price,

Been watching the usual feeds ( Local Area Only ) past few months, nothing exciting... However I did get a great deal on a 98-8 Machinist level off ebay recently...

 

[Mr Mike]

Oh and I sort of glossed over the drill press thing back a few posts. It is not so much that a mill is less capable than a drill press, mostly it can be less convinient to use than a drill press for a lot of drill press tasks.

In my particular case I also do woodworking, and the Clausing does have a smaller capacity than a medium size drill press, and it's location in my shop doesn't help matters when it comes to long pieces of wood.

A mill can certainly stand in as a drill press, so no need for both until the lack of a drill press annoys you.

I have the world famous "Per Me" G0925 grizzly 8" baby drill press that I love to death... Its like the professional version of a mini drill press. Its 1/2", quiet, doesn't vibrate, portable 35 lbs goes back and forth to work.

 

[wrmiller]

I've been reading threads like this since I started my metal machining hobby with a Sherline lathe and mill back in the early 80s. Lots and lots of 'experts' told me they were toys and not useful for much of anything. I built my first USPSA 38 Super Open division race gun on those machines. Machining wood (grips), aluminum, mild and hardened steel. I don't recommend this for most people though. It takes some creative thinking to do this. Of course a steady diet of work like this on those little machines will shorten their lifespan considerably.

The biggest machines I have worked with on a regular basis was a 12x50 mill and a 18x60 lathe (my pistolsmith/mentor's machines). My last purchases from PM were my largest machines at home: A 935TS with variable speed, and a 1340GT with variable speed (vfds). IMO both were good for the home shop, but they did have shortcomings.

I had a Charter Oak 9x40 prior to the 935 that I spent about a year tuning and when it was finished, from the perspective of capability, it was way more mill than my 935. Noticeably more. More rigidity and larger work envelope for starters. But...it couldn't nod the head. I figured out how to work around this, but I couldn't completely eliminate the head tilt. I finally counterweighted the head like a bed/cnc mill and got pretty close though.

I tell people that when shopping for machines, figure out the work envelope required and go from there.

Is bigger better? Usually, but not always. Machine design plays a big part, i.e., iron density, machining precision, casting/webbing design, etc., etc..

I find myself in a situation with a couple of my old machines that were given back to me. They have been abused, and I nurse them along as I can. If I could buy new machines now, knowing what I know now, I'd probably go for a 833TV or 940V with hardened ways for a mill and a 12x36T with a VFD for variable speed. I do mostly gunsmithing/pistolsmithing which is not real hard on machines.

And if I tripped and fell into a large enough pile of money, I'd just get a lathe and mill from Kent USA and call it done.

Ok, somebody slap me and wake me up....LOL.

 

[verbotenwhisky]

Oh and I sort of glossed over the drill press thing back a few posts. It is not so much that a mill is less capable than a drill press, mostly it can be less convinient to use than a drill press for a lot of drill press tasks.

In my particular case I also do woodworking, and the Clausing does have a smaller capacity than a medium size drill press, and it's location in my shop doesn't help matters when it comes to long pieces of wood.

A mill can certainly stand in as a drill press, so no need for both until the lack of a drill press annoys you.

I have caught myself using my drill press because I needed a hole in a work piece and the mill was tied up with a project setup. Its like a fire extinguisher, not a big deal until something is on fire....

 

[Mr Mike]

I have caught myself using my drill press because I needed a hole in a work piece and the mill was tied up with a project setup. Its like a fire extinguisher, not a big deal until something is on fire....

View attachment 493261

Exactly what I'm looking for, a milling table for my baby drill press... all the ones I find on Amazon are cheap junk it seems. Your table looks solid..

-----> I absolutely love your drill press setup, you rock..!

also unfortunately all versions of PM-932 are out of stock or on back order, I'm calling PM today about the PDF version, I don't think that PDF can be added down the road, and that is a feature I would like at some point, I may have to order the 932 with it - if it cant be added at a later date... Mike

 

[Mr Mike]

I've been reading threads like this since I started my metal machining hobby with a Sherline lathe and mill back in the early 80s. Lots and lots of 'experts' told me they were toys and not useful for much of anything. I built my first USPSA 38 Super Open division race gun on those machines. Machining wood (grips), aluminum, mild and hardened steel. I don't recommend this for most people though. It takes some creative thinking to do this. Of course a steady diet of work like this on those little machines will shorten their lifespan considerably.

The biggest machines I have worked with on a regular basis was a 12x50 mill and a 18x60 lathe (my pistolsmith/mentor's machines). My last purchases from PM were my largest machines at home: A 935TS with variable speed, and a 1340GT with variable speed (vfds). IMO both were good for the home shop, but they did have shortcomings.

I had a Charter Oak 9x40 prior to the 935 that I spent about a year tuning and when it was finished, from the perspective of capability, it was way more mill than my 935. Noticeably more. More rigidity and larger work envelope for starters. But...it couldn't nod the head. I figured out how to work around this, but I couldn't completely eliminate the head tilt. I finally counterweighted the head like a bed/cnc mill and got pretty close though.

I tell people that when shopping for machines, figure out the work envelope required and go from there.

Is bigger better? Usually, but not always. Machine design plays a big part, i.e., iron density, machining precision, casting/webbing design, etc., etc..

I find myself in a situation with a couple of my old machines that were given back to me. They have been abused, and I nurse them along as I can. If I could buy new machines now, knowing what I know now, I'd probably go for a 833TV or 940V with hardened ways for a mill and a 12x36T with a VFD for variable speed. I do mostly gunsmithing/pistolsmithing which is not real hard on machines.

And if I tripped and fell into a large enough pile of money, I'd just get a lathe and mill from Kent USA and call it done.

Ok, somebody slap me and wake me up....LOL.

I have the PM-1236T gearhead so naturally I was looking at the 833T...

 

[Mr Mike]

The 932M looks like a lot of bang for the buck, you are right about speed changes so no big deal going from one size cutter to another.

I was going to suggest the PDF option but unless you're planning on doing a lot of boring there are probably better places to spend $1200. The cast iron base for $400 is likely a no brainer though unless you already have other plans, it would be hard to build something as stout for that money.

You've gone through a lot of Q&A in this process so I think you can be fairly confident in your choice, for hobby use you're unlikely to outgrow this machine anytime soon. Also, although you could probably find a decent used knee mill for this price, having support from PM is excellent peace of mind for a major purchase.

Let us know when it's on the way, and keep asking questions....

John

I will post here with photos as soon as it arrives, all version of the PM-932M's are currently out of stock, good chance the PDF version is one I'll have to buy because i don't think the PDF is a feature that can be added later on. ill call PM today and fallow up.. thanks, Mike.