Looking for my perfect size hobby mill....

[dabear3428]

@verbotenwhisky

Doing my due diligence I scoured the bright web searching for horror stories about the PM-932... I only found a few with major issues that got solved. I did find a lot of complaints found during machine setup, fit & finish, No lube or oil present, Casting sand in mating components. I did not find issues that where in such great numbers it would make the machine a high risk purchase.

It appears for the most part people find this Mill serviceable after a pre use tune-up.

Interestingly there are multiply versions of this machine with major differences that cannot be changed once purchased. 1- Gear Head, 2- Variable Speed, 3- Z Axis (Head) Positioning Motor, 4- Powered Boring "PDF = Power Down Feed" of the spindle...

Current purchase options as of 6-13-2024

PM-932V
The Variable speed model has an option -> With or without DRO.
Unlike it's bigger brother the PM-940V, PDF is not an option with the Variable Speed model PM-932V.
Z Axis (Head) Positioning Motor is also not an option on the PM-932V.

PM-932M
The manual or gearhead model comes in three flavors, + With or without DRO.
M-basic, a bare Gear Head machine.
M- Gear Head machine with Z Axis (Head) Positioning Motor.
PDF- Gear Head machine with Z Axis (Head) Positioning Motor and Power down feed on spindle.

LOL this just made making a choice even more fun.... I can have variable speed or power down feed but not both... plus what ever machine you get, you should expect issues of some type before use, So its wise to do a teardown and tune-up of the machine right out of the box.

Its ok, I'm thinking PDF any way, If I get a base model I cant add PDF later down the road...

Here is the best part of all that makes no sense,
The PM-932M PDF machine and base are purchased separately and total $4398.00
The PM-940M PDF comes with a Base and is $4399.00

Kind of disheartening really, unless I am reading PM's website wrong. I cant justify buying the PM-932M because the PM-940M Gives you so much more machine for basically the same price...

I've done enough research in the last two days to make my head spin...

I am going to put this Milling Machine Purchase on hold till I get my garage all cleaned out, My lathe all set up and see how much room I have left, Then come back and figure this out...

Thank you to everyone, all the help in figuring this out is much appreciated, I've learned a ton in the last two weeks - this ain't over yet...!

"Kind of disheartening really, unless I am reading PM's website wrong. I cant justify buying the PM-932M because the PM-940M Gives you so much more machine for basically the same price..."
it seamed like you got upset with me for pointing this out 10 pages ago lol, you are doing your homework and at the end you will have the peace of mind knowing you looked at all the important facts.
the 833 is good equipment and the g0704 is a good buy (if in decent condition) and either will help you learn. the 940/932 are also great, not really a bad decision in the group, just depends on what you are going to do with them.

 

[Mr Mike]

"Kind of disheartening really, unless I am reading PM's website wrong. I cant justify buying the PM-932M because the PM-940M Gives you so much more machine for basically the same price..."
it seamed like you got upset with me for pointing this out 10 pages ago lol, you are doing your homework and at the end you will have the peace of mind knowing you looked at all the important facts.
the 833 is good equipment and the g0704 is a good buy (if in decent condition) and either will help you learn. the 940/932 are also great, not really a bad decision in the group, just depends on what you are going to do with them.

LOL... Got upset with you, ?? I'm not unhappy with anybody,,,

I was just doing more research on the PM-932 PDF, comparing prices and read that the stand comes standard with the PM-940 PDF... making them both the same price in the end - I just said its Disheartening, and cant justify paying the same price for a lessor machine is all...

I was just thrilled I caught that little piece of info....

heading to go pick up the Grizzly 7x27, Its small, cheap and maybe I can learn a thing or two on it,,,, definitely not my forever mill..!

 

[Mr Mike]

I sold these, and a ton of high-quality accessories and metrology stuff to a retiring airline pilot when I got sick and didn't think I would make it to the end of the year. One of the stupidest things I have ever done, and I regret it to this day. Oh well, stuff happens.

View attachment 493824

The guy shows up for 3 days with a bunch of wood and makes 4x4 pallets and crating for the machines. I also gave him the 2T hoist that I bought/used when I bought the machines to get them on the pallets. He had a trucking company show up with a lifting gate truck and load up the machines.

Who knows, maybe you'll run across something like this in the near future.

Good luck in your search!

WOW, that's terrible you felt the need to do that. I'm speechless.

 

[Mr Mike]

And we love spending other peoples money. It’s kinda vicarious shopping, you do have to post pictures though. Pictures or it didn’t happen.

John

Well John, I got this Cute little baby size Mill. LOL, sorry I ruined your vicarious shopping spree... Promise, I'll do better on the next one

My first Mill just got home.... more photos to come later, got to start somewhere right.!

 

[Larry$]

no way I can pull 2k lbs. up the driveway by my self..

Where there is a will! Put the machine on a heavy wide pallet with ratchet straps to retain it. Anchor a HF cable winch to a pickup in the garage, chock all 4 wheels and use the remote control winch. You may need to reposition once if the distance it too much for the cable winch.

 

[wrmiller]

WOW, that's terrible you felt the need to do that. I'm speechless.

It is what it is.

The terrible part is that since I was forced into 'retirement', I can no longer afford to replace them.

The good news is that I'm doing much better since I decided to stay away from doctors, hospitals, and their Big Pharma poisons. But that's a different story.

Congrats on your G0704. I was given back a Weiss PM25 (the last one Matt sold), that I had given to a friend when I bought my larger machines. Guess he felt sorry for me.

Learn your new mill, it's capabilities, and shortcomings, and make notes for your next machine. A suggestion? These are small mills with small work envelopes and capabilities. I seldom ever use a 1/2" end mill in mine. Mostly 1/4" end mills and sometimes 3/8 end mills. For 'hogging' material I use 3/8" corn cob (roughers) end mills. Larger end mills are just too hard on the machine. If in doubt about a cut, go slower and smaller (cutter, DOC, etc.) than you think you should. The mill and cutter will tell you when they are happy, and when they are not.

 

[Mr Mike]

Assuming it is in decent shape $1200 isn't a bad price, particularly if he includes any tooling. These are decent size garage mills, so if you are satisfied with the size that could push you towards the 728VT and save a bit of floor space. The 728 actually has a greater capacity than the PM25 or 704 despite being nominally the same size.

If you find the size limiting, then you know to go forward with the 833T or 932.

At $1200-1400 you shouldn't lose much if anything on resale. Something to look at is the drive, a conversion to belt drive is a common upgrade that would add value. Grizzly sells these with a DRO as the 759 adding about $1000 to the price.

It runs, that's good right... I could be wrong but I don't think its had very much heavy use, persons hobby is RC Planes & Boats,

I just ran the X & Y a little looking for tight spots & dings, none found, only extra it came with is a Vice still connected to its swivel base.. Ill go through and clean it up this week & find where they hide the magic in these things.

I told a fib saying I have mill coming on a slow boat from china, but its kind of true since I'm really using this to figure out what I actually need. should be fun to see if it can slowly mill a T-nut for my lathe, Maybe it will surprise me - worst case scenario I finally have some where to start.

Like you say its a cheap education going this route.

 

[matthewsx]

Well John, I got this Cute little baby size Mill. LOL, sorry I ruined your vicarious shopping spree... Promise, I'll do better on the next one

My first Mill just got home.... more photos to come later, got to start somewhere right.!

View attachment 493872

Nah, we know how these things work. You'll be back....



John

 

[dabear3428]

LOL... Got upset with you, ?? I'm not unhappy with anybody,,,

I was just doing more research on the PM-932 PDF, comparing prices and read that the stand comes standard with the PM-940 PDF... making them both the same price in the end - I just said its Disheartening, and cant justify paying the same price for a lessor machine is all...

I was just thrilled I caught that little piece of info....

heading to go pick up the Grizzly 7x27, Its small, cheap and maybe I can learn a thing or two on it,,,, definitely not my forever mill..!

lol "I was just doing more research on the PM-932 PDF, comparing prices and read that the stand comes standard with the PM-940 PDF... making them both the same price in the end - I just said its Disheartening, and cant justify paying the same price for a lessor machine is all..."

that was the part i was trying to convey to you, its not that the 932 is a bad choice but with everything you get for less than 1k (a lot less depending on the config) there is no real reason to get the 932 (at this time).
anyway the G0704 looks good and is the big brother to my starter mill, the G0758, i'm sure it will be a good learning mill for you.
BTW i found a place to get steel gears for the gear train on the G0758, I'm not sure but they may be the same parts in the G0704 so after i find time to install mine you may be interested in the results.

 

[dabear3428]

It runs, that's good right... I could be wrong but I don't think its had very much heavy use, persons hobby is RC Planes & Boats,

I just ran the X & Y a little looking for tight spots & dings, none found, only extra it came with is a Vice still connected to its swivel base.. Ill go through and clean it up this week & find where they hide the magic in these things.

I told a fib saying I have mill coming on a slow boat from china, but its kind of true since I'm really using this to figure out what I actually need. should be fun to see if it can slowly mill a T-nut for my lathe, Maybe it will surprise me - worst case scenario I finally have some where to start.

Like you say its a cheap education going this route.

"Like you say its a cheap education going this route."
I agree with this part 300%
good buy you are lucky, I paid 1200 for my G0758 with the stand as part of a package deal on my Axiom AR8, a little too much for that mill but it was in excellent shape and made the killer deal for the $9k cnc router possible. both machines had so little time on them that it was hard to tell that they had any.