Looking to purchase PM-935TV next year.. anyone familiar with this machine?

Pcmaker

Pcmaker

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I'm upgrading my PM-25MV and the PM-935TV seems to be the one I'm going for. Any here familiar with it?

I've been putting it together on the PM site and it's pushing 9k... I can buy 4 of my current vehicle with this money, so I'm making sure my investment is good.

I want a ridgid machine that can handle using 1/2" end mills because my PM25MV has trouble with even 3/8 end mills. It's not ridgid enough and I have to deal with vibrations all the time.

I want something that I will not outgrow and I mainly work with steel such as 1018 and hardened steels to make or modify tools.

I'll be getting it with 3 axis DRO, X axis power feed and knee Z axis power feed.

Any pros and cons with this machine?
 
You will find lots of info in the archive, and HERE.
 
Well, I've seen 1/4" end mills cause vibrations in 3000 lb. mills. Maybe you should be looking at a 10x50?

A machinist friend once told me that bridgeport type mills are not real mills as they are machines better used for light-duty prototyping and whatnot. His idea of a real mill started with a 5T bed mill. :)

I have a 935 and think it is no more rigid than my old CO 9x40 mill. It is a lot easier to do setups on with the knee and articulating head though. But I only do small projects and pistol smithing, so I'm not hard on my machines. I do use 1/2" end mills on occasion, but I don't attempt to bury them in 4140 or similar metals. YMMV. :)
 
wrmiller said:
A machinist friend once told me that bridgeport type mills are not real mills
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My instructor for the machine shop courses at the local college would always say BP knee mills were just glorified drill presses. There were 4 BPs there, a Sharp knee mill which was very nice, and a Ganesh knee mill that none of us ever got to use cause that thing was always broken down. The tool room guy hated that machine with a passion cause he was sick of working on it.
 
I own a PM935TV. I selected this machine because it was the largest knee mill I could get into my shop by myself (no fork lift access). If I could have a do over I would go with the 3 phase TS. The TV head is nice for quick speed changes but it is noisy. I think performance is impacted by working the machine within it's operating limits (tooling, speeds, feeds, work holding etc).
 
I have the PM950V and I really like it. I have just done smalls jobs for myself on it. The only downside is the 50” table. I have everything in tight space but the size comes in handy so it is a good compromise.
 
bretthl said:
I own a PM935TV. I selected this machine because it was the largest knee mill I could get into my shop by myself (no fork lift access). If I could have a do over I would go with the 3 phase TS. The TV head is nice for quick speed changes but it is noisy. I think performance is impacted by working the machine within it's operating limits (tooling, speeds, feeds, work holding etc).
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I bought the TS and put a VFD on it because Reeves drives are expensive to repair/rebuild, noisy, and more expensive.

When Matt introduced the 935, I saw it as a much more flexible version of my 9x40 bench mill, with much better quality to boot.
 
I'm thinking of going the CNC route in the future so a knee mill may not be the best choice
 
Pcmaker said:
I'm upgrading my PM-25MV and the PM-935TV seems to be the one I'm going for. Any here familiar with it?


I'll be getting it with 3 axis DRO, X axis power feed and knee Z axis power feed.
Click to expand...

No specific knowledge of the PM935TV; however, I have a PM Bench Mill on my wish list (model will depend upon what is available when I decide to upgrade), and one thing I plan on doing is try to work with PM to include glass scales only so I won’t have to mount them and can add a TouchDRO adapter & App. PM is close enough to me that I plan on a pre-purchase visit to discuss a lot of details.
 
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