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Re: My First Mill - PM45M-PDF
For the lathe...
For the lathe...
-
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My PM45M-PDF
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2012
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Re: My First Mill - PM45M-PDF
Both the stand for the lathe & mill have the same construction & IMO they lack quality. They're not cast iron which would be nice but they do the job. I wish I had a pul out chip tray rather than just the chip pan. It's annoying sometimes when it get full of swarf.
The 12x36 is still considered a bench top lathe & others have used their own benches to mount the lathe on. But I have no plans on changing the stand for the lathe because of the spindle foot brake. The foot brack assy is in the left side base & goes through the chip pan. The right side houses the coolant pump/tank which I don't use (not yet anyway). The section in the middle is just a cover & serves no purpose other than cosmetic.
The Grizzly stands for their lathes seem to look nicer but I've never actually seen one in person. If I did not have a foot brack I'd probably think about mounting the lathe on a bench with drawers under for storage.
The quality of the stand that I received for my mill is worse than my lathe. The door hinges bind & the welds aren't good at all. But again it does the job. The mill stand also has a door in the rear to house the coolant pump/tank. Why they choose to paint the inside that ugly yellow beats the hell out of me. I repainted the whole thing though inside & out.
Both the stand for the lathe & mill have the same construction & IMO they lack quality. They're not cast iron which would be nice but they do the job. I wish I had a pul out chip tray rather than just the chip pan. It's annoying sometimes when it get full of swarf.
The 12x36 is still considered a bench top lathe & others have used their own benches to mount the lathe on. But I have no plans on changing the stand for the lathe because of the spindle foot brake. The foot brack assy is in the left side base & goes through the chip pan. The right side houses the coolant pump/tank which I don't use (not yet anyway). The section in the middle is just a cover & serves no purpose other than cosmetic.
The Grizzly stands for their lathes seem to look nicer but I've never actually seen one in person. If I did not have a foot brack I'd probably think about mounting the lathe on a bench with drawers under for storage.
The quality of the stand that I received for my mill is worse than my lathe. The door hinges bind & the welds aren't good at all. But again it does the job. The mill stand also has a door in the rear to house the coolant pump/tank. Why they choose to paint the inside that ugly yellow beats the hell out of me. I repainted the whole thing though inside & out.
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- Oct 6, 2012
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Re: My First Mill - PM45M-PDF
Thank you for the feedback on the stands.. I am thinking about later next year of getting one of the PM lathes.. and I was truly curious about the quality of the stands.. I have a friend that is a welder.. might have him make me one and not worry about the one that Matt has.. though, I could possibly make a work station out of it..
Doc
Thank you for the feedback on the stands.. I am thinking about later next year of getting one of the PM lathes.. and I was truly curious about the quality of the stands.. I have a friend that is a welder.. might have him make me one and not worry about the one that Matt has.. though, I could possibly make a work station out of it..
Doc
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Re: My First Mill - PM45M-PDF
No problem. I'm not sure if it's worth the trouble to go and make a new stand for it. Unless you had one ready to go or wanted to add storage underneath. The middle cover can be unbolted & some drawers could installed there. I've been thinking to cut out the chip pan & installed a pull out chip tray there. But that's a lot of work, maybe some day.
No problem. I'm not sure if it's worth the trouble to go and make a new stand for it. Unless you had one ready to go or wanted to add storage underneath. The middle cover can be unbolted & some drawers could installed there. I've been thinking to cut out the chip pan & installed a pull out chip tray there. But that's a lot of work, maybe some day.
- Joined
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Re: My First Mill - PM45M-PDF
My mill originally had a DRO installed but since I ordered it without they took it off. Matt offered me an unbelieveable deal on the 3 axis DRO that came off my mill & I'd be an idiot for passing on such a steal. Better for me as all I had to do is bolt it back on & align it. And I'll be able to just change the display later.
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Re: My First Mill - PM45M-PDF
Do you have any pictures of the x-axis without the splash shield installed? I am wondering how the cross slide chip shield clears the reader head. I mounted my x-axis in the same place but haven't figured out the chip shield yet.
Do you have any pictures of the x-axis without the splash shield installed? I am wondering how the cross slide chip shield clears the reader head. I mounted my x-axis in the same place but haven't figured out the chip shield yet.
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Re: My First Mill - PM45M-PDF
I needed to retap one of the holes this morning so here's a couple of pics. I was stumped at first too where to mount the read head when I first mounted the scale. Then when I removed the chip guard & saw the two holes for the read head, I then knew what these two mysterious spacers were for.
I needed to retap one of the holes this morning so here's a couple of pics. I was stumped at first too where to mount the read head when I first mounted the scale. Then when I removed the chip guard & saw the two holes for the read head, I then knew what these two mysterious spacers were for.
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Re: My First Mill - PM45M-PDF
Here's a thought if you don't mind... Before you trim those splash shields, consider installing a little piece of something to cover the ends. I used a piece of vinyl that happened to be around and used silicone glue to hold it. It's been sticking there for 2 years. Also, I put a bead of silicone along the seam where it contacts the table. -Makes a nice rain gutter and nothing at all gets on the sensors.
Ray
Here's a thought if you don't mind... Before you trim those splash shields, consider installing a little piece of something to cover the ends. I used a piece of vinyl that happened to be around and used silicone glue to hold it. It's been sticking there for 2 years. Also, I put a bead of silicone along the seam where it contacts the table. -Makes a nice rain gutter and nothing at all gets on the sensors.
Ray
