PM-1440GT Pictures of mounted Scales?

[Beantown]

Howdy! Does anyone has a PM-1440GT how you mounted your scales? I'm specifically looking for the magnetic style. Most of the images I've found are glass scales and they are just different enough it doesn't give me the detail I'm hoping for.

I'm in the process of mounting mine and the directions from PM are awful. Seriously awful. Shockingly awful. I figured if I bought them from PM the instructions would be specific to my lathe model and the mounting hardware would not require modification. Totally wrong. I should have just bought a kit from DRO PROS...I know it's not brain surgery, but when drilling into a $12K machine it feels nice to have a picture or two to give you a ballpark idea. I even emailed PM Support and they didn't even have a picture to share. So far they are not living up to their customer service reputation. Great during pre-sales, but now that they have all my money they are about as helpful as a wet paper bag. #Regrets

Anyway, if anyone has some pictures to share that would be great. I searched the forum and found a few on the PM-1340GT (with glass scales), but nothing for the 1440GT and mag scales. I know it's close, but not sure how close. There are some flat standouts on the back of the 1440GT and look like they are made for mounting scales, but they don't line up with the mounting blocks or scales that came with my kit. Just wondering how people worked around those.

 

[davidpbest]

Full details for the DRO install on my PM-1340GT can be found at the link below. The 1440GT and 1340GT are almost identical when it comes to figuring out the DRO mounting requirements. Clicking on each photo will bring up a description.

The trickiest aspect is for the cross slide as a lot of the most common mounting arrangements block access to the cross slide locking bolt. My goal was to retain access to that locking bolt while not being forced to position the cross slide scale on the chuck side of the carriage. I also wanted to ensure substantial protection for the magnetic scales by mounting them with the mag-strip facing downward on both axis. In addition, I provisioned the long Z-axis scale with a drag change setup that includes the air and coolant hoses for a Fogbuster MQL coolant system on the cross slide. Hope this helps.

DRO Install PM1340 Lathe

DRO Pro's EL400 with magnetic scales. Description below each photo.

www.flickr.com

 

[Beantown]

Full details for the DRO install on my PM-1340GT can be found at the link below. The 1440GT and 1340GT are almost identical when it comes to figuring out the DRO mounting requirements. Clicking on each photo will bring up a description.

The trickiest aspect is for the cross slide as a lot of the most common mounting arrangements block access to the cross slide locking bolt. My goal was to retain access to that locking bolt while not being forced to position the cross slide scale on the chuck side of the carriage. I also wanted to ensure substantial protection for the magnetic scales by mounting them with the mag-strip facing downward on both axis. In addition, I provisioned the long Z-axis scale with a drag change setup that includes the air and coolant hoses for a Fogbuster MQL coolant system on the cross slide. Hope this helps.

DRO Install PM1340 Lathe

DRO Pro's EL400 with magnetic scales. Description below each photo.

www.flickr.com

Oh man! Thank you. That is perfect. I love the way you mounted them with the scale face downward. This is super helpful.

 

[netmagi]

I just did an entire video series on mounting scales on that exact lathe:

 

[Beantown]

Ha! I actually already watched and subscribed. Good stuff!

Everyone seems to be mounting theirs in-between those too pads. Mine is a bit more awkward. My scale is about 6 inches longer as it appears. It's too long to fit between and not long enough to straddle or mount directly to the pads.

I was hoping to see how someone mounted this MagXact kit like I have. The scales are way longer than most. My X-axis scale covers the entire side of the cross slide. I got that one mounted pretty easy, but I will need to modify the bracket significantly though. The Z-axis has me scratching my head a bit more. Mainly because I just want to do it right the first time. I don't like regrets. I already have regrets with buying this kit. Now I wish I would have just bought scales and went TouchDRO. I just ordered two TouchDRO controllers for fun, so that will be coming either way.

I was hoping to get the lathe all setup and then work on the mill. I ordered both at the same time, so I've got projects coming out my ears right now. Now that I realize I will probably need to modify or make my own mounting brackets I think I will pause on the lathe and get my mill setup.

Not how I had planned, but I guess having both to setup at the same time is better than having nothing to setup at all.

 

[netmagi]

Ha! I actually already watched and subscribed. Good stuff!

Everyone seems to be mounting theirs in-between those too pads. Mine is a bit more awkward. My scale is about 6 inches longer as it appears. It's too long to fit between and not long enough to straddle or mount directly to the pads.

I was hoping to see how someone mounted this MagXact kit like I have. The scales are way longer than most. My X-axis scale covers the entire side of the cross slide. I got that one mounted pretty easy, but I will need to modify the bracket significantly though. The Z-axis has me scratching my head a bit more. Mainly because I just want to do it right the first time. I don't like regrets. I already have regrets with buying this kit. Now I wish I would have just bought scales and went TouchDRO. I just ordered two TouchDRO controllers for fun, so that will be coming either way.

I was hoping to get the lathe all setup and then work on the mill. I ordered both at the same time, so I've got projects coming out my ears right now. Now that I realize I will probably need to modify or make my own mounting brackets I think I will pause on the lathe and get my mill setup.

Not how I had planned, but I guess having both to setup at the same time is better than having nothing to setup at all.

Awesome, and thx!

Keep in mind the pad closest to the headstock will be blocked once the backsplash is re-installed. You can always just do some shims to space over the tailstock side pad. You'll probably end up needing to use a few shims anyway to avoid parallax error on the Z. I think I needed a few thou on one end, and a shim in the center when indicating the full length of the scale with an indicator on the carriage.

What mill did you get?

 

[Beantown]

What mill did you get?

PM-935TS in 3-phase. I was all set to cancel my PM order on the 1440GT and go with an ACRA 14x40 lathe and an ACRA 9x42 mill, but I just didn't have the extra room and the delivery was going to be a mess.

Keep in mind the pad closest to the headstock will be blocked once the backsplash is re-installed. You can always just do some shims to space over the tailstock side pad. You'll probably end up needing to use a few shims anyway to avoid parallax error on the Z. I think I needed a few thou on one end, and a shim in the center when indicating the full length of the scale with an indicator on the carriage.

See this is a great tip already. I currently have my backsplash off and I probably would have mounted the scale in the way. LOL

I'm really good an over engineering something and then brainfarting my way into a problem like that.

 

[7milesup]

I'm really good an over engineering something and then brainfarting my way into a problem like that.

My God, I found my long-lost brother! LOL