PM-1660TL

[erikmannie]

I will document the details of how I set up the PM-1660TL that I have backordered for 10 weeks or more.

This will be my first 3 phase machine. I need to educate myself on how to power the machine from the 220V, 40A outlet which is located about 4 feet from the headstock.

This 220V outlet is currently used for my Miller welding machines. The outlet has two female receptacles (3 and 4 prong).

Our breaker box is 100% full, so I cannot add another 220V outlet.

A YouTube video (which I will link to below) shows how to do this “on the headstock end”. This will get me a power cord, so I just need to plan the 220 3 phase to 220 single phase.

 

[erikmannie]

I am also ordering the taper attachment. I am curious if this will fit in between the ways and the backsplash.

The machine comes with an 9” 3 jaw chuck. Precision Matthews offers a 10” 4 jaw chuck in the options. This is my third order with PM, and they have never let me down. Unless I hear otherwise, I will choose their 10” 4J.

EDIT: Not surprisingly, the taper attachment does indeed fit between the ways and the splashguard.

 

[erikmannie]

This YouTuber made my day with his PM-1640TL videos. I will probably watch all of those videos about 20 times each.

 

[ddickey]

You only get one chuck?

 

[erikmannie]

You only get one chuck?

Looks like it:

 

[erikmannie]

The logical location in my 2 car garage for the lathe is on the street side of the garage, close to where the automatic garage door rolls down and parallel to the street.

Hopefully nobody in my family will run a car into the garage door because that would not help the lathe.

This location will be an easy install as far as the forklift is concerned. Speaking of which, my plan for that is to rent a forklift (I am certified for the specific forklift at work). If they won’t rent me a forklift, I will have to hire a rigger. There is a company in my area named Precision Crane. That would be the easiest job that they have ever had, although my driveway does have a slight slope.

 

[erikmannie]

In order to afford this machine, I had to give up my future plans to attend vocation school AND get a personal loan for 60% of the order total, the APR of which is a whopping 22.9%. This was obviously an impulsive, wasteful financial plan.

There is not currently room in the garage for anything new, much less this 110” long machine. I have to move out my last workbench (I moved the first bench out when I got my 10” lathe).

Additionally, I have to move out all of my bicycles in order to keep my welding table in the garage. Never mind the fact that the welding table no longer be anywhere near the 220V outlet.

 

[erikmannie]

Finally (for now), I would like to keep my PM-1030V lathe because it has never caused me a single problem. I would be very interested in justifications for having two lathes in a hobby shop.

The only reason that I would let it go is to free up valuable shop space. The PM-1030V is bolted to the ground, so I drilled into the concrete floor. Clearly, I wasn’t thinking ahead so much.

 

[benmychree]

Powering the 3 phase would probably be best solved with a frequency drive unit, you likely would not need to use the variable frequency feature, but it would be quiet, unlike RPCs and give you smooth starts and full horsepower.

 

[FOMOGO]

Just me, but I never buy anything I can't pay cash for, and 23% interest in my opinion is just nuts. I just bought a 1940 Sidney lathe in very nice condition, with a taper attachment, 3 jaw, and 2 four jaw chucks, 16.5" swing, 4500#, for $1700. To me the whole idea of having these machines is to learn to make, and repair things. Why not find a well maintained, used quality machine, and save yourself a whole lot of money, and maybe learn some useful things in the process. Your money, jmho. Mike