PM 728T and 1236T microshop build thread

CliveFX said:
Hey all, I have a few updates:

1. I ordered some carry master ac300s for the mill and the lathe. They have a 500lb rating each. This is smaller than I would like, but still has 2.5x margin on the lathe, and 3 point contact with 300lb headroom. I picked them because they are short. Short means stiff when the feet are lowered. If this ends up not working well, I will replace them with standard level feet later.

2. Went with yaksawa VFD per this message from mksj:

Hi, I usually would use the WJ200-015SF or the Yaskawa GA50UB010ABA, both are a bit less expensive. The reason I primarily use the Yaskawa VFD's is more flexibly in the programming parameters as well as the programming software is much easier to use. The JOG function in the WJ200 is a bit quirky so requires both the jog input to be active which sets the frequency and a direction input, so either requires dual switches or directional diodes so when the run commands operate they do not back feed the jog. Yaskawa has separate inputs for the jog, it also has a separate E-Stop programable input. A number of other tweaks, but they both work well and have been very reliable. I just did a 1440GT complete system build and used the GA50UB012ABA for the 3Hp motor. No need to oversize a VFD unless there are derating factors. I can provide you with a parameter set for the GA500 if you decide to use it.
Click to expand...
I have done this twice, and i will tell you that none of the casters of caster jacks have been anything to write home about and i think my last set was 1200lb rated. there is enough flex in the pad or the swivel mechanism to make the install less that stable. am i worried about it falling over? No is it less than satisfactory stable yes. the solution i found the best is the type that removes the wheels completely from the assembly when it is inplace and the wheel only go down when you want to move it. I have also thought about replacing the pucks in this type with Aluminum.

these work if the weight limits are ok


this does not work well either

 
Thanks for all your advice so far.
I received the carry master level feet. I am likely to replace them eventually with real leveling feet. However, for the purposes of getting the lathe set up and moved into location, they seem like they will do the job. I can swap them out quite easily with blocks later, one at a time.

I am working on a VFD/PLC conversion for the lathe, because I am familiar with Automation Direct PLCs. I am probably going to put a small HMI panel on the lathe. I can read out spindle load and RPM from that. Can anyone provide me the measurements of the control panel?
I will have Front Panel Express make me a custom one with my controls in it. I want to make sure I can fit the automation direct PLC HMI in there. I don't think I can (3.24" tall, 4.5" wide, 4.02x2.76" cutout)
Would be super cool if I could!

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Welcome.
We lived in San Ramon back when it was rolling hills. Yeah, I'm old.
Every job begins with a saw. :)
My shop is 20 x 22. It's my Disneyland. A lot of guys put out some amazing work in small basement shops.
Have fun.
 
The harbor freight bandsaw is in the mail :D
Edit: and the lennox blade is already here.
 
UPDATE: Machines came yesterday. ABF freight is not very timely. They do have a cool electric truck.
The guy unloading the truck did the sketchiest move I have seen in all my time in industry. He had the lathe on the pallet jack in the truck, the bed of the lathe perpendicular to the axis of the truck. The handle of the pallet jack was facing the rear of the truck, and he was behind the lathe, pushing it toward the raised lift gate. He pushed it such that the main steering wheel of the pallet jack dropped off the edge of the raised liftgate.
I swore he was gonna launch the lathe from a 5' height. Somehow it worked, when the wheel left the edge of the liftgate, the pallet fell against the liftgate and stopped moving. It was super sketch though.

Anyway, moving the mill was simple. We had a terrace to descend, and we used a harbor freight motorcycle lift to get it down to the lower patio. Still need to move it into the shop.

The lathe, holy crap, the lathe. Few things:
1. The new harbor freight 2 ton crane has narrower legs than I think anyone is aware of at QMT. It would not fit around the lathe pallet.
2. Even if it did, it would not fit around the larger pallet that ABF put under it. It took us an hour and a half to walk the thing off the pallets enough to grab it.
3. It also has a much smaller hook and it doesn't seem to like having four straps going through it.
4. I must have had some really bad plywood, because the lower stretchers kept popping when we started the lift. Switched to 2x4s.
5. We managed to get the lathe off the pallet, onto carts, and under a box and a tarp by 10pm.

So right now, I have the mill and lathe under tarps while we figure out our next move.

From what I could see, late at night, the quality of everything is fantastic. The lathe parts move beautifully. I learned on a clapped out Bridgeport and and old Leblond, and every machine shop I have ran since then had a 1970s era HLV. I have never had a "new" thing that wasn't CNC that I could use, and man, it sure is nice.
 
Great to hear!

When I received my lathe from PM the pallets were so large that I had to cut them away from underneath, while using machine movers off amazon to set it lower. Then used a toe jack to get it off the movers. It's a crazy process.
 
Update: We got the mill on the stand, and the lathe is now in my courtyard on a custom lathe sled that I rage-built out of 2x12s. We have managed to not damage or nick anything, except for a tiny fleck of paint on the gear cover on the lathe.

I think the lathe will have to stay out there (under the crate-top, under a tarp) for a few days while I attend to a few family obligations this weekend.

Overall thoughts:
1. The mill is way smaller than I expected, despite my accurate layout. It just doesn't take up that much visual space. The lathe is just a smidge smaller than I expected, this is generally good.
2. Carry master leveling feet are.. good. Not amazing, but very happy I have them on the lathe stand and the mill. It made putting the mill into final position trivial.
3. Anti-seize is going into the trash, I would rather use my $200 a tube Krytox grease than the $5 a jar silver crap that sticks on your hands forever. I had to wash my hands with soap, hot water, more soap, vegetable oil, more soap, etc.
4. TimberLoks are amazing screws
5. The high-end Makitas just work, made it a dream to put together the sled.

I would share photos but the room is just such a mess right now. I am also assembling a harbor freight bandsaw which seems to be a much bigger project than I expected. I might need to sink another two hours into it.

Any advise for removing all that oil from the machines? Both of these things are soaked. It's like they went through an oil spraybooth.
I am thinking of a wipe down with rags, then some WD40, then a wipe with a clean rag, then a surfactant cleaner on all painted or rust proof surfaces, then way oil on all exposed steel.

Next up is mounting the lathe, cleaning the machines, putting their DRO monitors up, then doing the VFD mod (Yaksawa VFD and PLC control system, getting a few Click PLC parts from Ebay shortly)
After that is goes into installing the Rocketronics ELS Pro with Clearpath servos. The Z axis is pretty easy, the X axis is a mystery.
 
My go-to for cleaning newer machines is low-odor mineral spirits. It's effective, relatively cheap, relatively non-toxic, inoffensive, and doesn't leave a film. For older machines with lots of varnish and crud, it's WD-40 followed by mineral spirits. Once clean, I put a thin coating of way oil on exposed metal.

I wouldn't recommend anti-seize for anything but fasteners that have completely buried threads or that will spend their lives well out of the way of incidental contact.
 
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