PM-728VT vs PM-727V

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1st post, I have a small detached heated slab shop at home.
Working on jeeps and general fabrication and light gun smithing.
I am looking to get a vert bench mill (mounted on a stand)
Mostly small milling projects making bits and pieces for fabrication projects and likely gun smithing, typ milling receivers, etc.

For the most part my equipment is top shelf US brands. Migs and Tigs are Lincoln and Hobart, plasma is Hypertherm,
Will a 727V need to be completely gone through and re-assembled upon receiving it? or are they typ ready to mill?
what typ of tolerances can I expect with the 727?

Has anyone purchased a 727 or PM-30MV and wished they bought one of the Taiwan units ?

Let me know your thoughts on the PM China vs Taiwan ??
 
Hey Slacker, I can't help as I don't have mill yet myself. Just following along to see the guys have to say!
 
Just my opinion, but having been down this road I would not buy Chinese again unless funds or availability demanded it. I have owned several bench mills (all chinese) from little table tops to my CO 9x40 bed mill (pretty much the same as the PM940). I finally sold the 9x40 and bought a 935 because I do mostly pistolsmithing and I wanted a knee and a articulating head.

Matt didn't have any Taiwan mills back when I was buying bench mills, but if I was in the market today I would be looking at either the 728VT or the 833TV. But I'm more interested in quality, accuracy, and longevity as opposed to sheer size, power, or hogging capabilities in my machines.

Both my lathe and mill are PM Taiwan machines that have performed very well over the years that I have had them. :)

EDIT: I spent a year working on my CO 9x40 to get it where I wanted it. I had to make new gibbs, trued up the saddle and table ways, replaced the leadscrews and nuts, plus bearings. Replaced the spindle bearings with class 7 bearings, removed the gears and replaced with a two-speed belt drive, and put a VFD on it. And I counter-weighted the head. When I bought the 935 I sold the CO to a friend who loves that thing and is still using it.
 
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I faced a similar choice a few months back. I got the 728-vt. It can be confusing, as the specifications are not given with the same metrics. For example, Y travel is given for the 727, but with no mention as to how much of that travel is fully supported by the dovetails/ways. But the 728-vt gives that metric.

Example:
728-vt, Cross Travel (Y Axis) 8.5″ With Full Way Support, 10” to Travel Stop
727-v, Cross Travel (Y Axis): 8-1/2″ (with no mention to how much of it is with full way support).

Some descriptions are "confusing", the 728-vt says: ".....with mating surfaces Hand Scraped..."
But, on mine ONLY the X-Axis was hand scraped. The Y and Z-Axis are NOT hand scraped.

Some things which swayed me towards the 728-vt was the ONE SHOT oiling system, which simplifies lubrication of the mill. I liked how it had a "bit" more X-Axis travel (and potential Y-Axis travel). Also, the 4000 RPM spindle speed (as versus 3000 RPM on the 727) will be important for smaller diameter milling flutes. The warranty is 5 years on the 728, as versus 3 years on the 727, I like it when a seller has more faith in a product. The head uses a worm gear for easier tram adjustments too.

The 727 does claim a larger drill capacity, but it does not state whether that is when it is running on 110 or 220, the specs for the 728 are for 110v. The 727 weighs more, and the general "view" is that more weight offers better rigidity. I don't always accept the general wisdom, as I realize that design also has a significant influence on rigidity as well. My sub-2000 pound lotus has a more rigid frame and suspension, than my 4680 pound Dodge Durango (less body flex under higher-G corners).
 
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I put a one-shot on my 9x40 and loved it. I won't own a machine without one now.
 
I have a 727V. 728VT is a really nice small mill, the 727V not nearly as nice but much beefier.

For anything that needs low rpm (alloy/tool steel/stainless, annular cutters, boring large holes, slitting saws) the geared head and bigger motor make the 727V way more capable. Drilling a 1/2" hole in 4140 w/ a HSS bit calls for 440 RPM; at that speed the 727V will have 3x the effective power of the 728VT. At lower speeds it's even more dramatic.

On the other hand, the 727V has trouble spinning fast enough to really go to town on aluminum. Oiling it is a pain. Tramming it is annoying.

Depends on what you want out of it.
 
Lotus Elise, track prepared (further lightened), supercharged, suspension upgrades, baffled and trap-doored fuel tank to prevent fuel starvation during sweeping turns, the same with the 7 quart oil pan... many other numerous upgrades... just Barely street legal (or at least in rural Arizona). I think the Evora GT tips the scale at over 3000 pounds, a bit porky by comparison. The 1.8 liter engine in the car produces more HP than the 4.7 liter overhead cam V8 in my Durango Sport. It is a hoot to drive, but it will kill you rather fast due to it being mid-engine, with all of the potential for "snap oversteer".
 
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