Which mill should I get?

Pcmaker said:
I always lock the head on my PM25MV when I'm milling. I've never used a knee mill before. So you don't have to lock the Z axis when you're using a knee mill? I guess the weight of the table is already being pushed down when you're milling, so it's not moving.
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While theoretically it is wise to lock the z-axis, in practice with several hundred pounds holding it down, it is unlikely to move outside of a 0.001" kind of tolerance. If you are going for extreme precision, you lock down Z also. Locking Z-axis also improves the rigidity of the machine and can improve surface finish.
 
David linked you to my thread, where the knee vs bench mill issue was raked over for a while. It helped me a lot in driving me towards a decision. I'm still in limbo (barely), but the things brought up really helped me to understand the pros and cons and issues involved. I was a bit ignorant.

Good luck with your decision, and I hope you don't take as long as I am to decide, LOL! :encourage:
 
What worries me about getting the large knee mills is how I'm going to get it off the pallet it's sitting on and how to move it to a desired spot inside my 2 car garage.
 
If you don't get a Bridgeport or equivalent, you'll be back in a few years with "what mill should I buy". :)

I hoisted my Bridgeport equivalent by the eyehook on the ram with the HF engine hoist, and set it on a pallet jack. You can roll it around (on concrete) as needed easily, and I put it up on two 4x4s to both raise the working height a bit and so that I can put the jack back in and move it again. In 10 years I never have moved it 0.001"

And yes, the Z height is very solid even without locking. For normal cuts, I don't lock X or Y, but for heavy cuts, or if you are setting up a precise spot with the DRO for several tool changes and don't want a thou or so movement, it is the thing to do.
 
With your list of desires, you should have both feet planted firmly in Bridgeport (equivalent) territory right now. They're plentiful at $2-$4k. Once you transition into the BP form factor, you'll know you've arrived.

I plan to die with my Lagun FTV-3 still in my shop, and I'm a youngun' round these parts.
 
I bought a PM 935 TS 3 phase mill over a year ago and I love the mill. I came from a round column bench mill and it is night and day difference. I work mostly in aluminum and mild steel. I am not doing production work with the mill so If I have to take a few more lighter cuts to get the job done so be it. I bought the VFD for PM as well and it is Very nice. I rented an engine lift to get the mill off the pallet and put in place. It took me a few hours to get the mill off the pallet and located in my shop where I wanted it. If you are going to be doing machining for personal uses and not worried if you have to take a few more cuts to get the job done I would highly recommend the PM 935 TS.

Roger L
 
I have been looking at bench tops and the PM-25v is what would work for me. If you are going to sell yours let me know what options it has and what you have to go with it along with a price.
 
What would be the Bridgeport equivalent of a PM machine?
 
rogerl said:
I bought a PM 935 TS 3 phase mill over a year ago and I love the mill. I came from a round column bench mill and it is night and day difference. I work mostly in aluminum and mild steel. I am not doing production work with the mill so If I have to take a few more lighter cuts to get the job done so be it. I bought the VFD for PM as well and it is Very nice. I rented an engine lift to get the mill off the pallet and put in place. It took me a few hours to get the mill off the pallet and located in my shop where I wanted it. If you are going to be doing machining for personal uses and not worried if you have to take a few more cuts to get the job done I would highly recommend the PM 935 TS.

Roger L
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I've had my 935TS for about 5 years now, and it does everything I want. A friend who wanted my previous bench mill made me a stand for the mill that has levelers and wheels on it, and raises the mill about 5" or so. Works good for me, and I'm about 6'3".
 
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