PM-25-MV (BF L Type) Conversion / Mods

[photomankc]

Test fit seems to indicate that it's a go! If I get ambitious I may start drilling tonight.

I think it may have cost about 1/8" of travel at the top but I don't want the display any lower on the saddle than that and the higher you raise it past this point the more travel it costs. On the left side it would cost nothing in travel but that would be less convienient to view but not a concern if there were a remote display.

[metalworkz]

It looks pretty good, only a bit of interference by the quill handles.

Regards,

[photomankc]

Drilled and tapped the mounting holes. Man, the bondo is thick on this sucker. I'm going to need to get that knocked off the mounting pads eventually. It really gave me fits getting the crappy little scale to work because of course the bondo is not flat so it's imparting some twists to things that had to be worked out. Wasn't thnking of that. The scale would go nuts every time I locked down the ruler portion and it's pretty iffy without any stress anyway. If I ever see anyone selling a vertical version of that nice one I have for the X axis I'll snap it up instantly. I'd have to machine a new rear mounting plate for it but that's a relatively easy part.

[photomankc]

It looks pretty good, only a bit of interference by the quill handles.

Regards,

Thanks!

In operation it's really not bad at all. I don't think I'll need to crain around to see it really. If I could have gotten it a hair higher without cutting travel I'd have liked to but this should work.

[photomankc]

Well, I have not updated in a while so I'll post where things are right now:

I have a new gib strip coming for the Z axis from QMT... someday if the boat from China remembers to bring it. I want to see if that provides any improvement to the Z axis locking / rocking. I'm guessing it won't but it will still let me measure and play with one without having to mess with the head each time. A brass replacement is what I am considering making.

Other projects have included getting some basic accessories made for my 10x22 lathe. That in and of itself consumed a lot of time.

Tailstock Die Holder

Boring Bar Holder

Carriage Stop and Screwless Vice Improvements

I finally sat down and came up with a way to mount my rotary table to the mill. I had the little Sherline 4" setup for the T-Slots on the old X2 but that setup didn't fit the slots of the new PM-25 so I created an adapter plate that will both bolt to the table directly or that can be tossed into the vice as well. As it turns out that was a good project because I have also purchased Hoss's plans for his quill-retaining belt drive and one of the parts is going to need the rotary table to make I think.

Rotary Table Horz. Adapter

I'm working now on converting the DXF drawings of the drive to SolidEdge which I use for CAD and also making 3D models of the parts in Rhino. I'll have to get down to business here soon and pull the quill out to measure and make sure the G0704 dimensions match the PM-25 in the critical locations. For now I will be limited to the low range since my bearings are not going to take 5000+ RPM but I understand that up to 3000+ can be obtained in low range and that is plenty for most of my manual work.

The reason I'm going belt is simply that the low gear in this thing sounds God-awful. In any milling operation that is interrupted it sounds like there are rocks banging around inside. I can see no broken teeth or feel any slipping as it rotates but put a face mill in and take on steel in low gear and it sounds like it will beat itself to death. High gear is fine but it revs up too far if it's asked to really cut heavy with large diameters in high gear.

I'm hoping the belt drive will make it less annoying to listen to and run a little smoother in those low RPM steel cuts.

Most recent project is making the little Dividing Head that was in this month's Machinists Workshop. I should have some photos of it soon.

I will update the thread as I progress making the belt drive parts. I'm slow so bear with me.

After the belt drive it's on to Hoss's phase 1 CNC conversion.

[doorknob]

Have I read the specs on this machine correctly - is the maximum R8 collet tool holding diameter 3/4"? Or will it accomodate a collet that holds a 1" end mill with a 1" shaft?

[photomankc]

I don't think you can get to a 1" shank with an R8. Biggest I have seen is 7/8" and they are rare. I also think you would be pushing things using a 1" to do anything beyond light work, maybe facing. It's a good machine but 3/4" end mills start to vibrate pretty good in a heavier cut.

[mwood3]

I don't think you can get to a 1" shank with an R8. Biggest I have seen is 7/8" and they are rare. I also think you would be pushing things using a 1" to do anything beyond light work, maybe facing. It's a good machine but 3/4" end mills start to vibrate pretty good in a heavier cut.

we have 1 1/8" R8 collets at work...but even on a seiki XL they seldom get used...

I was thinking of getting some of the bigger collets for lathe work on the mill...

[photomankc]

Getting close to haveing the model of the drive put together from the plans. Definately a few differences on the larger motor of the PM-25. I hope to get started on the pulleys in the next few weeks. I want to practice a few cuts on the cheap 1" stock I have before I go for it on the full sized stoc. I have the basic base rails finished now but I'm not going to drill and tap the locations for the motor plate until I have it test mounted on the head to make sure the new plate design will fit up right.

The vice mountable rotab came in real handy cutting the 45* features on the base rails.

I'll also be working on the side to complete the phase 1 CNC parts when I have down time from building the belt drive parts.

[ma1]

Photomankc,

Thanks for all the info and pictures. I am planning to buy a Weiss clone here soon, but Grizzly is out of stock until October 15. I don't feel like paying extra 200 dollars to the machinetool guys for the PMLV20, and I seem to read that you had more tram problems with it than people talk about the Grizzly. Is there any other place that sells this clone similar to Grizzly pricing?

Also, how do you cheaply put the machine on top of the stand once it is shipped?

Thanks

MA

[mwood3]

Also, how do you cheaply put the machine on top of the stand once it is shipped?

2 friends and a hernia...or take the head off and 2 people can easily lift it.

IMO the best way to remove the head is to tilt the head 90 degrees to the right and with a piece of card board directly on the table then wood on top of that...lower the head until it takes all the load off. then loosen the 2 bolts and the small set screw and shimmy the head off the carriage. after that you should be able to move the head alone.

(hint: when reinstalling the head make use of the x and y handles...they make alignment a snap)

[photomankc]

MA,

The Grizzly is I think the best bang for the buck you are going to find and with a little tweaking of the controller you will have the same RPM as my machine and more beefy lower bearings. I like my machine pretty well now and yes I had some initial difficulty in getting it squared back up but that was probably more the fault of me taking it apart than the machine being faulty. Once I figured out how to get the column up straight things came together again. I have more backlash than G0704 owners report and a rather poorly fitting Z gib but that is not unknown to others with these same class of machines.

It's hard to say. Being on a waiting list that long really sucks and I didn't want to wait. However if I had than a lot of the mods being done now would be no-brainers. With this machine I have to double check everything in a mod to be sure the dimensions match and often there is enough difference to cause problems. I've been feeding back some of my findings to Hoss so he can note those differences in his plans.

It's a fun machine and the guys at QMT are very willing to help, but sometimes it takes a little prodding to get them to follow through. I have been working with Grizzly on a G0602 lathe issue and so far I am not impressed by the customer service I have recieved from them but I'm hoping it will get better as we get past the looking for a reason to dismiss the issue phase. QMT may take some prodding but they don't seem so eager to look for ways to dismiss the problems.

I got it onto the stand with me power. I had to break it down to get it down the stairs and handle lifting the chunks myself but were I to do it again I would do everything possible to keep the column attached in getting it up there. I would want to know how well everything was squared before I broke that connection.

Let me know if you have any other questions.