Buying a PM932

I just got mine a lil while back and mine came with this 1/2 inch drill chuck it's not the best but it'll work till I can buy a more precision chuck
20180331_001335.jpg
 
Their online manual says it comes with a facemill but it only comes with an arbor pm said they stopped getting them because they were junk
 
Hi again,

Didn't get a chance to order mine last week, general life/dad/spouse responsibilities took center stage.

While I'm here I have to ask, what is the expected depth of cut on say mild steel? Let's assume .5 end mill. I know other factors can contribute to an exact answer, but one of the big reasons for moving on from the little Atlas mill and Jefferson mill was due to the very light cuts that I was forced into making with those two machines. And honestly those light cuts drove me bananas, not counting the super small work tables.

I've searched around and seem to only find results related to this machine for cutting aluminum. For whatever reason, all of my projects seem to revolve around steel.
 
OK, I'm going to offer just a quick opinion from my point of view- after recently converting my RF30 mill to CNC.

CNC is fun and addicting, and for most of us the affordability is always a big factor. Nowadays it can be done pretty inexpensively (I detailed my $500 cnc conversion here somewhere). I love it, it was well within my comfort zone of if I screw it up I'm not out a lot of money, if I don't like it or find it difficult again I'm not out a lot of money etc. However, having done it, it's very addicting because you have a lot to learn and you can now build things that are almost impossible to do by hand. So I'm pretty happy with converting my old RF30.

However, now I'm starting to realize all the short comings of a DIY solution too. It's not just about turning motors through CNC but also all the other things- ballscrews, a better VFD spindle motor that can turn at high speeds, a coolant system, an enclosure and then future upgrade-ability to automatic tool changers and such.

If all you can comfortably afford is a DIY conversion go for it but if you can afford a real cnc machine like a Tormach I'd say you'll buy quality once, cry once. Also, consider the cost of the mill and the conversion against the cost of a Tormach say a 770 that you can start with now and then add the gee-whiz parts to it later on. I'd think you might not be too far off?

As I said before, all I could afford comfortably for this hobby (I have several others :() was the conversion and I have no regrets for the bang for the buck (since I already owned the mill). I just wish I had all the features I mentioned or at least the ability to add them as I progress - which may not seem important now but they will be as you really get into it.
 
Hi again,

Didn't get a chance to order mine last week, general life/dad/spouse responsibilities took center stage.

While I'm here I have to ask, what is the expected depth of cut on say mild steel? Let's assume .5 end mill. I know other factors can contribute to an exact answer, but one of the big reasons for moving on from the little Atlas mill and Jefferson mill was due to the very light cuts that I was forced into making with those two machines. And honestly those light cuts drove me bananas, not counting the super small work tables.

I've searched around and seem to only find results related to this machine for cutting aluminum. For whatever reason, all of my projects seem to revolve around steel.

I've never used a 932, as I went straight from a PM25 to a 9x40 (similar to the one Matt is selling). That machine needed some love up front, but once I got it tuned up, I could bury a 5/8" hogger end mill (corn cob type) an inch deep in mild steel without a problem.

As you say, there are a bunch of factors that go into answering your question. If it were me, for hogging steel on a 932, I would use rougher-type endmills to do the bulk of the material removal and use regular endmills for your finish passes to dimension. This does two things. One, it is less stressful on the machine, making it last longer, and two, it saves your good end mills for finish work. :)

I think that if you do this, your 932 should do fine.
 
What do you consider a "light cut"?? Where would you like to be with your dept of cut?
 
Last edited:
5/8" hogger end mill (corn cob type) an inch deep in mild steel without a problem.
This would be more than satisfactory and has me looking to save just a little bit longer for the pm940. I'll buy once, cry once!!

FWIW, .050 to .075 was my limit on the Jefferson. It was painfully slow.
 
This would be more than satisfactory and has me looking to save just a little bit longer for the pm940. I'll buy once, cry once!!

FWIW, .050 to .075 was my limit on the Jefferson. It was painfully slow.

Not a bad idea. ;)

I'd still have that big 'ol bench mill if Matt hadn't made me a great deal on my 935. The young man I sold the 9x40 to still loves that machine.

I will admit though that I normally didn't push my mill that hard on a regular basis, but it was nice to know that I could do it if needed.
 
I will admit though that I normally didn't push my mill that hard on a regular basis, but it was nice to know that I could do it if needed.

It always makes sense to not push a machine too hard. Why ruin your investment? I had so many customers who would take a light-weight lathe or mill and drive the daylights out of it. In some cases, it was because of inexperience, in other cases, it was intentional. Anyhow, when doing stock removal, I always use carbide hoggers (the kind with sharp points, not the flat carbide insert type) to get the bulk of the work done. Save your good smooth endmills for that that last 10 thou finish pass.

Ray
 
Back
Top