1340GT decision

[Aukai]

I'm very close to putting the down on this lathe, there are seven 3 phase available in mid Nov, all single phase are gone. I'm still learning, and the PM1228 has been good, but it's my feeling I could use a better machine, both size, and power, I'll have to self improve to use the precision. The airport contract (my current cash cow)ends on Dec 31st, so the cash flow will decrease dramatically then. It's easy to rationalize with myself. What reservations do you have on this?

 

[ttabbal]

I think you should definitely get it!

Send me one too!

 

[Asm109]

Why would I have reservations while spending your money?

 

[Aukai]

We all watch out for each other, my problem is I don't mind spending my own money too.

 

[erikmannie]

I just took my family’s finances way out on a limb (all the way, actually) with my recent PM-1660TL (and tooling and rigging) acquisition. I have ZERO regrets. This was almost $33,000 (plus buku interest); we will be paying this off for about 4-6 years.

I feel VERY good about the company (PM). This is equipment that ought to last me the rest of my life, and a lathe is good, clean fun.

I had to sacrifice out of state schooling, getting a motor vehicle (I don’t have one), and any traveling that we would have done. I think it is worth it to be broke for many years in order to obtain a nice machine.

Buy the machine now while you have the opportunity!

I will admit that my prior experience with PM (two previous machines) weighed heavily in my decision. Had this customer service experience been merely “fine”, I probably wouldn’t have assumed the risk of such a large purchase. This was a case where a company showed me that they 100% have their act together, and this put them first in line for my business.

 

[mikey]

It's a good lathe, Mike. Haven't seen many "I hate the PM1340GT" threads. To be sure, there will be nitpicky things but PM will make those things right. I have a sense of your needs now and I think this will work out well for you.

 

[Aukai]

I could not even find a used one online, I'm not a real good hunter, but Google only had one, and it was sold already. There are high end used machines online in this price range, but I would hate to get something here, and find that it has problems that were not evident with first inspections.

 

[.LMS.]

I'm very close to putting the down on this lathe, there are seven 3 phase available in mid Nov, all single phase are gone.

Are you wanting a single phase or a three phase?

 

[kb58]

I'd answer sort of backwards:
Is having it going to make you money?
Will there be sufficient work of your own to justify it?
Will that work exceed the capacity of your current machine?
Do you have the space and access needed to fit it into your work area?

All that aside, I'll guess that since you're asking, you already know that you don't really need it, but simply want something nice that'll be available in case something comes up. That counts for a lot, and you're the only one who can answer what that's worth! Remember, asking in the Church of Machinery whether you should buy into the faith even more will nearly always result in you hearing yes, so careful, because it's not our money!

 

[mmcmdl]

We all watch out for each other, my problem is I don't mind spending my own money too.

That a boy Mike !