- Joined
- Mar 14, 2016
- Messages
- 6
New to the forum, have been reading some of the older discussions on the PM lathes as we have no experience with the brand in our shop. I recently sold off our Birmingham Lux-Matter 1340G Taiwan import (for various reasons) and am in the market for a new machine to replace it. Several others in the industry have pointed us to Grizzly, however I'm seeing issues with QC, motor mounts, fit/finish and so on that keep coming up. A comparable alternative seems to be the Precision Matthews offerings. The following pair of machines are the ones we are currently comparing:
PM-1440E-LB vs. G0776 -OR- PM1236 (with upgrades) vs. G0750G
I would love to hear from anyone really, gunsmith or not, on your own experiences with these brands/models, but before you weigh in, here are our needs and wants in terms of our use of the machine in our shop:
Our Usage:
Threading primarily 1/2x28, 5/8x24, 9/16×24, .578×28 and LOTS of M14x1 (left hand)
Turning down barrel OD at various journals
Occasional monocore suppressor and K baffle manufacturing (Yes we have our SOT)
Crowning, facing, knurling and other typical processes
Light chambering work (not used very often)
Size:
36 to 40" (we seldom turn barrels greater than 24", most are 16-18")
-On that: The more compact 1236 models would save on space and perhaps suit our needs better but the weight, bearings and potential for larger work has us looking back at another 1340 or 1440 model as well.
Features:
QCTP is a must (wedge preferred, piston is acceptable)
DRO option would be wanted
Outboard spider would be a nice feature but not a definite must
Coolant system is preferred but we can easily add that if needed
Single phase power preferred
Warranty, service and support
Budget:
$3k-$5k
I keep coming back to the G0776, as it has the most features for its price and is essentially priced comparably to the PM1236 or G0750 WITH the DRO added to the cost. Thoughts?
Thanks much,
-Mike
PM-1440E-LB vs. G0776 -OR- PM1236 (with upgrades) vs. G0750G
I would love to hear from anyone really, gunsmith or not, on your own experiences with these brands/models, but before you weigh in, here are our needs and wants in terms of our use of the machine in our shop:
Our Usage:
Threading primarily 1/2x28, 5/8x24, 9/16×24, .578×28 and LOTS of M14x1 (left hand)
Turning down barrel OD at various journals
Occasional monocore suppressor and K baffle manufacturing (Yes we have our SOT)
Crowning, facing, knurling and other typical processes
Light chambering work (not used very often)
Size:
36 to 40" (we seldom turn barrels greater than 24", most are 16-18")
-On that: The more compact 1236 models would save on space and perhaps suit our needs better but the weight, bearings and potential for larger work has us looking back at another 1340 or 1440 model as well.
Features:
QCTP is a must (wedge preferred, piston is acceptable)
DRO option would be wanted
Outboard spider would be a nice feature but not a definite must
Coolant system is preferred but we can easily add that if needed
Single phase power preferred
Warranty, service and support
Budget:
$3k-$5k
I keep coming back to the G0776, as it has the most features for its price and is essentially priced comparably to the PM1236 or G0750 WITH the DRO added to the cost. Thoughts?
Thanks much,
-Mike