Deciding on 833T vs 940 this Week

[INTJ]

I will be ordering a new mill this week. I got my 1340GT Lathe and a 727V about nine months ago and am new to machining, but I have done a fair amount of hobby gunsmithing and am a long range BR competition shooter. I discovered my 727V isn’t big enough to fully inlet a LR BR stock. I need 22” of X travel minimum. I listed my 727V yesterday and it sold yesterday so will order my new mill within a couple days.

I like the quality of the 833T, it has enough X travel at 23 3/8”, and Greg says there is no loss if Inadd the power feed. I also like that I can add X and Z power feeds at anytime. I would have to make a stand. I do have a 140 amp mig which would work and I did recently make my welding table. It’s not pretty but it is stout.

I like the large travel and bigger table of the 940 and if it’s quality is as good as the 727V, it will be okay. The downside is the only thing I can add is X powerfeed. The only model available this week is the one with the hardened ways, which I don’t need—no plans for CNC. However, I need the mill very soon. PM does not have a power downfeed for the 940 that could be added later, though I don’t know if that is a big deal.

I cannot get a knee mill into my garage. I have a driveway to steep for a trailer so the only way is to put the mill in the bed of my pickup and back into the garage. I have a 12.5’ tall garage ceiling but the door only opens to 8 feet. Besides, the knee mills push my budget.

I guess if the 833T has enough X travel, the extra 1” in table width of the 940 may not be a big deal and the extra travel may not be a big deal. I am leaning toward the 833. I really like the quality of my 1340.

Thoughts?

 

[INTJ]

Here is an example of my issue;

 

[mksj]

I would be inclined to go with the 833T and consider getting a Z axis power feed, as cranking the head gets old fast. One other consideration is the PM-835S, the upper head assembly unbolts with 4 bolts, so you can remove the upper section at at the top of the column with an engine hoist and then reassemble in your garage. One limitation may be the X axis travel with the power feed is 21" and Y travel is 1" shorter than the 833T. I probably would opt for the 833T if you like the fit and finish on your 1340GT.
Mark

 

[INTJ]

Thanks. So do these mill tables maintain their accuracy at the far ends of their travel?

 

[wrmiller]

I bought my 1340 GT and 935TS when I was in CO, and I had a very steep driveway. The driver who delivered the lathe had a powered pallet jack. The mill driver didn't but four of my friends from work showed up to push the thing up the driveway and into the garage.

As for table tilt, I've never heard of a table that didn't. Even my friends 10x50 had a slight bit of droop when at the ends. But I'm no expert on the subject.

 

[INTJ]

So might it be smart to have a larger table so that I don’t have to be at the very edge of travel? The again, inletting a stock is the only thing I’d need the long travel for and if it varies a couple thousands in the barrel channel it isn’t an issue.

I don’t have even four friends, but if I did my driveway is still too steep. To get the 2150 lb gun safe in the garage, the safe mover left it in a pair of appliance type dollies strapped together. We ran a tow strap around the base of the dollies and through the tow hooks on my truck. I then backed up into the 8x8 garage door in 4WD low. I guess I could do the same thing with a knee mill, but one with enough table travel is out of my budget.

 

[wrmiller]

So might it be smart to have a larger table so that I don’t have to be at the very edge of travel? The again, inletting a stock is the only thing I’d need the long travel for and if it varies a couple thousands in the barrel channel it isn’t an issue.

I don’t have even four friends, but if I did my driveway is still too steep. To get the 2150 lb gun safe in the garage, the safe mover left it in a pair of appliance type dollies strapped together. We ran a tow strap around the base of the dollies and through the tow hooks on my truck. I then backed up into the 8x8 garage door in 4WD low. I guess I could do the same thing with a knee mill, but one with enough table travel is out of my budget.

Yea, I was wondering just how accurate you have to be when inletting (never done it). But you will be better off with as much X-axis table travel as you can afford/have room for. I went from a 9x40 bench mill to my 935 knee mill and while 5" may not sound like much to some, it can make some things a bit more difficult. IMO the knee makes up the difference though.

That must be a really steep drive. I don't remember the exact length to the sidewalk (12-15'?) but I had almost 12' of vertical translation in that distance. I parked my Wrangler in the snow covered driveway one time after coming home from work. A neighbor knocked on the door a short time later to tell me my Jeep had slid down the driveway and was half-way into the street. I didn't do that again.

I guess it really depends on what quality level you want in your new mill.

 

[7milesup]

I have an 833T mill. I have a few threads on here about my mill. As mark mentioned, I would get a Z-axis power unit. Cranking that head up is a pain in the arm. I just put a DRO on mine for $217 (3 axis) and it works great. The fit and finish of the 833T is at least an order of magnitude better than my Chinese lathe, also bought from PM. Nothing wrong with it, just not the same fit and finish as the stuff out of Tiawan.

 

[rogerl]

I am thinking about purchasing a PM-833T mill as well. How loud is the gear noise from the gear head? I am upgrading from a belt drive mill and I am concerned about the gear head noise.
Also does anyone have issues with the 450, 800, 1500 spindle speeds. I normally run my current mill at 1000 rpm. I have read about people saying the head gets hot running at the high speeds.

Thanks
Roger L

 

[7milesup]

I am thinking about purchasing a PM-833T mill as well. How loud is the gear noise from the gear head? I am upgrading from a belt drive mill and I am concerned about the gear head noise.
Also does anyone have issues with the 450, 800, 1500 spindle speeds. I normally run my current mill at 1000 rpm. I have read about people saying the head gets hot running at the high speeds.

Thanks
Roger L

I have not run my 833T for extended periods of time, but the spindle does get warm. I am thinking that the longest I have run it at one time is 20 minutes or so.
As far as noise, I have never run a mill with a belt drive but I will say that the gear head noise is loud, at least in my opinion. But, again, it is one of those things that you somewhat get used to. I feel that there are enough great qualities about the mill that I can live with the noise, at least for now. My ultimate goal is to convert it to a CNC mill with a belt drive and VFD, but that is going to be a ways down the road because it seems like life keeps getting in the way of life. Oh, and there is the money issue too.

Edit: I also have a Lincoln TIG welder and recently completed a large aluminum job. Welding at 200 amps with 120hz and 220volt, I had to put ear plugs in because I felt it was so loud just welding. I just thought I would throw that out there for perspective. I know that I do have sensitive ears and deal with tinnitus all the time.