New shop tools.

JCMunder

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Sep 18, 2019
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Hello PM Forum participants.

I posted my first here in the "Welcome" forum, so I won't repeat the entire thing in this one.
I just wanted to say thanks for all the great information. It really helped me to decide on the new machines.

After much research here and on other sites, I decided to buy a Precision Matthews PM-932M-PDF Mill and mating PM-1030V Lathe.
After taking a week to clean, lube and set up the machines, it's taken another week to tram them. By the time I stopped, the mill indicated within .005" in both X and Y after 4-6 hours of shimming the column and rotating the head. Lead screw backlash set to .003-.004". The lathe took 2 days to align, sacrificed a 1/2" aluminum rod making cuts and measuring to align the tail stock. I stopped when I achieved less than .0003" over 26" between the chuck and live center.
The pics are during initial setup, I haven't taken final shots.

I also wanted to say thanks to Precision Matthews, their customer service been great just as has been reported here in many posts.
Mill.jpg
Lathe.jpg
 
Nice looking toys...err...tools. Enjoy! :D
 
The lathe took 2 days to align, sacrificed a 1/2" aluminum rod making cuts and measuring to align the tail stock. I stopped when I achieved less than .0003" over 26" between the chuck and live center.
Welcome to the forum.

If your objective in turning the rod was to level/align the lathe bed, you should not be using the live center. The test bar should be floating free at the far end. For that reason, a larger diameter test bar is used to eliminate flexing.

Using the tailstock center will shift the far end center point and is commonly used to turn a taper by deliberately offsetting it.

What you did is a good way to align the tailstock to the spindle axis though.
 
Welcome to the forum.

If your objective in turning the rod was to level/align the lathe bed, you should not be using the live center. The test bar should be floating free at the far end. For that reason, a larger diameter test bar is used to eliminate flexing.

Using the tailstock center will shift the far end center point and is commonly used to turn a taper by deliberately offsetting it.

What you did is a good way to align the tailstock to the spindle axis though.

Thank you and you are correct.
I left out the part about checking the level with a shorter 4" dia steel bar. I sacrificed a 1/2" aluminum rod to align the tailstock to the spindle axis only, as one of my first projects will require the tailstock and steady rests. I used my live center over the dead center because I wanted to align it with the center I use most. My first measurement showed the tailstock was tapering .004" over only 12".
 
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