Pm 1228-vf-lb Lathe Preparations

Well, there's been a big change, today. After speaking with Matt this afternoon, I decided to change my order for the PM 1127-vf-lb to their new PM 1228-vf-lb. It's basically the same lathe but with a D1-4 camlock chuck, a 2HP brushless DC motor, and touch pad instead of switches.

I liked the switches, but my mill has touch pads and I have no problem with how they operate. I'd prefer switches, but as long as the touch pad doesn't crater, I'm ok with it.

The 1228 costs about $100 more and doesn't come with a few of the accessories the 1127 has, like a spindle chuck, live center and AXA tool holder. I have extra 5/8" drill chucks and a JT to MT adapter is no big deal. I have a set of MT2 live centers, so I have to sleeve them to MT3. Again, no biggie. I already have an AXA tool holder and enough tool holders for it. More would have been nice but not a necessity.
 
Congrats! Will be interested in pics and your impressions on the new machine. :)
 
Me too, Bill. I've put in a request for getting the title of this item changed to reflect the new machine.

The foot print of the 1228 is virtually identical to the 1127. Maybe an inch longer. The weight is just about identical. The stand I've started will work fine.
 
Sounds like a plan to me... it appears you came out on the good side of this upgrade.

Will the 1228 be here sooner than the 1127 would have?
 
Thanks John. Yes, the 1228 is off the boat in the US. The 1127 just got put on the boat in China. Matt said I should have it in about 2-weeks.
 
Ya know... If I was just starting out... I would be interested in the 1228.

I started out interested in the 1127... however the bolt on chuck was the killer. Then went to the 1236.... and eventually just had to have a 1340GT. I can say without reservation... the build quality of the 1340GT is superb for its class and price point.

And the same thing happened with the mills... started out looking at a 932... and ended up with a 935 (knee mill).

Franko, I think you will enjoy this 1228... I am looking forward to seeing the pictures and reading your review.
 
John, I'm not exactly just starting out. I got my first lathe in 1993. It was a small Emco to make stepped axles for a dozen gear motors I needed to make. After a few years I had to sell it. I bought the G4000 in 2007 along with the G0619 bench mill. I know what kind of work I do, and up to now, I've not needed much more than what I have. For the work I do, the G4000 has been a good lathe. I just wished it had a larger spindle bore and was about 2" longer. Plus, it only has 2 speeds.

I'm a one man enterprise and I'm almost completely self-taught. I never even saw anyone but me work a lathe or mill until uTube a couple years ago. I had gotten some DVDs ordered from Little Machine Shop that were instructive. I never thought of anything I could do with a lathe until I had one. But, I always knew I wanted a mill.

I subscribe to Home Shop Machinist and Machinist Workshop. Half of the articles go over my head but I still manage to pick up something from each issue. There is so much to learn and people have been doing this all their lives. I have found a home here on Hobby Machinist. I have learned so much in the two months I've been a member, and hopefully have contributed some too. I don't know that I would have been ready to soak in what I have 5 years ago.

You sit up, you crawl, you walk, you run, your drive then you fly. Well, running and flying is out. Knees, eyes and decrepitude. That is a sad aspect of this endeavor we are in. I probably only have 10 more years before I can't do this anymore. My next door neighbor was a machinist, but he had to stop when his vision wasn't up to it. That will probably happen to me, and pretty much everyone else.

I'm sure if I had a knee mill and a large lathe, I'd come up with things to do with them. But, at present the work I do for myself and my clients can be accomplished on the smaller equipment I have. The 1228 fulfills the voids that I am aware of with the lathe I have. And then, there is the issue of room. Because of the wide variety of projects I take (not necessarily machining work) I have to be able to move things around.

I love tools too much to allow myself to purchase them unless I know a specific job for them. I already don't have room for anything else. I have more tools that anyone I know personally. And, I can honestly say that all but a tiny few have earned their keep.
 
Someone, maybe it was in the other 1228 thread mentioned that the 1228 doesn't come stock with a thread chasing dial.

It isn't that big an issue with me, because I've cut several dozen successful thrads on my lathe, I never use the thread chasing dial.
 
Hi Franko
I believe you have made the right choice with the 1228. If you change chucks or use collets, centres/faceplate you will love the D14 cam lock spindle. I have just upgraded to a Sieg 13x40 and have been playing with the D14 camlock. What a difference to the bolt on chuck on the Sieg SC4. Remove and replace a chuck in less than a minute and the chuck centres on the spindle perfectly. No fiddling bumping to get it recentred. I can now use the right chuck when required rather than making do because it was such a chore to change on the smaller lathe. Also the 2Hp DC motor should be great. Smooth, lots of torque at low speed and quiet. You will soon get used to the touch pad speed control.
Hope your lathe arrives on time and you get a lot of pleasure from it.
Ron
 
Thanks, Ron. I'm looking forward to it. I think another good reason for the D1-4 mount is that you can find back plates all over the place.

The irony is that I'll only have the 3-jaw scrolling chuck for a while, as the 1228 doesn't come with a 4-jaw chuck and my budget is blown for the next few months.
 
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