PM-1236T arrives after difficult journey

Good job troubleshooting the electrical issue- Looks like the lathe survived the hard knocks pretty well
They sure are nice looking when they are new :)
mark

It was good to dig into the electrics a little. Now I'm familiar with the system and that never hurts. I started a schematic that reflects the actual point to point wiring which was very helpful. I may finish that diagram one of these days..

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I'm very close to purchasing this exact lathe... very disheartening to see that they (PM Lathes) are getting bashed around like this in shipping. It's a precision tool (no pun intended) and getting dropped and bashed like this can't be good... short and long term.

I'm curious why you didn't refuse shipment...

-Braden
 
Hi and welcome to the forum.

I certainly can't speak for the OP but damaged crates are not uncommon with heavy machines as noted in this thread. PM is a well regarded sponsor of this forum and I'm certain they will be happy to answer any questions about freight damage you might have. What I've observed from reading posts here is although everything isn't always perfect with their products they really go the distance in making things right with their customers.

It's pretty common for minor damage on large machines to be dealt with by shipping replacement parts rather than returning entire units. And, although it can be frustrating, often the process leads to a better understanding and working knowledge for the hobby machinist. Production shops will often buy from suppliers that install and calibrate the machines in place but costs are much higher, like anything else it's a trade-off between what would be ideal and what you can afford.

Cheers,

John
 
Here is what PM says when your order is shipped.

And BE SURE to inspect any shipments when they arrive before signing for the freight, as once it is signed, that states that it was received in good condition. If there is any problem, be sure to note it clearly on the paperwork before signing anything, and report to us immediately. (Do not let this concern, you, problems rarely happen but we want everyone to be informed as to how you receive freight properly)
 
Hi and welcome to the forum.

I certainly can't speak for the OP but damaged crates are not uncommon with heavy machines as noted in this thread. PM is a well regarded sponsor of this forum and I'm certain they will be happy to answer any questions about freight damage you might have. What I've observed from reading posts here is although everything isn't always perfect with their products they really go the distance in making things right with their customers.

It's pretty common for minor damage on large machines to be dealt with by shipping replacement parts rather than returning entire units. And, although it can be frustrating, often the process leads to a better understanding and working knowledge for the hobby machinist. Production shops will often buy from suppliers that install and calibrate the machines in place but costs are much higher, like anything else it's a trade-off between what would be ideal and what you can afford.

Cheers,

John
Thanks for your response. I'm a woodworker and have dealt with a lot of equipment arriving with damaged crates over the years. Grizzly is the worst I've ever experienced... most of the tools I've purchased from them were missing most of the crating by the time it arrived. But, miraculously, the equipment survived. Like you said... you get what you pay for.

But, damaged crate and damaged equipment are two different things. I spend north of $5000 on anything, I wouldn't want to have to replace a lot of bent parts... especially not on a precision tool. It's what you can't see that would scare me. The OP's unit didn't have what I would consider "minor damage". That being said, PM is still at the top of my list and it's nice to hear they are a well regarded sponsor of this forum.
 
PM says if your shipment is damaged to refuse the shipment.
That's good to hear. Most reputable companies would say the same. I'm basically trying to decide between two PM models at this time. Excited to be here... thanks for the responses!
 
Man, another damaged lathe story.
First off, I feel really bad for you. This should be an exciting time.
Good job on figuring out the electrical.
I bet PM is pretty sick of damaged goods also.
I hope all is well in the end.
 
Just a general comment in that people more often report what went wrong vs. what went right, and problems with freight delivery are a general problem that seems to be more common these days. I have had two lathes shipped to me from QMT, a 1340GT and an ERL-1340 and they arrived w/o incident. I also had a large knee mill delivered from another vendor w/o incident, but my friend who ordered an RML-1640 from the same vendor did have some shipping damage. In that case it was the drivers negligence and the company replaced the lathe w/o questions. I would say that scratches and minor paint damage can occur, major damage is uncommon from the many people I deal with ordering these machines from different vendors. In my experience, there are a couple of companies that sell machines to hobbyists and take care of any problems that arise. There are also quite a few that leave it in your lap once you sign off on the delivery.

So do your due diligence upon receipt of any machinery, I always try to do a careful inspection and write any issues on the shipping tag before signing off. If there is significant damage refuse delivery.

Also a general note on the safety switches, both the belt cover and lathes with foot brakes are the most common sources of failure I see in people reporting to me that their lathe doesn't run or stopped running. Often the cover switch is either loose or the engagement lock is loose, I have also seen switch failure. Rarely I have seen misalignment of the spindle switch cams or the spindle switch broke. A few lathes these days also come with chuck guards that have a safety switch and the Jet lathes have a chuck key insertion interlock. Lathes with foot brakes, that is another interlock switch to check, had that on a 1440GT not too long ago.
 
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