PM-25MV delivery and setup pictures, power feed issue.

[shooter123456]

So after I talked to PM I forgot that we didn't resolve the matter of the wedge nuts supplied not being tapped (for what needs to be M8 X 1.25 (M8 coarse)).

M8 wedge nuts are readily available in the UK and India, but I definitely couldn't find any in the US. These are also called Vee Nuts, V-Nuts or Vee Wedge Nuts. I guess they are common over there, but not here.

Here is a picture of what one would use to mount something (e.g. a limit switch or stop of some kind) in the front dovetail slot of a PM-25MV milling machine.

View attachment 302671

If anybody knows where to get these in the US, I would be interested to know.

Looks like a good beginning milling project!

A lot of people would probably just grind down a T-nut.

Anyway, I found it odd that these were not readily available.

It looks like the parts diagram has "M6 Square Nut" listed for mounting the stops in that dovetail slot. I don't recall having any nuts similar to those you show on my machine.

 

[wrmiller]

They might be looking at it from a liability standpoint, their liability. I assure you that your mill will not blow up if you use power feed without a limit switch. You will find the hard stops to be far more useful.

Agreed. I have never installed/used limit switches. Actually, one of the first things I do when getting a power feed is to take a pair of dikes to the cable for the limit switch.

 

[erikmannie]

The power feed kit comes with four Vee nuts. Two of these nuts were tapped, and the other two were not. I may as well buy an M8 X 1.25 tap and tap those two.

 

[erikmannie]

It looks like the parts diagram has "M6 Square Nut" listed for mounting the stops in that dovetail slot. I don't recall having any nuts similar to those you show on my machine.

When my mill came, there were two round markers set on either end of the x-scale. These markers are anchored to Vee nuts.

I think these markers need to be removed to make room for the limit switch,

 

[erikmannie]

Here are the x-axis "stops" that I referred to above:

 

[erikmannie]

Agreed. I have never installed/used limit switches. Actually, one of the first things I do when getting a power feed is to take a pair of dikes to the cable for the limit switch.

I wonder what percentage of people do this. If I am unable to use my x- and y-axes levers, I will be one of them.

 

[mikey]

Erik, those round X-axis stops in your picture are important. They allow you to positively stop a cutter at a precise location for repeated cuts, like the end of a slot in a thick work piece that requires you to take several passes to fully cut through. Limit switches do not stop the table precisely; the table travels a little before actually stopping. You cannot use them to limit the dimensions of a cut, which is what stops are supposed to be for. You can either use the hard stops or the limit switches; you cannot do both. My vote is for the former.

Just to be very clear, the X-axis stops allow you to stop a cut precisely. As you approach the end of the cut with your power feed but before you hit the stop, you disengage the power feed and then manually feed until you gently hit the stop. This is how they are used, and you can do this to precisely begin and end a cut. You cannot do this with limit switches.

As for the nuts, you can drill and tap them for whatever you wish. A 10-32 thread will work fine and you probably already have the tap and the hex wrench to fit it.

 

[erikmannie]

Erik, those round X-axis stops in your picture are important. They allow you to positively stop a cutter at a precise location for repeated cuts, like the end of a slot in a thick work piece that requires you to take several passes to fully cut through. Limit switches do not stop the table precisely; the table travels a little before actually stopping. You cannot use them to limit the dimensions of a cut, which is what stops are supposed to be for. You can either use the hard stops or the limit switches; you cannot do both. My vote is for the former.

Just to be very clear, the X-axis stops allow you to stop a cut precisely. As you approach the end of the cut with your power feed but before you hit the stop, you disengage the power feed and then manually feed until you gently hit the stop. This is how they are used, and you can do this to precisely begin and end a cut. You cannot do this with limit switches.

As for the nuts, you can drill and tap them for whatever you wish. A 10-32 thread will work fine and you probably already have the tap and the hex wrench to fit it.

I really appreciate your help. I just did a test install of the limit switch and I am 99% sure that I will not be using it.

Firstly, I have been saying "x- and y-axes stop levers". I just learned that there are two x-axis stop levers in the front, and the two y-axis stop levers are on the lower right.

Huge development: as seen in the photos, the limit switch appears to require removing the x-axis stop levers! I must be missing something, but I think that the limit switch interferes with these levers (see photos). With the limit switch in place, I would only be able to move the table about 3 inches in either direction before the lever and the body of the limit switch collided.

So now I am looking at solving this problem by not using my limit switch and being very mindful of the situation.

 

[erikmannie]

Regarding taps, I have always wanted some, but I always spent my money on other tools. I have a few loose taps that I got from my Dad, but I don't even have a tap handle yet.

My next purchase is parallels, V-blocks and metrology equipment (e.g. micrometers, dial indicators).

 

[mikey]

There should be a simple bracket that looks like an inverted "T". Use that with the hard stops.