- Joined
- Dec 26, 2017
- Messages
- 21
Good to hear, thanks! My worst fear is just like a treadmill or home gym, it turns into a wickedly expensive table/coat rack LOL. But I seriously can't imagine that happening.
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PM-727M or PM-932M - help me decide
- Thread starter Astronutski
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2017
- Messages
- 184
Astro,
I can't speak with experience on the 727 but I went through a similar analysis last year before purchasing the 932M. My decision came down to the "relative" small difference in price in exchange for the added size and mass. I say relative in the sense that I too looked at this as a one-time purchase. So far I have been extremely pleased with the 932M and love how solid it is. I don't think PM commonly stocks the base model of the 932M and I ended up purchasing the 932M-PDF. The PDF is nice (although not a necessity for me) but as I do more boring I think I will appreciate having it. The item I would say I couldn't live without is the powered Z axis.
Like you I had no specific task in mind but have found that it gets regular use and I've even run into a couple of projects where I've stretched the Y capacity of this machine. The most convenient way to mount the X axis DRO is on the back of the table which consumes precious Y travel.
Other cost (saving) items to consider - a DRO is easy to install and there are plenty of deals around. The cast iron stand is nice, but if I were to do it over again I would skip the stand and (assuming your a welder) weld me up a nice heavy stand. I'm a pretty tall guy (6'2") and I had to weld up a base to get things at the correct height anyway.
I purchased a PM1236 (another great machine) at the same time and justified (in my mind) the increased price of the 932M-PDF as being offset by a discount from PM for a multiple machine purchase and I saved a couple hundred bucks in shipping by having them shipped together. I'll go ahead and admit that the combined shipping was a questionable strategy since I had to wait about four months for them to ship as the mill was also out of stock when I ordered.
Do you realize how much money you can spend on tooling while you impatiently wait for machines to arrive!
Good luck and I'll be happy to answer any questions related to the 932M
I can't speak with experience on the 727 but I went through a similar analysis last year before purchasing the 932M. My decision came down to the "relative" small difference in price in exchange for the added size and mass. I say relative in the sense that I too looked at this as a one-time purchase. So far I have been extremely pleased with the 932M and love how solid it is. I don't think PM commonly stocks the base model of the 932M and I ended up purchasing the 932M-PDF. The PDF is nice (although not a necessity for me) but as I do more boring I think I will appreciate having it. The item I would say I couldn't live without is the powered Z axis.
Like you I had no specific task in mind but have found that it gets regular use and I've even run into a couple of projects where I've stretched the Y capacity of this machine. The most convenient way to mount the X axis DRO is on the back of the table which consumes precious Y travel.
Other cost (saving) items to consider - a DRO is easy to install and there are plenty of deals around. The cast iron stand is nice, but if I were to do it over again I would skip the stand and (assuming your a welder) weld me up a nice heavy stand. I'm a pretty tall guy (6'2") and I had to weld up a base to get things at the correct height anyway.
I purchased a PM1236 (another great machine) at the same time and justified (in my mind) the increased price of the 932M-PDF as being offset by a discount from PM for a multiple machine purchase and I saved a couple hundred bucks in shipping by having them shipped together. I'll go ahead and admit that the combined shipping was a questionable strategy since I had to wait about four months for them to ship as the mill was also out of stock when I ordered.
Do you realize how much money you can spend on tooling while you impatiently wait for machines to arrive!
Good luck and I'll be happy to answer any questions related to the 932M
I've had a PM932M for a couple of years and love it. Like many I started looking at the PM-25, then found out about the 727 and finally settled on the 932 (glad I did!!). It's very accurate and a fairly capable mill. I agree with the "heavier class" concept. I'm pretty easy with mine ie: I don't do big heavy hogging cuts or anything. I think my mill would take a lot more than I give it but I'm just more comfortable going easy (for both me and the machine). I'm in no hurry...
Good luck with your decision!! Precision Matthews is a great company to deal with..
P.S. I highly recommend the x-axis power feed!! Can't imagine being without it!! I've also added a y-axis power feed to mine which is a bit more of a project but is well worth it in my opinion...
Good luck with your decision!! Precision Matthews is a great company to deal with..
P.S. I highly recommend the x-axis power feed!! Can't imagine being without it!! I've also added a y-axis power feed to mine which is a bit more of a project but is well worth it in my opinion...
Last edited:
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2017
- Messages
- 21
That's a sin..... when I'm closer to ordering I'll definitely give Matt a call, I don't want to have to spend another $400 or $700 for something I don't want or need. That's a lot of stock, or tooling.
I sure wish I could get the lathe at the same time! Ashamedly I am not a welder although ironically that was what I wanted to get into until I started down this machining/milling path! I did want to ask, the motors that power the table, can those be used in the CNC conversion too? I'm kinda thinking not because I think the table feeds are not steppers, please correct me if I'm wrong. I'd hate to upgrade to power feed and then start all over to CNC, seems a waste.
Seriously! I feel like ordering tooling right now, but I should wait till the mill is at least ordered!Do you realize how much money you can spend on tooling while you impatiently wait for machines to arrive!
Thank you, there will be plenty ;-)
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2017
- Messages
- 21
Thank you for the valuable info, you sound exactly like me, I will be babying mine for a long time too, no hurry.
I feel the same way. That's why I'm starting to lean to the 932M-Basic. I figure I can slowly add features that I want and do so in a way that may permit CNC conversion (like driving the lead screws with stepper motors before changing to ballscrews; and using position scales that will work with whatever system I choose. The variable-speed drive of the 30MV seems nice but also readily achievable with a 3-phase motor and VFD. I guess there may be a significance of gear drive vs belt drive for the spindle. But I'm still trying to get a sense for what would drive me to choose the 30MV versus the 932M.
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2017
- Messages
- 21
Love it, thanks! Without getting too far off topic what are the Brembo's going on?
A little 2004 VW Jetta GLI, It's my poor man's race car..lol. I hope to try some autocross with it someday but so far just tinkering..
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2014
- Messages
- 440
One thing to keep in mind that can save you a lot. Check out all the tooling Matt has on the PM site. Anything you think you will need, if you order it with the mill there will be no extra shipping charge. He puts it all in with the mill. Heck just the shipping charge for a milling vise alone is around 30 to 40 bucks. Oh, and I also have the 932 PDF, and love it, but, to further confuse you, Pragmatic Lee (you tube) does some amazing work with his 727. I'm sure you will be happy with any machine you buy from Matt!! Happy Machining, JR49