Pm25 Mill Starter Package ?

H

herrwood

Registered
Registered
Joined
Aug 23, 2016
Messages
15
I am considering a pm25 mill I see on the web site they offer a starter package for 199
some r8 collets, clamp kit and 4" vise .
Wondering if anyone has purchased the and what is the quality of the vise, can't afford a Kurt or similar at this time.
 
I've been pretty happy with PM stuff in general. It is like most things that are made to a price point and is a little rough around the edges, but it works. I have had a PM 1440 lathe for about 9 years and it has been a good machine. It isn't as smooth or have as many nice features as my 17" Leblonde but it works. So I would say to get you started, the starter kit will help. Then you can start playing the game of looking for nicer used stuff and or refine the cheaper stuff.

Hello, my name is Brian and I'm a toolaholic
 
Welcome to the Hobby Board, you'll find someone here to answer all/any of your questions.

I purchased a PM25 and the starter kit (good heavens it's been a year and a half ago). The vice. I removed the pivot base, stored it out of the way, don't ever expect to use it. I checked the vise itself for square, parallel,etc, and found that it's bottom was high in the middle about .007 or so. I turned it upside down, clamped it down on 1-2-3 blocks and milled the bottom flat. "Twas a lot of hand cranking, but seems to have done the job. I'm happy with the whole thing, I've put X feed and power up and down on the head, just because I could. I felt my shoulder complaining/eroding as I moved the head up or down.

The clamping kit. Some of the T slots aren't as accurate as they might be, I've had to file the T nuts just a bit to make them slide in the slots, but this is really nit picking. The machine is great, i'ts done everything I've asked it to do. Oh Yeah, I ordered the 2 Axis DRO, too.
 
Yeah that vise isn't a Kurt, thats for sure, but its about 20% of the price of a Kurt. We have the better 4" Homge vise thats a much better vise, but still almost 3x the price of the one in the kit. That 4" in the kit works, I use one all the time, but its just OK, not top of the line. We offer both cheaper basic, and high end too. The collets and the clamp set are pretty good though.
 
I have a new mill starter set myself. Having just set my machine up and not even trammed yet, I can't say how well they are. But I can say they look pretty good and I feel like it's a good value for the money. One can't have enough clamps or vices.
 
The collet set is nice, bought a set from QMT about a month or so ago. Might want to upgrade to the better vise if budget allows, I bought a inexpensive vise about three years ago and should have bought better. some things its better to cry once then cry every time you use it. Just got a PM-727M this summer and am very satisfied. Nice quality, no major flaws, runs smooth.
 
Thanks for the replies, I was looking at the pm web site and individual prices of the items in the kit look to be about the same as the starter kit. May add the collet set but will have to think about a vise option. I am basically maxed out money wise if I purchase the pm 25 and being retired on a pension can't work overtime like I use to to get some extra cash.
 
herrwood said:
Thanks for the replies, I was looking at the pm web site and individual prices of the items in the kit look to be about the same as the starter kit. May add the collet set but will have to think about a vise option. I am basically maxed out money wise if I purchase the pm 25 and being retired on a pension can't work overtime like I use to to get some extra cash.
Click to expand...

Then I would do what fits in the budget, Matts stuff is nice and besides that pretty hard to get along with no vise. The starter set would probably be a good way to go, thinking he would throw that stuff in the crate with the mill.
 
I too am considering the PM25. Interested to see what you went with as well as accessories from PM?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top