PM30 works pretty nice :)

[Spotshooter]

I had bought a Aloris Quick change post before I ordered my lathe so I had to make my Cross slide T-nut out of the blank that came with it...
BTW if you order a lathe from Matt (PM) and you happen to buy the Aloris from they you get a pre-made T-bolt for it so you don’t have to make your own... hindsite is 20/20...

Anyway - I work a couple of jobs so setting up my lathe and mill has taken a lot longer for me than most you guys... Mill is done, leveled and cranking out stuff.
The lathe - I have the VFD up and running, and am doing the spider this week, and will do the anchors very soon.

A few pictures of the T-Nut I made out of the Aloris blank just for fun..

I used a HSS 3/8” end mill to cut down the side, and the T slot or step in the sides, then I used a HSS fly cutter to take a little off the top, I should have shown the finishing top fly cut, the one in the picture is the last fitting check so it looks rough..

 

[Spotshooter]

If you haven’t seen a blank (what comes with an aloris if you just buy it from anywhere but Aloris or Matt)... Here is me cutting the blank down to fit the T-slot.

 

[T Bredehoft]

Just a gentle reminder, we don't use drill chucks to hold end mills..... That's what the collets are for.

 

[markba633csi]

Nice machine!

 

[Spotshooter]

I was in a hurry... yep... I should have used collets - I dind’t Buy those day 1...

I just ordered them...

 

[Bob Korves]

The top of the t-nut looks pretty close to the top of the compound rest. It will pull up when tightened by the amount of gap above the thinner portion. If the t-nut clamps to the tool post, it will not be clamped to the compound rest. Make sure you can see daylight through the gap between the t-nut and the tool post with the tool post bolt tightened down, light across the entire top of the t-nut. If not, cut more off the top of the t-nut.

 

[Spotshooter]

Bob,

Thanks I’ll double check the clearance, I’m pretty sure I have 2-3 thousands, but I didn’t do a light test... basically I matched the dimensions of the old T-Nut, and then checked it to see if it had clearance...

Good idea.

 

[tweinke]

Looking good! I hope you enjoy your machines and share with us the adventures that you have. The reason you kind of got scolded about the end mill in the drill chuck is that the chuck can come off the taper when side loaded when milling. I learned that lesson first hand before I found this place! Nice thing is the guys here care about you and your machines.

 

[john.oliver35]

Nice looking machines! And as mundane as it may seem, cutting that t-nut may be your first adventure into making tools to make tools (at least with these machines). Have fun!

 

[buzzman]

I'm in the market for a mill and have been researching the PM-30MV and the PM-727V. Did you look at the PM-727 also? If you did, what made you decide to buy the PM-30?

Another question...how do you lock the spindle on your PM-30 when you change tooling? I'm familiar with a Bridgeport style knee mill and I don't see a similar sort of knob or handle to lock the spindle.

Thanks,
Buzz