Precision Matthews PM-1030V-wQCTP- ( and w/2axDRO??? )

KevinM said:
Once I had DROs I have never looked at my handwheel markings.
I have a PM 10-22 which is the same lathe as yours with 8" lopped off of the bed. The PM DRO that I have has served me well. The only complaint is the cross-slide scale interferes with the tailstock.

View attachment 372768
To allow cuts close to the tailstock I have made a solid mount for the QCTP that you can swap to the left to the right side depending on where the tool needs to be. The solid mount greatly increases rigidity (I'm looking at you cutoff tool).



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This lathe and DRO were ordered about 10 months ago. It may be different than the one that they are shipping now.

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As for backplates:
What a pain in the backside!! I ordered a spare with my lathe but it was cast for a 4 jaw chuck. I eventually found some from Grizzly but had to machine a sleeve to correct the wrong size center hole. This cowboy explains how to get one ($11 !!!!).


As for taps:
High quality taps and dies are worth their weight in gold. I build very small things in imperial and metric that use taps and dies often not included in a tap "set". Those I buy individually (YG-1 on Amazon). Generally, very small, good quality taps cost more that larger ones, $22 for a 2mm tap.
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So are you recommending that I order that back plate from Grizzly? US$11.12 for that plate and the three bolts!
 
wachuko said:
So are you recommending that I order that back plate from Grizzly? US$11.12 for that plate and the three bolts!
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I ordered 2, it was the only ones that I could find. The center hole on the backplate is too large. If you use it as-is then you are relying on the bolts to register the backplate. I made a sleeve to fit the end of the spindle, bored the hole in the backplate so that it was concentric with the spindle and pressed it into place. It was worth my effort to get a collet chuck mounted that would allow extra material to be pushed back into the spindle as apposed to the chucks that fit inside the spindle taper.
 
Collets on a lathe are intended to hold work rather than tools. 5C collets have a very limited grip range. In order to holdall possible diameters from .030" to 1.125", you would minimally need a 35 collet set by 1/32nds. A purist would say that you shouldn't distort the collets that much and that you should have a set by 64ths or even 128ths. In contrast, ER collets have a much greater grip range and you could conceivably get by with a much smaller set.

As to the issue of buy a lathe with a DRO or buy an aftermarket DRO, I am assuming that PM sells their lathe with the DRO installed. Unless you are comfortable with fitting a DRO to the lathe, it is probably a false economy to save a few bucks installing your own. I have installed four DRO's, making custom brackets for each. The results are better than would be had with a factory install but I had many hours in designing, machining, and fitting them to my machines.
 
RJSakowski said:
Collets on a lathe are intended to hold work rather than tools. 5C collets have a very limited grip range. In order to holdall possible diameters from .030" to 1.125", you would minimally need a 35 collet set by 1/32nds. A purist would say that you shouldn't distort the collets that much and that you should have a set by 64ths or even 128ths. In contrast, ER collets have a much greater grip range and you could conceivably get by with a much smaller set.

As to the issue of buy a lathe with a DRO or buy an aftermarket DRO, I am assuming that PM sells their lathe with the DRO installed. Unless you are comfortable with fitting a DRO to the lathe, it is probably a false economy to save a few bucks installing your own. I have installed four DRO's, making custom brackets for each. The results are better than would be had with a factory install but I had many hours in designing, machining, and fitting them to my machines.
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From the feedback, best to get it... and best to get it installed already from PM... yeah. Will get with the DRO from the get go.

I still have the DRO setup that I made for my milling machine, sitting on a shelf gathering dust. :rolleyes: So it was not a matter of me installing it later to save a few bucks... I know myself well enough... hahahahahaha
 
KevinM said:
I ordered 2, it was the only ones that I could find. The center hole on the backplate is too large. If you use it as-is then you are relying on the bolts to register the backplate. I made a sleeve to fit the end of the spindle, bored the hole in the backplate so that it was concentric with the spindle and pressed it into place. It was worth my effort to get a collet chuck mounted that would allow extra material to be pushed back into the spindle as apposed to the chucks that fit inside the spindle taper.
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Got it. I will do the same. For the price, heck! Best to have it here in case they are gone later on...

And they are backordered, but I can wait for them to arrive. Order placed!
 
Christianstark said:
That C channel looks only to be there to ensure the press does not experience axial deflection. Wouldn't think it needs to be too beefy.
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the HF C channel distorted causing the pin to angle over. I took it off and hammered it straight and it did it again immediately. junky.
 
Back to DRO's on your 10-30. I have the same lathe, I ordered it without DROs. Then bought some less expensive (read cheap) ones, Installed them myself and they just don't work the z, long one, just quit. the other didn't repeat within a week, never mind a few thousands. If I need an accurate length I use a 1" or 2" dial indicator. For diameter, hand wheel dial works accurately. If I want .oo3, I take 1 1/2 marks.

I can't speak to the ones installed by PM, they may be perfect. The ones I had were junk. But I don't feel the loss, I was trained without, (they didn't exist in the 1960s).

By all means use the Quick Change Tool Holder. It's a god-send.
 
wachuko said:
After two years trying to decide, finally ready to pull the trigger on a metal lathe.

Thread when I was looking at just getting a small one to just learn: Feedback on first lathe - 8x14 600W variable speed lathe CJ210A - But you all quickly convinced me to save my money and buy something that I could use for most of the stuff I needed to do. Even though, at the time, I just wanted to get my hands dirty starting with something. It was great feedback, and even if I wanted to start playing, it was worth waiting and using the money for something that I could give it better use.

So at the end of that thread, back in Jan 29, 2020, I had decided on a Precision Matthews PM-1030V-wQCTP-w/2axDRO.

Since then I have been watching videos, reading, trying to learn how, what, when to use a lathe... I started watching again the videos from recommended by Aaron_W:

Blondihacks Lathe Skills video series and that has answered a few questions I had.

In that previous thread I started to ask about additional tools/accessories I should get with the new lathe... since that thread was for feedback on a smaller lathe, and since I had decided on a Precision Matthews lathe, decided to start a new thread here.

Here is what I have so far on my list to buy:

The lathe, of course. A Precision Matthews PM-1030V-wQCTP-w/2axDRO - the thing that I keep coming back to is on the DRO option. Is it necessary for a newbie like me? It is an additional US$500.00 and I just want to make sure that it is an added bonus that will get used a lot and worth getting or ??? Or skip it and save the $$$ for more tooling.

Anyway... the list:

  • Precision Matthews PM-1030V-wQCTP- (w/2axDRO ??)
  • PM-1030V-STAND w/Storage
  • AXA Master Turning/Boring Tool Set
  • 0-1/2 Ultra Precision Keyless Drill Chuck MT2
  • Slim MT-2 Body Live Center
  • Spare Back Plate, 5" Diameter, for PM-1030V Lathes - feedback I got, so decided to get one (if they become available by the time I order) :


I have a couple dial indicators, and in the video from Blondihacks I saw that she had one with a 3D printed base on the lathe ways. I want to make that as well. I do have a cheap 3D printer, but found this video and seems like a great project (to practice using my mill) to make my own base out of aluminum - Making a Lathe Ways Dial Indicator Holder

Apologies for the long post... So the questions/requests that I have:

1. DRO or not? I do not mind spending the additional 500.00. That is not the issue. I do mind wasting that money if there is really no need for it.

2. Anyone has a photo of a Precision Matthews PM-1030V-wQCTP with the DRO installed? I can't seem to find any photos of that setup.

3. Besides those I already listed, what additional tools should I get to start with?

Anything that I am missing? And I can't go with a larger one... not financially feasible with all the other stuff that I want for my garage. The next size would put me in the over US$5K range... What I have listed above is right around US$3,658.93

Thank you!
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Here you go :)

As for tools?

ALL. OF. THEM.

YES DRO! ALWAYS THE DRO!!!!!!!!!!!! It came pre-installed which was cool - faster than installing the one on Milly.

The machine is only the beginning....

But, you'll want a Machinist's level so you can tell how bad the floor is, and finally give up trying to level the lathe after a month of fighting yourself... :)

Also, I too got the spare backplate and put on an 8" three-jaw that Sweetie got for me (I told her I needed a chuck for my 4" Midi lathe on the wood side, then she showed up with an 8" chuck... it took me three years to get a lathe that would fit it - it's installed in this pic. I had to find a big cookie of steel and make my own adapter for the backplate - was fun and really put Lizzy through her paces (Lizzy is the lathe, not the sweetie)).

Oh, I just added a thread about putting a DRO on the tailstock quill - go look. I've added one of those pictures here for your drooling pleasure.


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Nice looking play room. That chuck looks huge on that lathe.
 
Larry$ said:
Nice looking play room. That chuck looks huge on that lathe.
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It does, but it works surprisingly well. I don't really like too much on the spindle, but... I had the 100mm 4 jaw on for making the tailstock DRO, and it looked almost comically small after being used to a chuck twice the size.
 
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