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

The lathe just sits on the plates. The plates have holes for the 1/2" bolts which go through the the bench. I don't get crazy in tightening them. The issue with the shims was that it was a elaborate process to loosen the 1/2 bolts, raise the tail end, insert shims (always to many or to few), re-tighten the bolts and check the results. Another issue was that the vertical alignment between the head stock and the tail was off. All this got easier with the plates and cap screws.
 
wachuko said:
I had a question on your setup... How tall are you? Are the 4x4 with the 2x4 there to make it more comfortable for you do to your height or do they serve vibration absorption, or???

Wood gives out right? it compresses when you tighten everything down. That has to impact level and twist? Right?

You also have the grinder next to the lathe. I was told to keep that away as far as possible. The dust from grinding bits and whatnot, is bad to the lathe's ways. I just replaced the wheels on my grinder, and just cleaning them (had the grinder close to the milling machine at the time)... it got fine dust all over! I plan to have a shop vac next to the grinder to minimize the mess when using it, but was still planning to have it as far as possible from the lathe...

I am making all this questions to better arrange the machines when I get the lathe...
Click to expand...
Thank you for the questions, sorry that it took me so long to reply!

I am 6'1". The wooden cribbing is indeed for my back; hunching over a machine gets at me quick. Wood would eventually warp, twist, crack - but it won't really squish under the few hundred pounds that these machines weigh. Yes, it will effect level and twist, and it most assuredly does not help with vibration :(

I decided I'd be ok with it for now because I got tired of trying to level and stabilize everything, and I wanted to make things - they might have a taper, but so far I've not been doing long skinny, just short- fat.

The better solution would be some big-ole' cast-concrete footers with a fantastic finish and J-bolts inset. God willing, when I build my shop that will be the case - dead nuts level and 8 - 12" thick poured just for these ladies...

There is a 6" bench grinder by the tailstock, and it is ideal to suck the grit out of the air, as well as protect the ways. The bench grinder is, however, the least of the concerns - now that I've got this thing:

20210523_223316.jpg


I have a "cyclone separator" that I made with an old vacuum, a road-cone, and a 5 gallon bucket. I've not yet made a suck-funnel for the grinder, but someday - plus a coolant shroud.

My Lab is about 13x20, and I am somewhat adept at cramming things into places where they might not otherwise go - but we hobbyists make due with tiny places yes?

My metroloscopy station (granite, gauges, and an optical comparator - hence the "-oscopy" part of the "metrology") has got a bed-sheet on it :D

I'd suggest, if you're wanting, get some graph paper and make a scale of your shop - then cut out bits to scale for your machines: this includes the full working envelope including table travel, and swarf-shoot-off - then you can arrange your shop like a board-game. I spent a few hours with a tape measure finding the way to fit the machines with the walk-ways. Because they are heavy, one is loath to move them more than fifteen times or so... :)
 
starr256 said:
I have had my PM1030V with DRO for 3 years. After a couple of years of playing with shims to get the lathe bed "flat" (no twist), I spent the the money for a MT4 test bar and added leveling plates to the both ends of the lathe. They are 1/4" steel with a couple of 5/16 cap screws. The original 1/2" hold down bolts are still used the secure the lathe to the bench. Now it is a simple 5 minute effort to verify the "flatness" for the lathe and correct it when out of whack (I get 0.0005" variation across a 10" span).View attachment 374255View attachment 374256
Click to expand...
That's a pretty sharp levely-setup you got there!

Also - getting the MT4 checker-bar is good, because it's another tool, and I like tools - especially gauge-like-tools!

I wonder if it would work as a mandrel...
 
MERLIncMan said:
Thank you for the questions, sorry that it took me so long to reply!

I am 6'1". The wooden cribbing is indeed for my back; hunching over a machine gets at me quick. Wood would eventually warp, twist, crack - but it won't really squish under the few hundred pounds that these machines weigh. Yes, it will effect level and twist, and it most assuredly does not help with vibration :(

I decided I'd be ok with it for now because I got tired of trying to level and stabilize everything, and I wanted to make things - they might have a taper, but so far I've not been doing long skinny, just short- fat.

The better solution would be some big-ole' cast-concrete footers with a fantastic finish and J-bolts inset. God willing, when I build my shop that will be the case - dead nuts level and 8 - 12" thick poured just for these ladies...

There is a 6" bench grinder by the tailstock, and it is ideal to suck the grit out of the air, as well as protect the ways. The bench grinder is, however, the least of the concerns - now that I've got this thing:

View attachment 374273

I have a "cyclone separator" that I made with an old vacuum, a road-cone, and a 5 gallon bucket. I've not yet made a suck-funnel for the grinder, but someday - plus a coolant shroud.

My Lab is about 13x20, and I am somewhat adept at cramming things into places where they might not otherwise go - but we hobbyists make due with tiny places yes?

My metroloscopy station (granite, gauges, and an optical comparator - hence the "-oscopy" part of the "metrology") has got a bed-sheet on it :D

I'd suggest, if you're wanting, get some graph paper and make a scale of your shop - then cut out bits to scale for your machines: this includes the full working envelope including table travel, and swarf-shoot-off - then you can arrange your shop like a board-game. I spent a few hours with a tape measure finding the way to fit the machines with the walk-ways. Because they are heavy, one is loath to move them more than fifteen times or so... :)
Click to expand...

That contraption looks a lot more complicated than the lathe :oops: . Baby steps for me... first let me buy a lathe, then learn how to use it with bits already cut to the most common shapes... then I can figure out what the heck I am looking at in the photo. I can't identify the model, but pretty sure is a tool grinder machine of some sort...

I tried doing a reverse image research to try to find the model... you know, so I did not sound so clueless, but could not find the brand model. The base is JET, but not sure if the top part is also JET, could not find anything from them that looked like that...
 
wachuko said:
That contraption looks a lot more complicated than the lathe :oops: . Baby steps for me... first let me buy a lathe, then learn how to use it with bits already cut to the most common shapes... then I can figure out what the heck I am looking at in the photo. I can't identify the model, but pretty sure is a tool grinder machine of some sort...

I tried doing a reverse image research to try to find the model... you know, so I did not sound so clueless, but could not find the brand model. The base is JET, but not sure if the top part is also JET, could not find anything from them that looked like that...
Click to expand...
:D

It's a Jet Tool-And-Cutter-Grinder (450 something-or-other). It is, for all intents and purposes, a surface-grinder with 2 main differences: surface not as fine (+/- maybe 0.0005", as opposed to better than 0.0002") and it's got GOODIES!!! It adjusts every which way (compounding errors....) and can have things bolted to it to hold at weird angles and constrain motion to desired axes... (axises... axes... axeeeeeeezzzeeee?)

The base is actually an integral part of the gizmo - it's got a coolant tank and pump in it. I bolted some shelves to each side for to contain all the goodies - so many goodies!!!

It was a stupid-good find on Ebay - it is effectively brand-new and gave me a legitimate excuse to drive 900 miles one-way overnight at an age where I really should know better...

You wanna know my secret? I know a bit about surface grinders, how to dress crazy radius/angles/tangents on a wheel, how to get a mirror in CPM and all that - but this thing? I don't know what it can do :)
I know it can sharpen endmills and shell-mills, can do OD grinding and surface grinding... but... I don't even know how to use some of the accessories that I bought for it...

YAY!

Now, if only I could find a 110VAC heat treat oven... the Hotshot 360 (I learned about it from This Old Tony on Youtube) has been bought out, so that's not an option...

Anywho - you can read every book in the world, watch every tutorial, but until you put your hands on your own machine, and screw-up your own paid-for-out-of-pocket materials, you never really know how to REALLY use a machine...
 
Steve-F said:
Very cool! As for your oven we have a couple Ney Vulcan's that run on 110VAC, it might fit your needs?

Neytech Vulcan Benchtop Furnace Model 3-550 #9493308 – Pacific Combustion – 1800-342-4442

pacificcombustion.com pacificcombustion.com
Click to expand...
Why would you do such a thing to me! :( YES it fits my needs! But I can't fit yours :cry:

At first, I was super excited at your reply - YAY! - then, my excitement faded at the price....

Honestly though, you are awesome for showing me that - seriously, I half hoped someone would know of an alternate to the HotShot; but (and I didn't say this, so it's on me) - the price-point is under $1000 delivered... it's the only way I can moralize the cost. :dunno:

Thusly, you have made me happy-sad (like when you get 99% on an exam, and you're happy, but then see you only missed one answer, and it turns out you knew the answer but marked it wrong... so then you're sad...)

You could send me one, and I'd tell people how great it is... and you could then tell the IRS that you donated $2900.00 so as to reduce your fiscal-year-end-punishment by an equivalent amount.... :digger:
 
I guess I will stick to only powder coating with my GE stove/oven... :D :D
 
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