***Resolved*** NEW PM-1440HVT-2 Lathe (PM fixed it)

First, I would ask if you have a schematic of the headstock breakdown, or even better, the spindle parts breakdown. This might help determine what might be missing or not tight. I agree with others that this gear should not be moving anywhere near that much. Typically gears on the spindle do not slide for shifting, rather they are under compression.

There are a couple of things I would check. See if either a spacer or retainer is missing somewhere in the stack. The other is to check if there is a lack of compression of this assembly – meaning a take-up nut for the spindle is loose. I would check front and rear spindle bearings for deflection.

If you do determine something is missing, more than likely the spindle would have to be pulled. But even if it just needs an adjustment, you need to be aware of the procedure for adjusting and setting preload on a spindle.

Let us know what you find out.
 
Since the spindle runout looks fine there is something seriously amiss with that gear assembly on the spindle.
No way should there be play like that. It's like there's a bushing missing or something.
Just for context this is the inside of my pulley assembly that goes on my spindle.
Seems like that gear should have a bushing something like this:
e90771d71284f94470e14ef80c45121e.jpg
 
I looked at the 1440 manuals on the PM site and none have enough detail to see if there's a bushing or something inside that gear.
 
I hope PM will jump in here and do what it takes to either get this machine running right, or replace it with a new one. I don't know if they have a factory service tech that can travel to do repairs but with a $20k machine that might be a good idea.

I bet there's a few folks on here who would be great at that job....

John
 

This is what their latest email says. How hard do you think this sleeve thing will be to replace? I'm a little nervous about this...

I haven't forgotten about you. We were out of the office the last four days for Thanksgiving. I went back and forth with the factory a bit and convinced them that it was more likely a mechanical issue than a VFD issue. They are sending me a new sleeve that that gear rides on and I'm thinking that will correct the issue.
Thanks!
 
All of this is a bunch of work on the op part.

Is there any machine servicing dealer near the op?

If I were the buyer, I would EXPECT a trained person to come out and repair or replace, PERIOD!

Doing some general inspections and videos is fine. But doing anything that would otherwise void a warranty or requires any tools is where it stops.

I purchased a new item from a dealer that claims to have better quality control, and it is expected to ge good on delivery.

The manufacturer should have a process to cover labor costs. If there is a servicing dealer nearby, they could be contacted to come out and do warranty work.

Expect me to do it, really?

What is my time worth?

Same as yours....

If the vendor charges some rate for doing modifications, then that is the labor rate you pay me.

Sorry about the vent, but people buy the new product to avoid doing repairs.

When something like this happens, there should be one phone call.

The customer should not be expected to remove covers and evaluate the hardware. The OP states they know little about lathes, so how useful is it to have them inspect it?

PM does back up their product, but do they really?

It seems the owners are required to do the troubleshooting and repairs.

That is the same as GM requiring the owner to remove the bad transmission on the side of the road, then wait for the torque converter to be shipped so they can put it back together.



Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk
 
paynerd said:

This is what their latest email says. How hard do you think this sleeve thing will be to replace? I'm a little nervous about this...

I haven't forgotten about you. We were out of the office the last four days for Thanksgiving. I went back and forth with the factory a bit and convinced them that it was more likely a mechanical issue than a VFD issue. They are sending me a new sleeve that that gear rides on and I'm thinking that will correct the issue.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Personally there's no way I would pull the spindle on a brand new machine.
 
I’m not sure what sleeve they are talking about, unless it is the one with the small gear. It looks like something is grossly out of tolerance, I would expect that gear assembly to be at least a transitional fit that requires a bit of effort to push it onto the shaft, so it wouldn’t move like that at all.

I agree with the above posters that you shouldn’t be disassembling this to repair, but that is what PM expects their customers do. If you don’t have the skills yet to work on it, insist they find someone local that can look at it.
 
drain the oil out, and run the lathe without oil. use a high speed camera on your phone and capture it .. then shut it down. you don't need oil for a quick run..
that will give you the best indication of what's going on.. and btw, you shouldn't have 1 thou run out on that. it should be under 1 thou for a $20k machine. just my opinion.
 
tq60 said:
All of this is a bunch of work on the op part.

Is there any machine servicing dealer near the op?

If I were the buyer, I would EXPECT a trained person to come out and repair or replace, PERIOD!

Doing some general inspections and videos is fine. But doing anything that would otherwise void a warranty or requires any tools is where it stops.

I purchased a new item from a dealer that claims to have better quality control, and it is expected to ge good on delivery.

The manufacturer should have a process to cover labor costs. If there is a servicing dealer nearby, they could be contacted to come out and do warranty work.

Expect me to do it, really?

What is my time worth?

Same as yours....

If the vendor charges some rate for doing modifications, then that is the labor rate you pay me.

Sorry about the vent, but people buy the new product to avoid doing repairs.

When something like this happens, there should be one phone call.

The customer should not be expected to remove covers and evaluate the hardware. The OP states they know little about lathes, so how useful is it to have them inspect it?

PM does back up their product, but do they really?

It seems the owners are required to do the troubleshooting and repairs.

That is the same as GM requiring the owner to remove the bad transmission on the side of the road, then wait for the torque converter to be shipped so they can put it back together.



Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I think you have said exactly what has been going on in my mind the last month. Makes me feel a little better knowing i'm not on an island thinking this way. Now to give PM the benefit of the doubt, they haven't said I'm the one doing the repairs "yet". I've been too afraid to even ask at this point. I'm going to wait and see what happens but he did want be to make changes to the VFD and that's no easy task. I downloaded the owners manual to Toshiba VFD and it was a whole different language. Im not gunna lie im in the fetal position right now scared about this.
 
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