The evolution in my search for a milling machine and how I got to the PM 833 t

chiroone

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two years ago, I had decided that I wanted to get a vertical mill. I was in the process of having a house built so I decided I wanted a lot of electrical outlets in the garage To accommodate a mill, I leave, a bandsaw etc. I chose six 110 V outlets.

Then, I decided it was time to start looking for a mill. I first started looking at the grizzly G0705. It was small, and relatively easy to move around. Then I looked at Percision Matthews PM 25 and saw that it was a better build milI, I started collecting a little more cash and then decided I had enough for a PM 727. Then, I figured well, I got this much cash might as will go for a little bit more and get the PM 932, so I continue to wait and collect more cash.

Now, I have enough to get th PM 833 T although, I don’t have enough to get many accessories for it yet, I’ve decided that is going to be the final step in the evolutionary process. I am told, it being made in Taiwan, it is not even in the “same class” as the Chinese machines from PM which are still very good machines.

Fortunately, I contacted my builder a few months ago and had him add four 220 V 40 amp outlets at strategic portions of the garage so at least now I’m ready for it.

I’m thinking I better hurry up and make the purchase, before I decide that I need to go up into an entirely new class of machines and start getting the big huge knee mills.

Are there any PM 833t users out there that would care to comment on their machine?
 
Just got mine, and I mean just. Made the first chips with mine today. The castings are a step above the chinese machines, that is for sure. I made my own stand for it and it is basically done, but I plan on adding storage to it, so have that yet to do.

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Have you considered the PM835S? Very nice little knee mill.
 
7 mile, that is truly a thing of beauty, is that a 5 or 6 inch vise you have mounted on it?

Mikey, yes. I have seen the 835, but. Iam thinking, I got to stop going up at some time or, I will have a Bridgeport in there and, I already told myself that is more machine than I really need
 
... I got to stop going up at some time or, I will have a Bridgeport in there and, I already told myself that is more machine than I really need

I totally get it. BUT a knee is no small thing and I just wanted to make sure you considered it.
 
That is a 5 inch vise on my mill chiroone. If you need/want more pictures, let me know. I stepped up from a Horror Freight mini mill. The 833T is quite a machine. Made my first cuts with it last night and it sure is smooth.
My only nit with it is I wished the top speed was higher, but I knew that going into it.
 
Mikey, yes. I have seen the 835, but. Iam thinking, I got to stop going up at some time or, I will have a Bridgeport in there and, I already told myself that is more machine than I really need

Why? I think Mikey is right. No need to stop going up until hit a wall (or the ceiling) - price, weight, room in your shop, power limitations. Sure the 833 would be nice. Strictly speaking the 835 has the same work envelop, a higher top speed and - an extra several hundred pounds. Those extras count. For example if weight over 1000# is a show stopper (to get it into the basement?) then the 833 is the machine for you.

Is there a special job that means you need the machine now and can't swing the extra cash at this time? If you can bide you time, do so. True, you may end up with a Bridgeport size machine - and what is wrong with that! There is a reason that this is a very popular configuration. After you get it moved and start working with it - the regular knee mill is not a "big huge" machine.

I have a small mill (the Maho in my signature). It is a very nice machine, but there are some drawbacks: top speed is 1650 and the work envelop is smaller than the mills you are looking at. When the opportunity for the small Cinci came along - I jumped at it (good top end speed, good low end and a nice size envelop). You are buying new, which means you have numerous choices. I buy old junk - the only choice I get is "take it or leave it".

I'm sure the 833 would be real nice. It looks nice enough, that even when you do get the full sized knee mill, the 833 will still be a useful part of your kit. One mill really doesn't completely do all that would be nice. Again, there is a reason why folks will have multiple machines that are similar (all machines have some sort of short coming).

Let us know what you finally land on. David
 
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In commercial machine shops the standard Bridgeport machines are referred to as "light mills." That said, whatever will do the job for you is an acceptable choice. A small bench top machine can do some jobs very well, others, it cannot do, both by size and by rigidity and power. Any machine has a limit, just make sure the one you get will pretty much handle what you want to do with it. There are also workarounds. Find some hobby machinists in your area and build relationships with them for helping each other out when you need a tool or machine you do not have in your shop. That is what a group of us here do. We have fun getting together as well. It extends our tangible resources in much the same ways that H-M extends our knowledge resources. It also helps by having other eyes and brains to look at a problem, and extra hands to move a machine.
 
The first mill I ever used was a Bridgeport clone, an Excello . It was just an introduction at college, I found it simple to use, sort of metal router. Years later, in the maintenance shop where I worked they picked up a new Advance RF-45, it's a Rong Fu dovetail column made in Taiwan. I thought it was an OK machine. When I retired I looked at mills, I wanted a Clausing 8520, that would never happen the odds on finding a unicorn are much greater, so I looked at the Grizzly clone. They are a 3/4 scale Bridgeport. They are an 8x32 or there abouts mill . But a RF-45 clones were the same size and available. I did end up finding a used real RF-45 that had been CNCed with the CNC parts removed.

That's a long winded background, but here are some thoughts on home shop mills. It's a machine that has almost paid for itself in a short time .The Rong Fu is bit bigger than it's clones. Heresy warning. As a design the RF-45 should be more rigid then the Bridgeport design, less moving parts. That's also a hint, pick up the heavier one .The dovetail column design is used on surface grinders . Mine has much more power with a 10amp motor at 220, 1 1/2hp motor than I can use with it's worn out nuts . got to fix that. But the main advantage is footprint , it may be as little as 1/3 or less of a full size Bridgeport design.
 
Thank you for all this great info, I’m still looking at the PM833. Pretty much due to its price, footprint and the fact that it’s made in Taiwan and is probably very finely made, at least for an Asian mill.

My only concern, seems to be that it’s maximum spindle speed is only about 1500 RPM. I wonder if that’s going to give me any problems?I see the PM 835, being a knee mill, it’s quite a bit heavier and does have faster RPMs, but it’s going to figure to be about a grand more, and I’m really trying to arrive at a stopping point with expense.


I also see that grizzly has a couple of Taiwan made the Mills, but their guarantee it’s not anywhere near as long as PM, And I understand that they build the Mills to his expectations with regards to their efficiency and ability to do the job. It’s possible that grizzly just biuilds them for profit with slightly less concern in that area
 
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