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Well, the day finally came, I placed my order.
- Thread starter Steve R
- Start date
Dave
If you want insert tool suggestions for the lathe let me know - I have just about all of them thanks to suggestions from users here on this forum. Lots of people have difficulty parting (including me when I started), so spend some time perfecting that aspect.
That would be great if you want to share that information.
If you want insert tool suggestions for the lathe let me know - I have just about all of them thanks to suggestions from users here on this forum. Lots of people have difficulty parting (including me when I started), so spend some time perfecting that aspect.
That would be great if you want to share that information.
I've got a Polish made 10"? level that has been excellent. I bought it when I was setting up CNC machines. Yes, it is very sensitive but isn't that what you are looking for in a level used for setting up? While they are not cheap they are not as expensive as the similar Starrett models. For inserted tooling try to stay with as few different inserts as possible. Good inserts are expensive! The slitting saws from Slovakia have been very good. I don't have enough experience with most tooling to know durability comparisons. I dull the ends of of end mills long before the sides and can sharpen the ends multiple times before I end up trashing them doing something stupid. Some stainless is terrible about work hardening wile others are not. (Learned that the hard way!) Actually much of what I've learned has come from mistakes. I have no formal machine training other than YouTube. Joe Pie, ThatLazyMachinist & Math & provide quality educational material.
The machines arrived today. Got them un-crated and set in place. There is NO way and 2 ton engine hoist (cherry picker) could be used to remove them from the crates. I don't think once on the floor you would be able to move them. The legs would be too far out in front of the hook on the hoist. I had the local lumber yard to come over with their forklift to unload and was going to my hoist from there. Once the crates were taken apart I the lumber yard come back with the forklift to move in place. Now to clean them up. What seems to work the best, I have seen where some use mineral spirits?? Got the power feeds, power drawbar and DRO to install on the mill. I have the DRO to install on the lathe. I went with Easson ES-12C with 3 axis on both units, magentic scales with the 1uh heads for all the scales. Not sure if I will use the 3rd axis on the lathe but figured better to have and not need/want then to need/want and not have it.
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2015
- Messages
- 2,079
I'm in the process of authoring a guide to insert tooling for lathes. If you'd like an advanced copy that is incomplete, let me know. I hope to have the final draft complete by next week.
Yes I would like to look at it, even the draft issue.
Can you tell me why you chose the PM1440TL and PM949TS over the ACRA 1440TE and LCM50? I've been considering the ACRA LCM50, haven't really started looking at lathes yet.
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2019
- Messages
- 6,576
David,
I’m interested in seeing the draft if you’d share with me also.
Thanks!
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I had visited a Tech School that had several mills and lathes in different types & brands. Understand these are students using these machines, and there were different brands. They had an ACRA mills but they were a V2 or VM something. I did see a new Sharp that was the LCM50 just with the Sharp name at a dealer, it looked really pretty. One of the things that instructor told me was that they rebuild the variable speed heads on the mills often and that kind of stuck with me. I had also had members of the forum mention that too. So I decided to go with the TS version and use a VFD. Also the TS is reported to run quieter.
Mill PM VS ACRA
The PM949 is about 1/2 way between the LCM42 & LCM50 on the x travel but has a longer y travel then the ACRA. Really pretty close to the same specs. I was looking at the PM1054TS but that was sold out before I could get my order placed so I went with the PM949TS. ACRA has 1 year warranty and PM has 5 year. Otherwise it was pretty much a coin toss to me.
The tech school had some of the ACRA TE1440 lathes and just gotten 3 more new TE1440 to replace older other brand lathes. They had good experience their TE1440 lathes and got more machines that operated the same, easier teaching students. So I got to actually see them.
PM TL-1440 VS Acra TE-1440
TL = 12 speeds VS TE = 8 speeds
TL = 2.55" spindle bore VS TE = 2.060" do I need a 2.55 bore, I don't know, the damn crystal ball doesn't work, but if I do, I have it.
TL = 2.47" tailstock VS Acra TE = 2"
TL = 5 year warranty VS Acra TE = 1 year
Other specs were close between the machines.
I could not find anything bad on PM's customer support when I searched the web and only kept hearing/reading good things.
Do I think ACRA makes a very good mill & lathe, yes I do. I wanted to have both machines the same brand and the PM TL-1440 edged out the Acra TE-1440. Now that I have both the TL1440 and 949TS in my shop do I wish I went with Acra, No. If I went with Acra, would I have wished I went with PM? Probably only if I needed to stick that 2.5" shaft in the head stock or needed a few more speeds.
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