My new PM 1127VF lathe!

[mototraxtech]

Ok to start things off my name is Randy Gentry. I have just joined your great little sub forum as you seem to have the best information on setting up and modifying PM lathes.

Some time early this week I should be taking delivery of my new PM 1127VF lathe from of course Matt over at quality machine tools. He has been very pleasant to work with and has answered a bunch of questions I had without any problems. And this is my first lathe so I had a few.

The reason I choose this lathe is that it is as big of a lathe as I don't have room for and the price and feature were also right. This lathe is actually going in my house as I don't have a shop. And will be used for mostly aluminum and a little mild steel for prototypes that I like to build.

Now I plan an keeping everyone updated with lots of pictures of the setup and what not.

 

[mototraxtech]

Ok so to start this off I will post some pictures of the tooling I have gotten so far.

This pic shows my two turning tools which are hertel 1/2" shank ccmt and dcmt holders. Also there is a hertel(not value) drill bit for the reamer and to pre bore holes for the boring bars.

This is my 7/8" MSC value reamer for a bunch of bushing press fit I will need to make on my project. Also a value run-out tool to check things out on the new lathe and I am sure many other uses as well. My little insert holding box that we be much fuller in a few days probably. The nice value 29 piece set of cobalt bits. And the value 3/4" 82 degree counter sink that will be used for sinking bolt heads.

There is a 5 piece set of hertel center drill in the corner from 1 to 5 and a few hertel taps that I will need to use on my project as well.

I have a few more tools on the way and will post them as I get them. Any recommendation on tools would be great. Mostly will be making shafts and spacer out of aluminum and a little steel.

I used my 25% new customer discount to get all of this so it wasn't to bad. Any comments or questions are appreciated. Now for that lathe.

 

[wquiles]

Very cool, and congrats on the new toys

Looking forward to more pictures

Will

 

[mototraxtech]

Alright the shipping company called me and they will be here tomorrow. Not sure how its going to go but will will see. Hoping to get it from the truck into my pickup. From there I can figure out something else to move it the rest of the way.:twothumbs

 

[StrikerDown]

Congrats
Don't forget to charge the camera batteries!

 

[mototraxtech]

Yay, I got the lathe and in perfect shape. Not a ding in the crate at all. And of course I got some pics.

Here he comes

A little closer

To the front door!

Getting the goods aka my new toy.:twothumbs

Trigger is happy too!

A couple pics of the packaging which was in perfect shape. There was not a ding on it. This made me very happy and relieved.

The top boxes are the stands and the bottom is the machine!

It was covered in plastic which is a good thing.

It looks much better is person. I am totally happy with the cosmetic quality. It does need a lot of cleanup but thats ok.

Here is the stand

And in the corner you can see all the goods it came with. I will opend them all up later and show you what all came.

All in all I have very happy with it so far and cant wait to set it up. Now if only I can figure out how to get it in my house. Its a little heavy.

More to come later after I get it in the house so I can start cleaning it up.

 

[wquiles]

Awesome!

 

[mototraxtech]

The greatest thing happened. I was outside trying to figure out how I was going to move it and my neighbors were both home at the same time(never happens) and come over and offered to help move it. It was still a pain in the back but we got it with the rest of the goods on the second try. I have been cleaning it up and it appears there are a few scuffs in the chip guard in the back but it does come with some touch up paint. I'm not even sure if its worth fixing though as its not to bad. Now its time to get it ready to cut. Now what exactly should I do. I have a machinist level coming to level it. I am making some feet for it also so I can level it. The lathe wont be put on the stand until I make the feet. In the other post something was said about wiring. I thought they came ready to plug in. What do I need to wire.

Thanks and more updates to come!:twothumbs

 

[StrikerDown]

Congratulations, That is a fine looking piece of hardware!

Wiring? Did it come with a cord and a plug on the end ready to plug into the wall outlet?

If it did then you are all set.

If it is like the bigger machines or can be wired to run on 220V it may need to have a cord attached to the correct taps for the intended operating voltage.

 

[mototraxtech]

No it has a cord and its all wired up. I'm not sure what else needs to be wired up. Or maybe he was referencing fixing bad wiring. I am going to go threw the tools tonight and start cleaning and organizing them.

I have a set of boring bars coming from micro 100 and a bunch of inserts coming from quality machine tools. I also got a nice surprise to find me new computer got hear today to.

It comes with windows 7 but I was thinking of going back to xp. Any comments on windows 7 and CAD programs like Solid works and Pro/Engineering.

I am hoping to have the lathe setup this weekend or early next week to the point of using it. Also anybody have an idea a what kind of speed control it has.

Look forward to more pics soon.:twothumbs

 

[mototraxtech]

Ok I could not resist and plugged it in and watched it turn. I didn't turn it up all the why just about half way and wow. Perfect and it is so quite. Its about or quieter than a cordless drill.

 

[StrikerDown]

I think that the wiring up most are talking about with new machines will be hooking up the larger ones that don't come with a standard plug like the small ones running on 110V.

Other things that get hooked up might be DRO's work lights, back up lights and license plate lights... it's late I'm going to bed!

Check your owners manual for a break in procedure... if it has one you might want to follow it befor too many high speed runs!

 

[mototraxtech]

I was reading the manual and it says to remove all of the rust stopping grease with a solvent and then lightly oil everything with a 20w machine oil. That stuff is in everything and in the internals of them cross slides and stuff. Should I take apart the cross slide and clean it then re oil everything. Its fine as I am very mechanically incline but just wondering if that's the right thing to do. It appears as though they put the angling slide on top backwards anyways as the numbers are facing the wall and you would have to be behind it to see it to adjust it.

I ordered a gallon of 20w way oil from mcmaster as well as a synthetic lithium grease and some leveling mounts. Any idea were a guy could get way oil local as it sucks to pay the high shipping.

Later I have to get to classes.:sigh:

 

[gadget_lover]

Yes, it's common to take apart the sliding things to get all the protective coating off.

Fine looking machine there!

Dan

 

[StrikerDown]

Any idea were a guy could get way oil local as it sucks to pay the high shipping.

Later I have to get to classes.:sigh:

Let your fingers do the walking!

Look for a local oil/lubricant supplier.

If it is a large outfit they may stock what you are looking for, if they are real large you may have to buy case quantity.

I needed a ctg of grease with specific ingredients for one of my machines and picked up a small case (ctgs IIRC) for the cost of two Ctgs from the manufacturer. Of course the OEM's name was not on the package but it had a major Mfg name on it.

 

[darkzero]

Yay, I got the lathe and in perfect shape.

Awesome! Looks like a great machine. Can't wait to see it setup & in action. :twothumbs

Pics of the change gear assy when you're settled in please.

 

[mototraxtech]

Awesome! Looks like a great machine. Can't wait to see it setup & in action. :twothumbs

Pics of the change gear assy when you're settled in please.

Thanks I think to will be.

I tore down the carriage assem today and tomorrow I am going to clean it all and put it back together and get everything nice and dialed in as far as the slides go(some of them were a bit tight when I got it).

I was looking in the carrage and it is REALLY dirty. There are alot of iron shavings in there so I am going to clean it out really good and refill it with fresh oil.

If I have time I will clean out the main gearbox as well as I asume that its not much better. Other than that all is well.

It will more than likely be next weekend before I get it UP and RUNNING as far as cutting anything as there is alot of stuff still floating around the country and wont be here by friday.

Ill post the pics of the gear change and what I found in the carriage tomorrow. Thankfully no classes tomorrow so I can MOSTLY just work on the lathe.:twothumbs

 

[mototraxtech]

Just an update to you guys a few of my major items like oil and the material for the base got messed up in shipping and wont be here until next week.

I might be able to get it done next weekend but Ill have to see as I have school and I have to drive a long ways to used a drill press which is needed for the base.

 

[precisionworks]

Any comments on windows 7

Windows 7 rocks ... I have the Microsoft Virtual Machine installed to run XP for one old program that may never be updated to W7. Other than that, W7 fixes most of the issues with XP and adds a lot of nice features.

 

[mototraxtech]

Alright everyone I have a huge update and lots of pictures. I have the lathe setup on the stand in its final location and most of my tooling is here. Plus a did a few updates to the lathe. I start from the beginning and go from there.

First I had to find a way to get the get the lathe on the stand. I designed a CHEAP lift out of 2 x 4s and threaded rod. I ended up using 4 - 2 x 4s at $1.99 a piece and a 6 foot piece of 1/2 - 13 threaded rod at $10. After tax and all it ended up being about $25 for everything including hardware.

Here you can see my stand which took about an hour to make.

This is looking down by the chuck. I cut a short piece of 2 x 4 and drilled a hole in it. Then slid it under the lathe. It fit perfectly on the flats on the bottom of the lathe.

This is the bottom of that 2 x 4. It has a lock nut and washer sandwiched between the top and bottom so that it does not spin or pull through. The nut is not on the above picture as I learned that is would spin without one after I took that pic.

This is the nut that you turn to lift it. I used a coupler nut so that I didn't have to worry about stripping the threads after I got in a couple feet in the air. Its also has a washer to prevent pull though. It got very hot as I turned it but a little WD-40 and all was good.

So about half on hour later here is the progress. I just hooked a cheater bar to the end of the wrench and literally walked around it to lift it. (It took around 400 times of walking around it to lift it all the way)

I lifted it a little higher than the stand so that it was easier to get the stand underneath it. This took about an hour to get it this high. I also had to cut off the threaded rod as it got close to the ceiling.

Here it is on the stand and mostly bolted down.

And finally it is against the wall in its final location. Note my tool box just barely fit under it.

Now in the pics you can see that is has leveling feet so I will explain them.
First I took two pieces of 1"x3" 6061 aluminum bar cut to 22" long. I then drill holes in the center to match the holes in the stand. I then got four 3/8 - 16 swivel mount feet from mcmaster and then drilled and taped the ends of the aluminum bar to fit the feet. Now I can just turn the nut and adjust the lathe. The reason I used aluminum over steel was cost was the same. Weight was lower(aka easier to move) and aluminum is actually more rigid that steel.

So guys tell me what you think!
I will post later with other updates on tooling and what I updated on the lathe. Also will show some pics of the gear change and electronics for those of you who are interested.