I'm a 74 yr old retired farmer, always did my own maintenance and virtually all repairs, so I appreciate a cut to the bones review. My only lathe is older than me, and I've been knocking around the idea of a new or real nice used machine. I'm going to look into PM machines, thank you. Good luck with your health issues, I've had my share, part of the deal, don't let it stop you! God bless, and thanks for the video.
I’m sorry to hear of your health issues. I have my own which only let me work about a day maybe two a week. I’m impressed that you set these up by yourself. Amazing how we figure how to do things when we have to compensate for our shortcoming. Hope you enjoy your lathe for many years to come.
I recently made my first purchase from Precision Matthews for a PM-728VT mill. The transaction was a pleasure. They answered my emails immediately and completely. The machine arrived as expected. Considering a lathe now. I will definitely consider Precision Matthews. Thanks for the honest review. I particularly liked how you described the issues you experienced and how you fixed them. Subscribed!
I have one of these myself and have a similar story. Had some minor things to fix right away. But mine is glass smooth and damned accurate. My three jaw is very similar to yours insanely accurate and repeatable. All in all I could not be happier with my purchase.
Very cool. Yeah, for the price point these are good machines once the bugs are worked out. I love my lathe but wish I could buy an American built lathe for the price.
Glad I ran across this review. I have been waiting for a few months on a PM 1440 and was close to pulling the trigger on an Eisen Taiwanese but I just hate to spend that 3-4K extra. Hoping PM gets some stock soon. Lord help your child get the healing he needs!!
Best wishes for your health! I learned on old American machines and the first lathe that I owned was a Taiwanese Jet. I sold it when I moved a long distance after retiring, returning to my "old stomping grounds." Someone that I had known for a long time offered his Grizzly to me at an attractive price. He had a Precision Matthews on the way and needed to move the Griz out of his shop. Every time I use the Grizzly I long for my old Jet. I have to work so much harder to hit dimensions on the green lathe than on the Jet. Fortunately, I knew that the Grizzly was a temporary machine when I bought it. It's better than nothing for sure but it makes me work too hard.
I had many issues with grizzly machines as well with the customer support. I totally stop doing business with them years ago. It's ashame we can't get USA built machines at an affordable price point.
Loved the video and great info! After a poop ton if research (wife says I over research!), I am ordering this lathe tomorrow. Thanks again. Good luck on your medical journey! My old fire captain went through the same thing. He received the transplant and has been doing well for quite a few years now. God bless and many prayers for ya!
I going to do a 4000 hrs review, and my warranty is getting ready to run out, so I want talk about the lathe and how it's performed over the 3 yrs and 4k hrs. Little hint it's doing very well.
I watched my mom battle PF. It's an evil disease! I wish you the best and hope you get your transplant! My mom wasn't that lucky. I enjoyed the review on the lathe and I'll checkout your other videos using it!
Thank you very much for the review, I have the same machine on order, and this gives me peace of mind that I made the best choice. This is the first one of your videos I have watched, but I plan to go back and view the others. I wish you the best with your health issues, thanks again.
Nice to hear a tool maker talk about these types of machines. I think it can be easy for people to have brand snobbery and miss out that other machines used well can do a good job too.
really enjoy your content, thanks for putting this into the community. I know a guy who had a successful lung transplant, stay strong, we're thinking of you.
I just came across your channel. I love your videos, man! I was an apprentice machinist in 2015-17 but lost my job when the oil economy in Canada tanked, and it was my dream to develop and make firearms being a bit of a gun nut. Keep up the great machining, and video making, and I pray that your lung transplant comes soon brother!
This eighty something amateur machinist really appreciates your method of presentation. You don't waste words nor do you turn your head away from the camera and mumble irrelevancies like some others. I could name a couple of names but won't. There are professional reviewers who receive lathes from manufacturer's representatives for the purpose of doing a review. Can anyone actually believe that this conflict of interest will result in a fair and unbiased review? Not me. Should they say anything bad about any lathe they'd be hearing about it later. One in particular has done reviews on at least six lathes. Well how about a review of the one the reviewer selected and bought with his own money instead of one done that was simply given him for free? How can we trust a man who is hired to do reviews? How can a salesman be impartial? You are talking about your own lathe. Good. I can relate. PS; I was thinking about the PM 1030vc or I was but then inflation hit and they're quite a bit more now. I'll wait to see what happens.
Absolutely awesome, thank you sir. I pray that you may be healed and that you get better. Thank you for this this review, I was going to buy a grizzly with Dr. haven’t seen this. I am definitely going to buy a precision Matthews thank you.🙏👍
September 2023 the lathe is 2 years old. It now has 3500 hours on it and still purring like a kitten. Now have paint flaking off chip/coolant pan as well chips of paint here and there developing all over. Overall it still looks good. My disease has kept me from taking as much work so haven't been cranking out the hours on it.
I've seen a few of these reviews about precision Matthews machinery. Singing their praises while listing a range of issues!!! I saw one man have to re machine his cross slide!!! Grizzly might have been worse but that doesn't make PM any good. Dodgy gibs, loose spindle & a crap quill, marvellous!!!
@@Toolmaker001 These are supposed to be Taiwanese & are more expensive than average Chinese machines. From the reviews I've seen, they're better finished than their less expensive counter parts but still suffer the same issues as seen in this video!!!!
They have Taiwan manufactured machines and list them as such. Most are Chinese made. Both my machines are Chinese manufactured. It's unfortunate we can't purchase American made machines at affordable price points. I've run the living hell out of this machine, and it's still doing fantastic. But again after the initial issues were taken care of.
Very informative video. I'm looking at this lathes little brother, the 11x30 for gunsmithing, it will be my first lathe. Any thoughts on that one? Now on to the important stuff. Sorry to hear about your pulmonary fibrosis, we lost my stepdad 11 years to that disease. I've prayed for you once already and will continue to do so. Thanks for the great video brother and God bless
Thanks for this Jeff. I'm still torn between the same lathe you have and their Taiwanese 12x36, but it's nice to see you only had minor issues with the Chinese version. From everything I've seen, besides a few stories of samples that slipped past QC with bigger problems, the general consensus is that the majority of PM's machines just need minor TLC when new. On that note, before I picked up my Industrial Hobbies RF45 clone, I went and looked at several BP mills with a machinist friend. Pretty much every machine we looked at was completely clapped out from decades of use. If your hobby is restoring old machines that's cool but I'd rather put a small fraction of the time into my IH or a PM machine and have something usable.
@@Toolmaker001 It really comes down to price point. Tormach's and iPhones are also built in China but you pay dearly for their more stringent QC processes. Despite being a small company, by all metrics PM appears to do a pretty damned good job of providing a good product at a good price.
I have a PM1030 and it was not 100% when I got it BUT one call to PM and they will back up what they sell 100% I had them send out parts the next day and with I got my 1030 where it needs to be. I'm getting a PM-932V Milling Machine at the end of May knowing I'm going to get a good deal with PM...
Mainland Chinese concept of quality control is what do they think they can get away with. It's your call, spring the extra bucks for the Taiwanese machine or roll the dice and hope what you get isn't too bad like the machine in the video. I would note that every importer, without fail, will list in the machine specifications if it was made in Taiwan. There is a reason.
@@aceroadholder2185 For branded products it really comes down to what the importer putting their name on it will let them get away with. That does come at a premium though. For example Tormach's mills/lathes and Apple's iPhones are also made in mainland China. There is no argument that PM machines made in Taiwanese are higher quality. From what the majority of PM customers say about the company trying to make things right when something is wrong, it seems unlikely that PM would continue doing business with Chinese manufacturers that didn't meet their standards. There are plenty of other manufacturers in China(though all technically owned by the CCP) that would gladly take the business.
i bought a 1440tl about 9 months ago and it has been flawless right out of the crate. only drawback is threading. monarch 10ee crossfeed rotates 2.5 turns then locks so you return to exact spot each time. you wiuld think for 20k it would be the same.
I certainly understand what your saying. Good possibility post corona lathes are going to be better. Quality control took a hit during the corona shutdowns.
Look at Kent machines. I. Now considering a Kent milling machine. But I have both my current Machines running well, so that hurdle is behind me. We'll see.
I had the same experience with a grizzly. Had a grizzly wood band saw that I used a stick to turn on because you never knew what would happen. 😂. I learned the value of buy once cry once after that.
Looks similar to my 16 inch Chinese lathe only smaller. The only thing that I don't like about mine is the glass scale on the compound which is on the left side near the chuck?! I had to take it off so it wouldn't bang into the chuck. Other wise, it's a decent machine.
Hello! First time seeing your channel. Thanks for this video. I have the PM 1236, like yours, a few years older, as I've had mine since about 2016. I'm not, never have been, and never will be a machinist - just a learning hobby guy. I also have a PM 940 mill, and have nothing but good things to say about PM. When I got the lathe, in trying to tap using the quill, same as you, the drill taper spun in the the quill and it's scored, the quill and taper. I was thinking it was something I had done, or didn't do. So, Now, I've got questions was it me, or a defect? So, I'll be investigating this further, as it is aggravating, to say the least
Yes, I wasn't in a good place with my quill. But it came in quick with the mt3 reamers and paper. Use some permanent marker or dykem and check the surface of the taper. Then you will know exactly where you need to work the taper. It probably won't be out by much but it doesn't take much for the tapers not to hold. Good luck.
@@Toolmaker001 Thanks! I have scoring in the quill, and on a drill shank. I'll be investigating as soon as I get back to my little shop, in a week or so. Thanks again for the tips!
Facts! Im not a fan of Grizzly equipment either. LeBlond, SouthBend, Lodge & Shipley, Hardinge, Clausing, Century, etc... all lathes I enjoyed operating... I currently have 2 Southbends... well, technically my 13yr old took ownership of the 9" SouthBend and the Grizzly mill. If anything, those small machines are good pieces of equipment for him to learn basics. *Long story short* I have to use the Brideport and 16" x 40" Southbend. 😂 Great video man.
@Toolmaker001 I'm old school when it comes to machining brother. The older equipment I absolutely love... as long as they're not all clapped out. At work I run CNC lathes... HAAS and Prototraks... we had a manual American Lathe... Almost identical to a Clausing colchester. Man, the prices of new machines are INSANE! I was fortunate enough to purchase these machines from my Aunt and Uncle. He was a Gunsmith and she shot competitively here in NY. Stay strong brother.
My Grizzly G0509 is junk I guess, I only hold .0007” @ 40” on centers. My 3 jaw Scroll Chuck (factory OEM) will only hold .00017” on runout. I do have a PM 935TV knee style mill that had some break in issues and won’t hold a tram, I regret trading my Jet in on it.
its sold as the "al336" here... found a few different numbers they go under, but theyre all the same manufacturer. well, china/taiwan... same patterns in the foundries, anyway... only difference i can see is some have a sloping headstock at the gear shift, some are straight. and... its got the same issue as mine, and every other 12x36 gap bed from the same factories. the tailstock. LOOK AT IT. cant believe you didnt mention it... that it hasnt been an issue... because it has driven me mad from the start. the one thing that cant be tweaked, it has to be completely replaced. why is the overhang at the BACK, instead of at the FRONT? no other lathe i have ever used has that issue, and well... every job i have, i have to set up three to four times as no matter what you do... cant get the travel required without extending the quill fully so the saddle can come back far enough. then the thing wont let you get close enough to chuck/dogs without hitting as you already wound the compound right back and have the tool on the RH side of the post.... its a constant fight cus of that stupid tailstock. fine when you got something long with only a little bit at the end, or dont need the tailstock... but omg, short work pieces on centers kills me... and as thats what i do the most of.... hell i wish i had seen it when i bought it! would have gone up a size... it actually took about a year before i started to notice... mainly as it sat under a tarp during a move... looked around, havent found any suitable replacement, musing over just hacking it up and converting to a ram/lever/quick action, with the added bonus of shaping/slotting... keeping my eye out for about 14 inches of 3x3 CI...
What is the process he did to the gibs and dovetails? "Sterned in?" I haven't heard this term before and want to know more about it. Is this another name for scraping?
Jeff you move around way too much slow down!!! One of the first things I had to do after my lungs took a turn was I needed to adjust how I did everything. All that moving around it giving your lungs a workout so slow down and let that 2nd wind kick in and you will be able to do a lot more..
Yeah I've always been a One to bolt around quickly all the time. I always have fast pace walk. But yes I do get what your saying for sure. I'll try and slow down. Here recently when my O2 levels go down I notice automatically I go to a slow walk without even thinking about it. Thank you for your caring.
That I cannot say. I saw a video just the other night by a gentleman named Joseph Higgins. He has 12x28 pm lathe and did some modifications to it. You might want to watch this video.
I love it. I was totally surprised at the accuracy I'm consistently able to achieve with it. I thought for sure it was going to be a lathe I could do OK work with. It turned out I do aerspace tolerances with it day in and day out. I just did a video on machining a motorcycle axle on it. The axle was 15.700" in length and I knew I could keep under a .001" taper with this lathe with no follow rest and do it easily.. I did .0005" in the video. The video is up, go take a look. I always measure everything and prove my work. So I measure it with a micrometer in the video and prove it. For the price point I'm extremely happy with it. When I bought it I truly did not expect it to be as good as it is. It had a few issues at first but after they were taken care of there have been zero issues since. I run the living shift out of this lathe and it just keeps turning away. I have a number of threading videos and others on my channel so you can see for yourself the work that come directly off this lathe. Take care and if you need anything email or message. Thank you.
No I can't say I've ever seen one. My email is in the description, send me a few pictures of it and let's see if I can be of any help. Happy to give it a shot.
A few different things can cause that. first is correct RPM then feed rate. Make sure your tool isn't worn as well use coolant to help prevent work hardening. I have a video called 17HMR barrel threading in 4140. take a look.
Thank you, for the quick reply video did help. Nice I have the same machine you do so it’s a good reference. I was threading at 65rpm because that’s the way I was taught . What’s a good way to check spindle bearings ? Just for runout with an indicator? Bought this lathe used but it’s in great shape , but the rough finish on threading is driving me crazy and unacceptable because I do gunsmithing , thank you hope you have a great Christmas!
I use 500 rpm for threading barrels up to .920" diameter in 4140. Use coolant for OD reduction.. Only do small infeed passes at about .005 - .010. your threads will definitely look better. Yes, check spindle bearings with an indicator on the face of the spindle & OD. So tool steel sfm is 100 - 150 for carbide cutting tool. 100X3.82=382 then divide 382 by workpiece diameter lets say average barrel is .750 so rpm is 509. this gets you close to correct rpm.
Thank you sir that helps a ton , spindle bearings seem fine I did check them once the machine warmed up and virtually no runout on the test indicator. Also rechecked for flatness and alignment, so I’m guessing it was a feed / speed issue.
I have the PM1127 and it's been good to me. It's gotten some "American tuning" as well. My only complaint is the change gears, but that was my fault for choosing this lathe over others due to its affordability. @@Toolmaker001
*If I ever get enough money I'm buying a clausing lathe.* I really do NOT trust precision Mathews. _Grizzley and Jet is just another name for chinese junk._ Glad that your lathe is working out for you.
Nothing beats old British or American machines. My Colchester Triumph also known as a Clausing in the US can still hold a tenth easily. My old Brown and Sharpe surface grinder less than a hundred thousandth!
thank you so much for your prompt reply. I've just purchase a Warco GH 1236 (British version) and I am thinking of buying a Dimond tangential tool holder from Australia
It requires swapping 2 gears in order to change from fine thread to coarse threads. Takes minutes. It has other gears for oddball thread pitches and I've never used them. It's really simple and fast. I do a lot of 18 to 32 pitch threads so I rarely have to swap the 24t and 48t gears to do coarse threads, but I have a few times. Basically I just have to set the dials and go at it.
Thank you. I want to start doing my own gunsmith work. Barrel threading and suppressor work. 1/2x24 and 5/8x28. I have a 7x14 now, and it just is a toy. I want power and to be able to know I have a very capable machine.
@user-ii4ey6et6i this machine produces beautiful threads as long as you have good tooling and proper speads and feeds. I do polished threads right off the machine. Good luck.
Well, I received my new PM 1236 on Tuesday this week. Set it up yesterday and cut my very first threads today and was successful. I love this machine. 5/8×24 was my first cut.
I cleaned it all up for the video. It now has 3450 hrs on it and all the paint on the chip tray is flaking off and it's starting to show the hours. I wipe it down a couple times a week. Haven't been turning as much here since the review. But it really does have 3100 hrs on it in the video. I ran the living piss out of it for months on end, every bit of 40 plus hours a week for the first 19 months.
