Precision Matthews Mills or What Should I buy???

[CDHumiston]

Has anyone used or own a Precision Matthews Mill? They look pretty nice and very upgradeable.

Let's say I have a $5K maximum budget. Give me some mill options...

I'm convinced I need a mill so help me spend my money well!

PM-932M MILLING MACHINE $4699 with PDF and DRO​

PM-932M Main Features:

• Heavier Class Milling Machine, (1100 LBS With Base) For More Rigidity, And Greater Cutting Ability
• Larger Knee Mill Style Table Handles, for Much Better Control By Hand
• True Inch Pitch Leadscrews on X and Y Axis, 10 TPI Screws (.100″ Per Turn) For Easier Operation
• Available With Power Down Feed on Spindle (PDF Model Only) For Boring Operations
• Optional Stand is Heavy Duty Cast Iron, For Better Vibration Dampening and Rigidity
• Longest In Class, 3 Year Warranty

 

[Hubert S.]

You are correct, you absolutely need a milling machine. I have a PM-30MV and really like it. I wish it had a little bit more Y axis travel, but I've managed to do everything I've wanted to do with it so far.

I find myself running my mill at high rpm a lot and can't remember the last time I changed the pulley to low for more low-end torque. The six speed gear box on the machine you linked tops out at 1,970 rpm, that might be on the low side. Depends on what you want to do with it, I guess.

Get a DRO (definitely) and X axis power feed (really nice upgrade). I don't know how useful the power down feed is for what you want to do with the milling machine, I don't really have much use for one.

Leave some budget for accessories. You need a vise ($300+), collet set ($100+), drill chuck ($100+), dial test indicator ($100+), edge finder ($20), clamps ($50), drill bits and end mills. A 6" rotary table ($400) is a nice addition as well. Maybe a slitting saw arbor, boring head, face mill, fly cutter, reamers, coaxial indicator etc. If you add up the cost for a fairly basic set of accessories, you are looking at around $1,000. Just some food for thought.

Oh, if you don't have one already, you also need a lathe!

 

[CDHumiston]

You are correct, you absolutely need a milling machine. I have a PM-30MV and really like it. I wish it had a little bit more Y axis travel, but I've managed to do everything I've wanted to do with it so far.

I find myself running my mill at high rpm a lot and can't remember the last time I changed the pulley to low for more low-end torque. The six speed gear box on the machine you linked tops out at 1,970 rpm, that might be on the low side. Depends on what you want to do with it, I guess.

Get a DRO (definitely) and X axis power feed (really nice upgrade). I don't know how useful the power down feed is for what you want to do with the milling machine, I don't really have much use for one.

Leave some budget for accessories. You need a vise ($300+), collet set ($100+), drill chuck ($100+), dial test indicator ($100+), edge finder ($20), clamps ($50), drill bits and end mills. A 6" rotary table ($400) is a nice addition as well. Maybe a slitting saw arbor, boring head, face mill, fly cutter, reamers, coaxial indicator etc. If you add up the cost for a fairly basic set of accessories, you are looking at around $1,000. Just some food for thought.

Oh, if you don't have one already, you also need a lathe!

I can get the machine you have delivered with quite a few accessories for very close to my budget.

I need to do some more research. I was looking at a Grizzly G0759 before I found the PM.

 

[Hubert S.]

I can get the machine you have delivered with quite a few accessories for very close to my budget.

I need to do some more research. I was looking at a Grizzly G0759 before I found the PM.

The Grizzly looks a good bit smaller with only 5 1/2" cross travel, where the PM-30MV has 8 3/4". With the DRO installed, the travel is not quite 8". I've built some good size projects on it, including a tilting 2x72 grinder and more recently, a surface grinding attachment for it. Like I said, I am very happy with the machine. I originally ordered it with the stand but recently moved it onto a custom stand made from steel tubing. I found the PM stand too low, and the storage space pretty much useless. I see they are now offering a taller stand, but I think I'd still pass on that and build my own.

For accessories, take a look at Shars, I have bought a good bit of stuff from them and have been pretty happy with the quality and prices.

 

[Contender Machine]

I’m a machinist by trade and my honest opinion would be to try and find a nice used Bridgeport mill. With a $5000 budget you will be close to the going price and it will be a more capable machine than those bench top style machines. There are thousands of very old Bridgeport’s still used everyday in machine shops yet hardly any bench top mills are used in industry. That should tell you something. Yes you may need to spend a little more on tooling and a vise etc. but I assure you it would be worth it. The Bridgeport will hold it’s value as well.

 

[CDHumiston]

I’m a machinist by trade and my honest opinion would be to try and find a nice used Bridgeport mill. With a $5000 budget you will be close to the going price and it will be a more capable machine than those bench top style machines. There are thousands of very old Bridgeport’s still used everyday in machine shops yet hardly any bench top mills are used in industry. That should tell you something. Yes you may need to spend a little more on tooling and a vise etc. but I assure you it would be worth it. The Bridgeport will hold it’s value as well.

My issue is space. I work out of my garage and my wife insists we keep her car in there as well.

All my machines are on rollers so I can move them around when needed. I know you can't do that with a mill.

At some point I will either build a shop in the backyard or move. But until then I need to think about size...

 

[Contender Machine]

My issue is space. I work out of my garage and my wife insists we keep her car in there as well.

All my machines are on rollers so I can move them around when needed. I know you can't do that with a mill.

At some point I will either build a shop in the backyard or move. But until then I need to think about size...

Gotcha… yeah the main downside to the Bridgeport’s over the mini mills is the space requirement and inability to easily move them. Don’t get me wrong the mini mills will likely do everything you need them too. The little machines just scare me a bit. I get annoyed at the lack in rigidity in some of the 16,000 pound CNC mills I use…

 

[butcher_block]

hahve a mini mill and a highg speed bridgeport (5400 ish rpm top speed) if i was buying one to do all thats the size mill i woudl be looking for but i woudl find the one with theh highest RPM they are not built for hogging masses of steel but work great with smaller carbid cutters that doo need that speed

 

[Idahonotu]

I was looking to get a mill about a year ago. I had a very similar budget and space is also very limited for me. higher end bench tops is where i started then quickly realized for the money I was better off splurging and for space figuring a out a way to make it fit. I started looking at the most obvious contenders. Used Bridgeport's, Precision Mathews and Bridgeport clones. I wasn't really happy about the amount of work to get the used Bridgeport's back into tight tolerances they had when new. Most of them needed some work and all of them needed improvements to get more back to factory tolerances that had come from use. I ended up getting a grizzly bridgeport clone that I am really happy with so far. It does every thing i need it to within really tight specs. It feels very rigid and and tight and has the most important features. Granted a Bridgeport would hold better value and you get more features with Precision Mathews. The Grizzly offered the best bones to work with for the price, rigidity and tolerances. My garage is extremely tight on space now but I am really happy I did not spend 75% of the cost of a knee mill on a benchtop and figured out a way to make it work. If there is at all a way to remove some bench space in your shop area like I did to sacrifice for a knee mill it will be the best compromise you could make you wont out grow the mill's capabilities. I understand there may be no possible way to make it work for you i just wanted to offer perspective from someone who was in a very similar position recently.

 

[CDHumiston]

I was looking to get a mill about a year ago. I had a very similar budget and space is also very limited for me. higher end bench tops is where i started then quickly realized for the money I was better off splurging and for space figuring a out a way to make it fit. I started looking at the most obvious contenders. Used Bridgeport's, Precision Mathews and Bridgeport clones. I wasn't really happy about the amount of work to get the used Bridgeport's back into tight tolerances they had when new. Most of them needed some work and all of them needed improvements to get more back to factory tolerances that had come from use. I ended up getting a grizzly bridgeport clone that I am really happy with so far. It does every thing i need it to within really tight specs. It feels very rigid and and tight and has the most important features. Granted a Bridgeport would hold better value and you get more features with Precision Mathews. The Grizzly offered the best bones to work with for the price, rigidity and tolerances. My garage is extremely tight on space now but I am really happy I did not spend 75% of the cost of a knee mill on a benchtop and figured out a way to make it work. If there is at all a way to remove some bench space in your shop area like I did to sacrifice for a knee mill it will be the best compromise you could make you wont out grow the mill's capabilities. I understand there may be no possible way to make it work for you i just wanted to offer perspective from someone who was in a very similar position recently.

Which Grizzly did you buy?

 

[Idahonotu]

I bought the grizzly g0796 I just looked them up and they cost about $1500-2000 more they did when i bought mine. For the price they are now I would go for one of the precision mathews base knee mill and add dro myself to save a few bucks. OR I think any of the "bed mills" that are an in between size knee and bench mill will do everything you want and be very happy with them. They are sub 5k from Precision Mathews and about 1300lbs from them. The PM-940m& Pm 940V seem to be the best bang for you buck right now.