This could be a great entry level gunsmith lathe

R

RoyB

Member
This might be the nicest entry level lathe I've seen to date......

Coming Soon a Large Bore PM1127VF Lathe. Comes standard
with a 1-1/2" spindle bore and 6" Chuck. PM1127VF-LB Lathe
$2249.00. Free Shipping!

PM1127VF-2ed-504x377.jpg


Page Title

Main Features:

* Made in an ISO 9002 Certified Factory
* High Quality Electronics Used Throughout Machine for long term reliability
* POWER CROSS FEED, BOTH IN, OUT, and LEFT and RIGHT, and WILL CUT LEFT HAND THREADS TOO
* Super Smooth and Quiet running machine
* Large Spindle Bore 1-1/16"
* HEAVY Welded Steel Machine Base for extremely rigid cutting
* Heavy Duty Bed Width 7"
* Variable Speed 120 Volt Single Phase Main Motor, 1hp
* Variable Spindle Speeds From 50-1800 rpm
* Inch Threads and Metric Threading, Right and Left Hand
* Spindle is Dynamically Balanced, Hardened and Precision Ground
* Spindle is Supported by High Precision Tapered Roller Bearings
* All Gears and Shafts are Hardened and Precision Ground
* Guideways Induction Hardened and Precision Ground for long life
* 2 Year Warranty for Parts
* INCH LEADSCREW AND FEED SCREWS for Even, Easy Measurements
* Digital Speed Readout on Face of Machine

Main Specifications:

* Distance Between Centers 27"
* Max. Swing over Bed 11"
* Max Swing is Gap No Gap
* Width of Bed 7"
* Spindle Mount/Bore DIN 55021
* Spindle Speeds, Infinitely Variable 50-1800 RPM
* Leadscrew Pitch (Main) 8 TPI
* Longitudinal Feeds 0.0025-.012 IPR
* Cross Feeds 0.001-.0056 IPR
* I nch Threads 52 Threads 8 to 56 TPI
* Metric Threads 45 Threads 3mm to .5mm Pitch
* Travel of Cross Slide 5-1/2"
* Travel of Compound 2"
* Tailstock Quill Travel 3-1/2"
* Tailstock Taper MT#2
* Main Motor 1HP Variable
* Machine Weight 650 Pounds
* Power Requirements 120 Volt 1 phase

Standard Equipment:

* 40 Position Quick Change Toolpost
Set with Holders
* Live Center
* 5" 3 jaw chuck
* 5" 4 jaw chuck
* 9" Face Plate
* Thread Chasing Dial
* Steady Rest
* Follow Rest
* Complete Stand/Base for Machine
with Cabinet Doors
* INCH and METRIC THREADING
* High Quality Electronics
 
Royb says a 1 1/2 in bore. The spec above says 1 1/16 spindle bore ??? 27 is a little short if 1 1/16 bore.

Larry Sivils
 
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I guess it's too early in the AM.............IT SAYS....COMING SOON a Large Bore PM1127VF Lathe

I suggest this is a GREAT lathe for someone that will be turning a few barrels a year, making a few widgets and what not.............

First off...It has a 1.5" spindle bore. More than enough for any rebarrel other than some +1.5" straight taper. 99.9% of all barrels that will be threaded and chambered in the headstock will fit with plenty of room to spare.

Most folks will never put ANY barrel between centers. All crowning and chamber work will be done in the headstock. The only time you would need to put a barrel between centers is to contour it (and this lathe simply ain't going to do that) or to polish it (and you shouldn't do this on a lathe anyways.. the grit can damage the ways). 100% of the barrels a home gunsmith is going to buy are going to be contoured and polished/sanded from the barrel maker.......

Build a spider for the outboard side of the headstock, and you're good to go.

We tend to get all gooie when it comes to lathe discussions. And the poor new guy gets a real dose of "you need a 10,000 pound lathe with a 3ph 15HP motor and a 48" bed that costs over 10 large to chamber a barrel. Nonsense..........hundreds of winning BR rifles were and are being built with South Bend 9 or Sears/Atlas lathes and they have terrible limitations........I suggest this might be a much better choice for a starting smith.
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I get a kick out of statementes re such and such lathe being "too light" ;)

Barrel work and gunsmithing kinda' DEFINES light work don' it?

I mean, most of my roughing cuts are done with carbide but any actual work is generally cuts under .005.....

and reaming is done by HAND fer cryin' out loud!

I don't feel hampered at all by a light 1700lb lathe. It's sure nicer to work around than the huge stuff I learned on.... Reaching over the chuck, hand-turning the chuck for setup, CHANGING chucks!!! And being able to basically set on a stool and reach everything...... (I DON'T, but I COULD!)


nice


al
 
More information and pictures here: http://www.machinetoolonline.com/PM-1127-VF.html

On the plus side:

it does both metric and imperial threads.
it has decent feed ranges
the LB model has a 1-1/2" spindle bore which is adequate for most hobby work
the spindle looks short enough to easily handle barrels from 20" up, maybe even shorter ones through the headstock.
it comes with 3J and 4J chucks.
it runs on 120V
the 50 rpm minimum speed is good for threading or chambering if it has enough torque at the low speed and can maintain that speed accurately

On the minus side:

Hard to tell from the picture how easy it's going to be to put a spider on the back end of the spindle but it doesn't look promising.

Apparently the spindle is belt driven directly from the motor shaft. The rpm at which the motor delivers 1hp will be important. If the motor is 1hp at mid speed it will not have very much power at the low speed setting - I'd be concerned that it would maintain a steady 50 rpm under load and have good torque at 50 rpm. Even if it is a variable frequency drive (the motor is 3ph, the VF inverter has single phase input) it will have considerably less power in the low rpm range.

Bottom line: It's worth some investigation but I'd have to see one of these in person and try it before I'd give it a thumbs up.

Fitch
 
Butch Lambert said:
So it comes with change gears for metric threading?
Butch
Click to expand...

It says on the importer's WEB page that it cuts metric threads, and has an imperial (8 TPI) lead screw, metric threads weren't listed as an option, so I'm assuming it comes standard with the gears to do it. Cutting metric threads will doubtless require leaving the half nuts closed and power reversing back to make the next pass for nearly all pitches, which is what I do on my lathe that is set up similarely.

Fitch
 
Darn!...AeroE deleted his post before I got to see why he thought I had a crappy attitude....... :0(

But thanks for standing up for me Butch!
 
RoyB said:
I guess it's too early in the AM.............IT SAYS....... 100% of the barrels a home gunsmith is going to buy are going to be contoured and polished/sanded from the barrel maker.......
__________________
Click to expand...


I turned a barrel down last week for a customer with a taper attachment on my Leblond. As far as I'm concerned, if people are buying full diameter blanks to turn down to save a little money over buying precontoured blanks, they have more time than have money. I'll take precontoured any time and prefer it. The one I turned down wasn't to save money. The customer had used it as a full 1.250 barrel and decided it was too heavy for his long range rifle. It also had put him out of the light class and into the heavy class. Turning down a barrel with a taper attachment takes a lot of time and certainly costs more than what any barrel maker charges for a precontoured barrel.
 
I'm not in the market for a new lathe, but I've shot over to that site and am curious about their mills. What kind of quality does this company offer? Their mills seem to be very competitvely priced...
 
Looks like I will be a Lab Rat for this lathe.
Arriving this week.

I think making a spider will be a pita. I am 99% positive the spider will have to either replace the spindle nut to grab enough threads or it will cause a loss of ID to make one that can be slipped inside and glued in with a locktite product.

Plus, I am a newbie, with no machining experience.

As for gunsmithing...haha. Lets see how many cheap .22rimfire barrels I can mess up first. Truth is, if I had an expensive barrel/action to work on, I would send it out!! :D

At least for my other future interests, it should be enough lathe and then some.

Open invitation for any locals to visit and check it out.

I have thier PM45 Mill also, which I am slowly learning via mistakes..
 
I can't dissagree with any of the other statements. Gunsmith Work is by it's very nature not abusive to equipment.

I like that "also cuts left hand threads". Any lathe with a reversable lead screw will. I have never seen a lathe without a reversable lead screw.......jackie
 
Mike Bryant said:
I turned a barrel down last week for a customer with a taper attachment on my Leblond. As far as I'm concerned, if people are buying full diameter blanks to turn down to save a little money over buying precontoured blanks, they have more time than have money. I'll take precontoured any time and prefer it. The one I turned down wasn't to save money. The customer had used it as a full 1.250 barrel and decided it was too heavy for his long range rifle. It also had put him out of the light class and into the heavy class. Turning down a barrel with a taper attachment takes a lot of time and certainly costs more than what any barrel maker charges for a precontoured barrel.
Click to expand...

Not to mention that if the barrel OD is not properly turned (tooling, speed, feedrate) the operation will open up the bore and you then have a blunderbuss!
 
Since the lathe subject is being talked about again, i have a Grizzly 4003. i have been looking at the Southbend Heavy 13. Any opinions on these machines. it looks like there are three models.

Thanks Horace
 
Horsky said:
Since the lathe subject is being talked about again, i have a Grizzly 4003. i have been looking at the Southbend Heavy 13. Any opinions on these machines. it looks like there are three models.

Thanks Horace
Click to expand...
The South Bend 13 is a great small lathe. It comes with a 3-step or 4-step belt drive but even with the 3-step drive it is a stretch to do even a 24" barrel through the headstock using an outboard spider. There are, however, other ways of doing headstock chambering without the use of an outboard spider. Many good barrels are chambered using the chuck-and-bushing method instead of the chuck-and spider method.

I have a good friend who deals in used machinery who now has 3 South Bend 13" for sale.
 
Very interesting on the South Bend Heavy 13. That just shows how much i know about lathes. i appreciate your reply and opinion. i guess i should keep looking for a upgrade.

Thanks Horace
 
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