Thanks to Onshape for sponsoring this video. Check out their cloud-based CAD tool at Onshape.pro/Tested Precision Matthews Benchtop Milling Machine: www.precisionmatthews.com/shop/pm-728vt-ultra-precision-mill/

Hello Mr. Savage. We met a long time ago, when you were at ILM. You really inspired me. Now, semi retired from Ubisoft as Lead Animator and 3d Modeler, your building and , "Imagineering" has made me the the Artisan, I am today. Thank You. Still have your needle nose pliers and red Pentel, Mechanical Pencil.

Adam, I've been a long long fan of yours since the Mythbuster days. You guys silently brought machining to the forefront of the public and as a machine shop owner I feel we are a bit forgotten as we spend our days in quiet isolation making things everyone uses. To see you shed light into this trade has inspired me and I'm sure many others to take on machining as a career. We as a country need people who can make things and use these pieces of equipment and tooling to keep our pride of things made here in USA. I've got plenty of years ahead and I hope I can continue doing what I enjoy. Other foreign countries has made it difficult for us to compete due to cost of labor being lower overseas. I'm glad your video came up on my feed, keep carrying the torch and be a light for others in the trades. Warm greetings from SoCal. -Casey

I have the little cousin to this mill... The Sieg X2D. It's honestly a great machine. I've made lots of good parts on it, and can usually hold +/- 0.001 or so (if I'm super careful). I've added DRO scales, and use TouchDRO for the display. I've upgraded the spindle bearings to angular contact bearings, and swapped out all the plastic gears for metal ones. I've been using the Tormach TTS tool holders for a while, and absolutely love them. Having quick-change tooling on my mill is a quality of life upgrade that I can't recommend enough. No more changing collets! Plus, they're repeatable, which is amazing when coupled with the tool library in TouchDRO. I've even made my own TTS-compatible tooling. Always enjoy seeing, and sharing, your enthusiasm for making things, and for the tools that you use to make. I've made a few videos of improvements to the machines in my shop, and it would be amazing for you to check them out.

I got the exact machine 2 weeks ago and I have used it everyday since. I also own a PM 1130V Lathe. Great stuff.

I especially enjoyed this video, THANK YOU! My better half presented me with a small bench-top mill for my birthday from THE LITTLE MACHINE SHOP over in Pasadena. Thankfully it has a 3 axis DRO which makes me seem to actually be fairly good at cutting what I intend! Watching your videos along with CEE ( Cutting Edge Engineering ), Blondihacks and others I have gotten a good jump-start on how to use the machine! As with my old Atlas/Craftsman lathe, it seems that you can never have enough different tools to plug onto the machine!! Of course, the best part about the videos is catching on to the hints and kinks of how to easily do the otherwise seeming impossible things!!

I have been shopping for a bench top mail for two or three months now, and still had not decided until I watched this video. I’m very intrigued and the smell and I’m leaning toward getting this one. Thanks as always for a great video Cheers

The other nice thing about benchtop mills is that it’s easier to follow or cut tapers because it’s easier to manipulate both axes at the same time since the handles are closer together. I have a 4” machinist vise with an angle plate that I’ve found to be useful. I use a cordless 3/8” ratchet for a power drawbar. I had a gunsmith mentor that encouraged me to buy this machine first since it will do a large range of jobs and even if I needed a larger machine later, it won’t replace this one.

Awesome!! I've been wanting one for years! Thank you for the insight into your machine. I do love the idea of lights inside of cabinets too! 👍

Quick tip for metric tap drill size. Subtract the pitch from the dia and you have your tap drill size. (M6x1.0=5mm drill)

@aaronsmith6271

4 ай бұрын

Thank you, bless you for this.

@rodlively1413

4 ай бұрын

I've worked in machine shop for 40 years and didn't know this, I just checked it on my Starrett chart and by god it's dead on! Thank you for teaching an old dog a new trick.

@paulblair898

Ай бұрын

This tip is true only if you want a 75% thread, which is prescribed for common soft materials, but you wouldn't want to use this method for harder materials. For example a M6x1.0mm tap would required a 5.2mm or 5.4mm drill if you wanted to tap stainless.

@Sean-ib7pd

Ай бұрын

@@paulblair898 thanks for the reply, I might be drilling my stainless parts too small then. They are always a pain to tap.

@paulblair898

Ай бұрын

@@Sean-ib7pd I'd take any advantage I can get when tapping stainless, it loves to work harden and then eat taps.

Thanks, Adam, such a good video. I have a Smithy 1324, twenty years old now in my crowded basement shop, and if I had it to do all over again, I would incorporate this mill into my shop with a standalone lathe. R8 collets are an important touch, and you've done a good job accessorizing the mill.

Nice mill and good video. It’s a blast setting up a new mill, one of the things I learned very quickly when I set up my work area is that chips go everywhere ! Especially if you use air to blow away chips ( which I do also ) Problem is that the chips end up in your collet rack and your hold down rack and it becomes a chore keeping things clean. I found that setting these items under cover or out of the chip zone is a small price to pay in order to keep your tools clean. P.S. you ask 5 people how to do something and you will get at minimum 5 different answers, lol

@kenneely7899

3 ай бұрын

That could be clear plastic cover. So you can see what you want.

You have just demonstrated the most expensive and most precise etch-a-sketch ever made.

@ironsmiter

Жыл бұрын

not a single air bearing, and several hundred thousand dollars shy on precision and cost. That being said, it is a VERY NICE etch-a-sketch. I adore my 727M, and have for years. I tend to think of it more as my most pimped out drill press though, since that's it's most common task.

@legallyfree2955

Жыл бұрын

I dunno, a nice big CNC using a manual control panel could be a pretty expensive etch-a-sketch ;)

@Enrios

Жыл бұрын

Not even close.

@GreenCurryiykyk

Жыл бұрын

Good luck with shaking it over your head! 😀

Have you thought about adding a pneumatic foot valve to trigger the compressed air so that you do not have to take you hands off of the hand wheels?

@richardwilliams648

Жыл бұрын

and having the blower mounted on a gooseneck aimed at the center point blowing to the splash back

@1pcfred

Жыл бұрын

Generally while you're prototyping and machining by the seat of your pants like Adam does you have a chip brush that you use. The classic chip brush is a 2" China bristle brush. You buy them by the 3 dozen and just kill them.

This press has worked like a charm for my projects kzread.infoUgkxajoEbapTfqWaadnqb04h6U576yxXp-FE . I didn't even secure it to my table top, mainly due to the fact that I was using a 15 lbs drill vise. It's not flimsy at all as to what others have claimed it to be. Make sure the locking nuts and levers are secured and there won't be any issues with light pressure and patience. I was able to drill through aluminum, plastic, and steel (steel took a while) with no problems at all. Yeah it took a little longer than a regular drill press, but I don't have the space OR the money for one.The instruction manual was worthless, but luckily assembling the press was intuitive. However, the manual would be good for ordering replacement parts if needed. There is a nice breakdown of the parts that are included in the kit. Before ordering, make sure it is compatible with your unit, it is clearly stated what models the press is compatible with.This was an excellent purchase for $40!!

I just bought my first mini mill from little machine shop. It was great seeing some of your custom mods. And we have the same vice! Haha

Amazing, I really want to buy one of these machines! Keep up the great content!

Since I am single, I replaced my living room furniture with a modest size mill and 12 x 36 lathe. Sometimes life is good!

I am just on the edge of watch repair, coming from carpentry and custom liquid computer building. I got hooked on the work of George Daniels, Breguet, and many of the pioneers of Horology and Watchmaking. I hopped freight trains through California after oil rig work in the early 2010's, so I immediately fell in love with railroad grade watches. I have a few crude tools salvaged from scrap, some fine preision tools, and some antiques that feel like they carry more character than your average politician. I am looking to aim for a custom watch eventually, so videos like these are invaluable to get a feel for equipment while seeing them operated by someone as passionate about the workings of things as I am. Thank you to all of you the produce this content, and those who make it popular:) Happy Making!

Very clean, very sanitary, very well thought out. Wow. I think I can learn things here.

Great Work Mate! I really like how you explain all the acronyms for people that might not know.

Love my precision mathews PM-728VT. It’s converted to CNC but it’s seriously served me for years now

Thanks Adam! Looks like a fun little mill.

My dad had a logic textbook that said, (in part), when you're looking for something you've lost, turn on all of the lights. Building lights into the spot where you're looking seems like a good proactive step.

@sundaynightdrunk

Жыл бұрын

If you ever want to find an a small item on the floor, lay a flashlight on its side on the floor and shine it around. Not only will it show you exactly how dusty your floors are, but you'll almost always find that tiny item. Doesn't work on thick carpeting, however.

@PlatypusVomit

Жыл бұрын

@@sundaynightdrunk What if I'm looking for the thick carpeting?

@davidcat1455

Жыл бұрын

@@PlatypusVomit 😃👍

Picked up a Grizzly mill G0704 and lathe G0752 late last year. Been machining ever since. Once you work the kinks out and install a few upgrades and improvements the machines are excellent and produce quality parts. Make chips!

PM used to sell these already made as CNC's I have one... ditched the Mach3 controller and switched to UNCC, very versatile and customizable. I've added automation features to it. I want to buy another one as a pre made CNC... hope they offer CNC again.

I don't know if it was mentioned in previous posts, but that kind of vice is designed to have the screw clamp the jaw in a 45 degree angle. so that you are putting the same pressure down on the vice be the same as the material clamped. the more the angle changes from the 45 toward 90 degree the more pressure you put into the vice and not the material being held. the less than 45 degrees then more to clamping in the material but it does not hold it in the vice as secure. I hope that helps you in the future of using that vice.

Great video, Adam. I love that vise.

5:03 Definitely swap your Fwd Rev selector switch action to match your memory. While you're in there you could pop in a Bourne 10 turn potentiometer or equivalent if you would prefer finer speed adjustments.

Thanks to Onshape for sponsoring this video. Check out their cloud-based CAD tool at Onshape.pro/Tested

You will soon find the headroom to be a little bit of an issue when using drills,the length of the chuck and the jobber drills makes it pretty tight. Screw machine drills come n very handy( plus they are more rigid) Little Machine Shop sells a lot of accessories sized to bench top machines.( 4” rotary tables etc)

@gqp4800

6 ай бұрын

Ran multi spindle 4,6,8, spindles acme gridley,conamatic, wickman @ Black and Decker Hampstead Md. In the 1980's. Sharpened a million drills by hand. Made chop saw gears. Ran 4 machines at the same time. A screw machine 6 inch collets, a barber coleman gear shaper to shape gear teath, a broach to put keyway in, and a deburing tool to debur back of gear inside diameter. Got tool and die pay. New Bridgeport son😊

For metric threads good rule of the thumb is that the pilot drill is the size of the bolt minus the pitch of the thread like for M10 thread the pitch is 1.5mm so pilot drill for it is 8.5mm

@emmajacobs5575

Жыл бұрын

Yes, it’s logical and super easy compared to inch sizes with all their secret codes like an #8-32 screw and a number 29 drill, and don’t even start on letter drills!

@mattagnew206

Жыл бұрын

​@@emmajacobs5575 but if you don't memorise it all you're "not a real machinist"! ;)

@emmajacobs5575

Жыл бұрын

@@mattagnew206 haha

You should get a set of screw machine length drill bits for your small mill. They are about half the length of standard "jobber" bits

13:40 “The light taunts you!” So true.

I'm consulting my crystal ball and I'm foreseeing an upgrade to the benchtop mill, adding a permanent air nozzle to clear chips constantly. 😀

This is fantastic!

You don't need excuses for a new machine dude, we want more too

Something just so satisfying about welding up a hex t handle wrench. I have 2 of em.

I don't have a milling machine, plan on buying one soon . So thank you for showing me how you set one up. It is all in the set up, or so I'm told.

It looks like the door to the pedestal cabinet is reversible. You might consider flipping it so that it opens at the front, so you're not reaching around the door to get at something inside.

@SomeGuysGarage

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, I was a bit surprised seeing the door open to the side, mine opens to the front (have a couple vids on my channel on my milling machine setup).

In the Sharp (and Bridgeport and all clones) Forward or Reverse depends of if you are in low gear or high gear.

I heartily second the direction switch issue. I created a 3D printed "lock out" for my PM728 that screws onto the bottom right of the control panel and physically prevents reverse unless I unscrew it. Trashing two 1/2" carbide end mills with accidental reverse was getting expensive fast.

I always mounted the clamping accessories on the side of the mill so they are eye level when setting up for a job.

Adam over here working with white oak 2x4s!! love it

Adam should get some of those flex hoses like he uses for his camera arms (only smaller ones) and put an air nozel that can blow chips away continuously

Very nice mill, I'm jealous!

nice little mill

Awesome stuff!!!

One added feature you might want to integrate is a small airline that has a ball valve or something to that effect which sits alongside the cutting head to constantly keep your work piece clear without having to blow all the time or intermittently stop to use the air hose to clear the work space

Totally awesome dude

Hey Adam! Couple of useful formulas for you Metric tap drill size = dia - pitch Ex m8-1.5 = 6.5mm Standard tap drill = dia - 1/pitch RPM = cutting speed (in sfpm) x 4 / dia of cutter Example: cutting speed of mild steel is 100 so 400/.5" cutter = 800rpm They also taught us in school that compressed air can damage the precision ground ways on the table and cause innacuraces but not sure how true that is lol Cheers :)

You could put the clamp assortment on a swing arm so it can be seen when needed and out of the way other wise.

You could create a maze for ants very easy. :D BTW, it's good to tighten the vise only a little, tap the workpiece down, tighten a little more, tap again, etc. to make sure it's parallel to the vise bottom. I bought an ancient mill recently, it's not set up yet as i need to weld a base for it and a VFD. It has an old car transmission on it to change speed, the VFD will improve that i guess.

Adams got a new watch on,he use to wear an Aqua Terra ,Omega ,very nice watch and lived the fact that he'd be working,keeping the wstch on,a proper sturdy watch.

Hopefully you can change the "speeling" on your parallel holder. It should be "PARALLELS" - LOL! Love the review Adam. I wish I could afford that mill. I got a HF mini mill that works well.

Grate update. I'm jealous an want one.

It's a Precision Matthews. You'll love it!

Love this guy…ever since the running at the glass high rise window when they use the “busting myths with science” intro ✌️💖&💡

I am insanely jealous of your shop!

That's really neat.

Put the clamping setup on a swinging shelf that locks to the mill base so you can have it there or out of the way if you need it

Love your vlogs! Huge Fan.

@sweenytodd666

Жыл бұрын

Scotland made it in first yeah!

I know, I know, but I can't help but point out that ALL the problem with parALLel is in the middle lol. Thanks so much for the excellent entertainment you give us - please keep it up!

Great machine sir

My mill is similar, other than for power tapping it always is used in forward. So leave the switch in forward and turn on and off with the red and green on off buttons. Wont be an issue anymore.

You know how to reverse the switch, and it’s your mill. Go for it!

Was hoping you would make this video!

Adam gets so much gifted swag call me green. But he will use it ! and inspire !

Bench top, ummm yeah!😁 Enjoy, Adam!👍🥰 Mike in San Diego.🌞🎸🚀🖖

That vice is sometimes tricky to use. You have to get the crossbar into a detent before tightening, otherwise it can slip. And it also has to be loosened a bit to clear the detent so you can easily move the jaws. Don't loosen the bolt too much, the crossbar can fall off.

@gangleweed

Жыл бұрын

LOL......I have one of these grinding or toolmakers or screwless vices and after a while I almost threw it in the bin it was so frustrating with the nut (crossbar?) at the bottom not engaging in the cross slots or dropping off the screw when wound back.......after a mod it now performs like a dream and second to the DRO is my most treasured mill tool. BTW.........better make a back panel to prevent the blown swarf from coating everything in the shop especially if you use coolant on steel.......with coolant use you will rapidly get mucky corners and everything else covered in oily residue.......that's par for the course unless you only use carbide tooling and forget about coolant.......I use a portable hand vacuum to clear the swarf instead of blowing it around the shop.

@funone8716

Жыл бұрын

@@gangleweed Turn the air pressure down to 20-25 psi for starters.

@oldscratch3535

Жыл бұрын

@@gangleweed I don't know why people constantly use air to remove chips. I use a shop vac and it works just as well. Using air just means you're creating 3 or 4 times the work when you have clean it all up later on. The only exception is if your machine is in an enclosure. I use air all the time at work but its a swiss lathe in an enclosure with a built in mist remover. At home I use shop vacs almost exclusively.

@cocarr1

10 ай бұрын

I took mine off and installed a 6" low profile vise.

Flip the knob 180 degrees on the shaft. That makes the bottom of the knob the indicator, and it will point to the right for 'Forward' operation. Or make a little lever and install it in place of the knob.

@MartysRandomStuff

Жыл бұрын

The lever thing is what I would do, a bar with a cutout that the top of the knob fits into and then with the lever below the knob it would be natural to move it right for forward and left for reverse.

@1pcfred

Жыл бұрын

Flipping the knob won't change the shaft rotation. And yes that mill is bass ackwards. I've seen ratchet drives that swap forward and reverse too. It's maddening.

Love your channel. What a neat benchtop mill. BTW, check the spelling of parallel.

I've been saving for a mini mill add machining to my shop for years. Adam gets one handed to him, there's a saying about this situation... happy for you Adam, don't take it for granted.

Aha, immediately noticed the forward/reverse thing as well, glad I'm not the only one who would be tempted to rewire the machine to fix it

You need a copy of the Machinery Handbook. Has every reference table you could ever want.

My mill had push buttons for for/rev, they were hard to tell which one was pushed and easy to push the wrong one. I wired a used back up horn from a fork lift to the reverse button. The horn is sealed inside the box so as to not be too loud. The odd time I use reverse I actually get a chuckle from the "back up alarm".

@petergamache5368

Жыл бұрын

I've done the same on a knee mill, except with a blinking LED (panel-mounted next to the REV button) instead of a buzzer. It's good to have a reminder before you turn your 2-flute end mill into a no-flute end mill!

@tevinvezina1766

Жыл бұрын

Do you ever actually have to utilize the reverse?

@Guranga93

Жыл бұрын

@@tevinvezina1766 i use all the time when power tapping

@BrianBoniMakes

Жыл бұрын

@@tevinvezina1766 Rarely but when you do you're glad it's there. Mostly it's for clearing a jam or unwinding some accident. Backing out a tap. I've never seen a reverse cutter or twist drill but that does not mean they don't exist.

@tevinvezina1766

Жыл бұрын

@@Guranga93 Ahh I see! I’ve only ever hand-tapped so I didn’t think about that possibility.

Have you considered setting up your air nozzle like your light with a foot pedal. That way you could blow off your work and leave your hands free to work the axis.

I think that milling vice could do with some more clamps to hold it down, else i reckon it could move under the cutting forces.

@SweetTooth8989

Жыл бұрын

Agreed. I'd have at least two on each side, unless he's milling really small and delicate parts but it's easy to under estimate just how much torque and forces are applied when machining even little parts. I quickly learned that at the beginning that even when you have a vice clamped down VERY tightly, the mill can still easily shift it even under relatively light loads. Just goes to show how large of forces are transferred from the cutters to the work piece. I think he'll soon add another clamp on each side because that vise is bound to shift on him at some point.

I bought the 727-M 5 or 6 years ago. Now it’s full CNC with an automatic tool changer.

Put copper shims under the claps, the cast iron table is really soft. :)

Sweet machine, forward to the left seems pretty counter (clockwise 😉) intuitive

What about setting the clamp holder kind of inset and adding a light so you can see them while your there? It would look good and they’d be out of the way.

I've just ordered the 727V, won't arrive for a couple months though!

SO jealous Adam!! I've been wanting that very machine for a few years now... Hope to get it or the equivalent in the next few years. Enjoy, it's supposed to be a really great benchtop mill.

@SW0000A

Жыл бұрын

My dream machine. Can't afford one unfortunately.

Great video! Ha-ha "Paralells" instead of "Parallels". I guess that's an inside joke? :) I have the 728 also, and love it. I've 'never' used the Z DRO to set height, I power-feed it down close to the work and then use the quill DRO for actual settings. But the quill LCD is funky, battery-powered and times-out just when you need it most, so I installed a scale on the quill and connected that to the DRO Z axis readout.

The first thing I thought of when you mentioned the 'forward/reverse' switch was "Why would they do it like that? I would open it up and swap the wiring". Right there with you, Adam. Next, you might want to integrate some type of waste collection. Just sayin'

You've got my spelling ocd going crazy. Parallel. A really nice set up. I wish I had room in my garage.

@TheTiffanyAching

Жыл бұрын

Came looking for this very comment.

@babbagebrassworks4278

Жыл бұрын

If you don't have room in your garage for this baby, clean up or sell the car, get a bike.

A small piece of advice, it is much easier to control movement with the correct speed and feeds, recommended speed for 4140 steel is appox. 6000 rlm for a 3 mm cutter with good rigidity so here you could easily run at 4000 rpm

Adam should check out Silvent air blow guns. Super strong and quiet. Even at $120-150 which is ludicrous! I think it’s worth it, enough that I got ten of them for work.

Rewiring that switch is worth the effort. It's nice, and safer, to have all your tools operate the same.

The PM mills are great candidates for cnc conversions. I think you would have another one day build.

@PatrickPease

Жыл бұрын

"one day"

You will have to forgive me but all I can think of is rigging up the compressed air hose to some loc-line so its pointing at your work and a foot pedal to release a blast or two when needed. Great vid. JIM

Hello Adam, To reverse the motor I would avoid rewiring the switch as it is a rather complicated setup. There is a good chance the DC motor was wired in reverse at the factory. It is easier to reverse the two wires from the motor on the control board. Being a DC motor this will solve your problem. Regards, David Dalgety Bay Scotland

@brianwilson5594

Жыл бұрын

That's some out of the box thinking. Great idea!

That motor controller has a label on the side that says it's 120v single phase. That tells me that it's a VFD outputting 3 phase to the motor of the mill. Instead of needing to do something overly complicated like rewiring the switch. All you need to do is swap any two of the 3 wires that go to the motor. It will change the direction of the motor and effectively swap the operation of that fwd/off/rev switch.

@Rynstick

Жыл бұрын

Wrong , if the vfd has any type of encoder in it it will break since the drive will expect the reverse

talking about a "state of flow" just to then drop a endmill, struggle with a vice and the extend the quill as far as possible 😂 (although its just richlite) good job 10/10 🎉

I bet people who are good with an Etch A Sketch love using these machines.

Most makers spend all their time and money on making and only a small fraction of time and money on shop infrastructure. Adam is the opposite.

It's funny to watch. Adam knows a bit about machining. Just enough to get himself into trouble. Lol. I've been at it for a good many decades and Adam gets it. Been interesting and entertaining to watch him grow. Keep on brother.

@warmachine5835

Жыл бұрын

I think that's where the passion sits. I've got a few subjects where I know just enough to get myself into trouble--model building, electronics, computer programming, plumbing--and the only one I won't try is the latter because shit can go wrong in way more spectacular ways with that one! For the others, even screwing up is fun because at worst, I learn something from the experience. Then, I can go screw up in new and more innovative ways on the next project!

I'm picturing a permanent mount for the compressed air and for a complementary vacuum tube across from it

You can also tumble the collets for a little while to debur them. That's what we ended up doing..we just didn't have the patience to go over every collet with a file manually.