"what isn't all right is, how lose the machine is on the chip tray" You didn't realy check with a dial indicator the play between machine and chip tray !? xD OK, that tells much about the relevance of this review.

@Arckivio

2 ай бұрын

I find this review one of the very, very few reviews actually made by someone that expected quality for that amount of money!!!! I've seen so many reviews of proxxon tools where they're rebuilding parts of their garbage tools & STILL saying they recommend them & how wonderful they are!!! Some people really can't step over their ego & admit they've been like a teenage virgin at a Mississippi barn dance!!!!

I stumbled upon this because I am actually interested in buying one. To be honest its the first bad review I have seen, and I have seen videos of guys actually working on their lathes. I am sorry for you that yours came out this bad. I still am interested in buying one BUT now I will keep an eye for everything you pointed out. Thanks a lot.

What i got from this review, is that the PD400 is actually a pretty nice machine. Runout in the spindle is fantastic(below 0.01mm) even when measured from the chip-tray, backlash is average, if not even great for this type of machine, tailstock seems nice quality, it uses standard tapers in both the spindle and tailstock, has nice electronics, proper bearings and metal gears. What's not to like? 1mm DOC seems aggressive on a machine like this, especially in harder materials, but it took it like a champ, and left an amazing surface-finish too! Aluminium always has problems with long chips, and it's not about how sturdy the lathe is, it's mostly speeds and feeds, which are normally higher than a lathe of this size will ever be able to achieve, along with cutter-geometry for the material, but that is a non-issue, as those are universal, so that doesn't say anything about the machine. A smaller depth of cut will usually fix long chips on a small machine, as the chips wont be strong enough to become stringy like this.

@Arckivio

2 ай бұрын

I think that's just what you wanted to get from this review!!! I suspect, a proxxon owner!!!

@MJ-fn8pt

2 ай бұрын

Spot on - I've had one for years and the parts and finish it can achieve are way beyond cheap Chinese lathes (ask me how I know...) The tailstock is a let down - it's just not rigid enough being made out of aluminium. There are also some other challenges such as sadle adjustment (from the bottom...), the fine feed can bind a little, chip guards a bit lacking etc - all of which are easy to fix if you have any skill. In fact there's a great video covering most of these by Michel Uphoff. This guy must just be having a bad day. and is blaming his tools - breaking chips on aluminium is not hard with this machine if you have the correct speed/feed. Its not perfect, but at this size it definitely holds its own.

@Arckivio

2 ай бұрын

@@MJ-fn8pt So let me get this straight, you've listed some issues in your comment & you watched the Uphoff saga of video's to put this lathe into it's advertised condition. Remind me again how many video's that was??? You think I'm having a bad day? I'd be having a bad day if I'd spent all that money on a Proxxon lathe or mill. I'd be having an even worse day if I was also too daft to step over my ego & admit I'd been had!!!!

@MJ-fn8pt

2 ай бұрын

​@@Arckivio there's a difference between improvements and something not being fit for purpose. Most of the issues you noted in my experience can be resolved by working with the machine, and maintenance (like depth of cut, backlash etc). Others can be mitigated with some updates, but expecting the experience of a full size lathe on something this size, or expecting a cheap lathe of a similar size to be better (or even on a par) is not realistic. I did not debate that the machine is not perfect - some compromises at this size are inevitable, but some things should be resolved at this price point. If you have space for a full size machine then like anyone else I'd have bought one - In this size however I've not yet found a better machine - use it, enjoy it. its very capable (and accurate) for its size. I also found a DRO massively improved my experience and speed - recommend the Optimum DRO5 with mag strips to cover X and Y.

@Arckivio

2 ай бұрын

@@MJ-fn8pt The lengths you fan girls go to to defend your brand is astounding!!! Where did I say that this should be comparable to a larger machine??? What I've said is that they are certainly not as advertised & are not even close to being worth half the money paid!!! Like I said, Uphoff spent countless video's getting this to it's advertised standard, not turning it into full size Mori Seiki. The mains powered mini drill I bought had play in the spindle that translated into masses of vibration & the flexible shaft turned that vibration into a jet engine & was too hot to touch in 30 seconds!!! You'd say it was marvellous as it doubled as a Martini shaker & the shaft worked well at frying eggs!!!

I don't agree with this review. I bougt a PD400 6 months ago, and it is a nice and precise machine. Way better than my (old but famous) Emco Compact 5, wich I happily sold after allmost 40 years of use for way to much money (in my opinion) to buy this lathe and a proxxon FF500 BL mill. You are nagging about the backlash, but that is common for machines like this, and no problem if you know how to use a lathe. I allso dont see what a line from a casting mould has to do with the quality of a machine. You might be right about the not optimal lathe bits, I use my own grinding machine to sharpen my bits. But a toolbit is not a lathe. So, for anyone reading this: The Proxxon PD400 is a very nice mini lathe. I bought mini for just under € 2000,-

@ainult1

2 жыл бұрын

Where bought mini for just under € 2000?)))

@Michel-Uphoff

2 жыл бұрын

@@ainult1 Here in the Netherlands (Rotterdam)

I’ve got one of these machines, along with several full size lathes, and I love it for small work. The tailstock is a little to light duty for my taste, but the rest of the machine is great if you ask me.

Just found your channel and subscribed. Nice video

Could you tell me Which model micro late model do you recommending please? Im looking to buy a table version with budget around 1500€

I bought the Proxxon last year. I cannot understand the intention of this reviewer. Many statements are incorrect and this can easily be checked. The machine bed is definitely hardened. The lathe is made in Germany, which is - as far as I know - not part of China. Backlash ist normal for a manually operated lathe. Before the Proxxon, I had a Chinese Sieg C2. The Proxxon is more powerful, runs quieter, and is definiteley more precise.

@Arckivio

2 ай бұрын

Yes, hardened enough to get ding from a light weight tailstock centre!!!! So many reviews of proxxon rubbish out there where they list all their issues while still recommending them!!!! Maybe you're just easily pleased & have money to throw away!!!

Thank you very much for the review. I'm myself about to buy one. I will pay extra attention to the ways. There is something I don't understand you seem to check the rigigity relative to the tray, but isn't the tray made out of sheet metal flexible by itself ? Also from your review I think I understand why you would have wanted to go with a chinese lathe from the start. You mention you have a lathe at work, do you know how much that one costs, I would be curious, thanks. I remember when I started looking for a lathe, I wanted a Schaublin, I had no idea how expensive those machines are ^^

Holy Moly the surface finish on the stainless part with a 1 mm cut is pretty decent. We have a Wabeco D2400 at work (small lathe from Germany) and it wouldn't cut stainless this smooth.

@SchwanziniDeKarotta

10 ай бұрын

Its send from germany but actually its a chinese machine. Its fake marketing to use the good name made in germany

Thanks for the info..

Hello. I have seen your review and must say that I absolutely cannot agree. I bought my Proxxon PD 400 CNC some years ago and I can tell you that it is an extremely precise machine, absolutely not comparable with "avarage" cheap machines made in China (maybe some high priced Chinese Machines are well engineered, not everything from China is bad). My Machine has a RÖHM chuck and I produce parts from steel, stainless steel, even titanium! (with the right high quality hard metal inserts from Sandvik, Hoffmann-Group etc, of course). I use the machine for construction of steam engines, but also for Car-Repair etc.

Hello. Sorry, but I don't agree with this review. I bought my Pd400 20 years ago, and really, I'm very happy about it.. Backlash is something normal on every lathe. The lathe is very accurate for a hobbylathe . It is far more better than a "Mini-lathe" or other chinese lathe. I had only one time to tighten up the taperbeariing of the spindle after 10 years of use. How can I compare ? Well, I have a Myford Super 7 with Norton gearbox, this is the "RollsRoyce" of hobbylathe, and the proxxon can produce parts even accurate as on the Myford. Clearly I feel the frustration of a bad deal/problem with your dealer/reseller and the need to vent this in a bad review. For people who read this : don't be affraid , this is one of the best hobbylathe you can have on the market. I use it on a regular base for 20 years.

@GearAcquisitionSyndrome

2 жыл бұрын

I'm sorry to say that the lathe i have is not the lathe you have. A lot of things change in 20!!! Years.... Think about it for a bit. I've also heard that the PD400 used to be excellent, that's why i bought it. But that's not the case anymore. If you don't agree, that is your opinion and you're entitled to one, but my lathe is exactly as bad as i described it

@thomasj2582

Жыл бұрын

How much you pay for other Chinese lathe?

It is made in Europe, NOT in China.

I use the proxxon 250, it is good. And maybe some reasons are exist. But every lathe has its problem, and the proxxon shows less problems.Chinese laths have its good and even lots of bad, and it depends which brand you will buy, and cheaper and good quality is less, and some of them are not good.

I have had this machine, with an additional milling device, stored without use for 20 years; I remembered this and decided to start using it, but came across this review and almost decided to get rid of it. Fortunately, I read the comments and realized that the machine is not so bad, and that I could have made a mistake..

Did you try to adjust the backlash out?

I just learnt that people buy crap and crap about it ! The diff is to know crap from other things that are not CRAP !

See Michel's review, teardown and improvements. It seems to be a decent machine for the footprint, would be accurate enough for making small parts. If you really plan to turn a lot of steel or harder alloys, I'd invest in a larger more rigid lathe. Optimum has some decent lathes at the same price point that are more rigid and heavier. It's always going to be a compromise between price, weight / rigidity, accuracy. High accuracy and heavy = more expensive 😆

@GearAcquisitionSyndrome

Жыл бұрын

I've sold it a long time ago!

@HM-Projects

Жыл бұрын

@@GearAcquisitionSyndrome haha, righto. Did you buy a replacement ? It might be good to do a comparison video if so, might be helpful for someone looking to buy. Cheers

@GearAcquisitionSyndrome

Жыл бұрын

@@HM-Projects nope, I have a massive cnc lathe at work and haven't really got the room for machinery at home.

@alexanderstuartpetty485

6 ай бұрын

Well, what do you suggest?

Damn dude be careful grabbing stainless steel chips with bare hands.

@GearAcquisitionSyndrome

2 жыл бұрын

My fingers are calloused enough, but yeah, I'm usually more careful

Thanks. I will buy a mini lathe next year and the proxxon 400 was in my list... I have to rethink everything!

800 mm between centres. Yeah nooot

You have given me something to think about. Proxxon you may want to do better. This guy just may have cost you a sale.

So, you don't like it. Got it.

wow... have you actually owned a chinese one? (every other brand off small lathes that is) in this review you talk about small things as if it makes the machine crap. the chinese ones has normal ballbearings that has the chuck jumping 0,05mm and from chuck to tail i have seen examples of deviation from centerline of about 0,5 mm xD. and here you are saying "yeah proxxon has taper bearings, it has nice electronics, it's fairly accurate BUT THE CAST HAS A VISIBLE LINE WHAT A PIECE OF CRAP. holy... and you talk about the gears making sound... have you heard the vevor or holzmann or any other rebranded china machine? they sound like broken washermachines. my Proxxon i can run in my apartment with no problem from sound. To anyone watching this. Proxxon is the brand if you're looking for a very small lathe.

@GearAcquisitionSyndrome

2 жыл бұрын

Do you consider a knit line in a machine casting a minor problem? Do you consider a soft bed not to be a problem? I'm not sure you watched the video entirely. And I'm not sure you understand my point. The machine is 3000 euros. It's not worth 1/10 of that. I might have gotten a particularly bad one, but....

@cimjohansson4878

2 жыл бұрын

@@GearAcquisitionSyndrome just buy any competitor brand and own for a while, then do a review on that. you get a new lathe and we get a new review to watch (y). and maby then you can talk about how the problems with proxxon compare.

@GearAcquisitionSyndrome

2 жыл бұрын

@@cimjohansson4878 i completely agree that the proxxon has to be miles better than the Chinese minilathes. But it's unacceptably bad for what it costs. At least mine is, or the newer ones are. I'd love to hear from Proxxon themselves

@cimjohansson4878

2 жыл бұрын

@@GearAcquisitionSyndrome i would say that if the cast don't crack it does the job. and if the bed is not hardend on the surface i bet that proxxon has come to the conclusion that the typical customer uses the small lathe in their hobby room say 50 hours a year. and a soft bed if slightly lubricated sometimes holds performance for say 500 hours of use. so 10 years, but a hardend bed would, in europe, ad to the price, lathes for industri are more like 1500 hours a year. 15000 hours in 10 years. and since people are buying lathes for coffe money from china maby they feel that every step that will not affect performance and feel for years has to go. cheaper delivery of casts and skip what will not impact the hobby user this decade. they still use the tapered bearings and sounds like a whisper tho. and cost is relative. where do you get western contry quality lathe for less? making this steep in price?

Guy is clueless, buy chip breaker inserts if you don’t want stringy chips.

Это не просто порнография , это комплексная порнография с извращениями в духе Европейских ценностей😂😂😂

@alekspolevoi9019

4 ай бұрын

Это о чем, о станке, или навеяло, глядя в телевизор?

Could you tell me Which model micro late model do you recommending please? Im looking to buy a table version with budget around 1500€