Hello, my name is Ralph in MN with ROG as a nickname. I cut my teeth on a B&S single spindle automatic screw machine in the late '70s. I did a short stint with CNC that used a ticker tape before parting ways for my career in print and computers...
The tooling experience has carried me through decades of countless DIY projects...
Last year a "friend" told me of an auction that had an Atlas Craftsman 36" lathe. A 60's vintage in great shape. Since I still had my machinist toolbox with mic's, calipers and indicators, I snapped it up...after purchasing a small band saw 6 mos later, I realized a mill was "the missing link"...so I started researching, searching, shopping and after countless hours of reading, I decided on a Matthews PM-727 mill with DRO...
I priced it out with all the goodies and got a pit in my gut... I needed more time to justify... I was about to order new as they're on a 5 month B/O and I just happened to look on Marketplace and found a 1.5 yo PM-727 complete with CNC and most of my list of goodies for 20% less than what I was going to order...
I brought it home late April... I fabricated a stand, got it mounted and placed in shop. I am putting the finishing touches on the electronics box and am in the process of figuring out the home switches...
The only exposure I have is the 20 minute demo I got prior to purchase...GOOD GAWD, what was I thinking? I must be a masochist at best...lol