As a young process engineer in a corn syrup manufacturing facility in the 1970s, we were expanding our plants at warp speed and often did temporary piping as new processes were installed. I gained the nickname Mr Goodwrench because I was always taking stuff apart and putting it back together. The old guy pipefitters taught me to always use thread lubricant because our areas were wet and carbon steel bolts would rust quickly. Also we had to use it so stainless bolts wouldn't gall. If I had the value of all the clothes I ruined with nickel based anti-seize and CopperGraph we used on gaskets, I could have retired a couple of years earlier.

That feeling when you have always only had used stuff and finally get a new one is really something. You may have bigger and maybe better machines, even new ones, but this will always have a special spot for the rest of your life. Even if you end up hating it, you will still love it.

I got anti-seize on me just watching this lol

I've leveled robotic machines for decades like this, its a skill set and very critical for several reasons such as having a tool operate properly consistently reliably, and a finished product that depends on leveling accuracy! Few ppl really realize how important this really is.

I'm watching this instead of the state of the union address, this is definitely better.

I have never run a lathe that wasn't already WELL broken in before I used it. You are a lucky man!

Mark the ground around the feet pads to keep a eye on any movement .

.002" may as well be level as far as coolant is concerned. Our machines were lined up with the rest of the world and they drained just fine.

They did a great job making sure the floor was absolutely level. I'm absolutely astounded that the floor is that level.

I have a PM lathe and mill , you WON'T be disappointed! On top of quality machines, Matt's customer service is as good as it gets.

I honestly can't believe the amount of people that are so concerned about pitching the lathe downhill towards the tailstock for coolant drainage, when what is required are the ways running on the same plane. The lathe could probably run in an almost vertical position and machine accurate parts, as long as the bed is in on the same plane from side to side, and no I'm not talking about being parallel, the structure takes care of that (just wanted to confirm, some of you probably don't understand what the webs in the casting are for either). If the chip tray slope bothers you that much, look the machine up and see if it specs the chip tray slope maybe that will keep you occupied for a while.

Happy to see Adam doing so well for himself. It’s not easy going out on your own in any business. Always happy to see others growing their business!

They make a expoy you can run around your leveling pads to hold them in place. You just pout it around them and let it dry. We used it to set Cincinnati machines years ago

Whoever did that floor , deserves favour ! That machine is beautiful ! Happy lathing Adam .

So amped I'm ordering a PM-1440-2SM tomorrow. Thanks for the info and the wonderful tutorials on all machining aspects.

I bought a Precision Matthews about 10 years ago. Have had great results 👍

I remember my summer as a machine builder (college kid, first 'responsible' job in an industrial setting (building drive shafts for DANA doesn't count here)). We had huge bases for a big machining line that was being built. 16'~20' long, 4' ~ 6' wide. Each base had 8 to 12 leveling screws (2-1/2" screws). It came time to finally level those things (30 or 40 of them), and they brought out the laser instead of the levels. I chased that damn beep an entire day trying to get that think level. It ended up taking a solid week to get all of them done and I only did one of them, the "experienced" guys took over and it STILL took them 1/2 day per base working in teams. Still one of the best "college" jobs I ever had. I got introduced to the Bridgeport, surface grinder, lathe, drill sharpening, indicating, surface plate work (basic), and a few other things. I loved it, and looking back at my life 30+ years later? Probably should have stuck with it...it was enjoyable.

I really enjoyed the first few minutes of the video, watching the pads get faced and chamfered. Just hearing the machine running was neat, like ASMR (Abom Swift Metal Removal).

Years ago a work acquaintance gave me a piece of gymnastics foam to save my knees at work and it lasted me for years. It was durable and washable, and didn't break down like foam rubber pads do. It only needed replaced because I got roofing tar on it, and it took me a while to track down what type it was. As it turns out, toolbox makers sell it with a fancy name -- "Kaizen foam".

Good evening from central Florida! Hope everyone has a great night!

Something changed in the last few videos, the picture quality has dramatically improved. Seems the audio has improved as well.

Almost forgot. You're quality of this video is the best I have ever seen. The sound was also very good. I don't know if you changed your equipment or not but the quality was very noticeable. Good show.

nothing more fun than setting up a new shop. hope youre enjoying every minute of it too.

Wouldn't the drainage of the chip tray be built in at the design level? What I mean is, if they suggest using the top of the cross slide to level the machine then maybe the chip tray is already built with the desired drainage angle if the machine is levelled correctly at the cross slide. I'd have thought that if they are making a precision machine to create precision parts then they wouldn't expect an end user to apply guesswork to add drainage angles for coolant. Just a thought 😉

Me thinks leveling is not important. Lathes are used on boats of all kinds. What is important is to take out the tweak, the twist, the lack of symmetry. A simple way to achieve this is via leveling. Yes, there are jobs where one want to use a level for initial holding of the part. But this is just an opinion, and those I have plenty of. I like this new wave of episodes. You seem to having recovered your aim. Great!

First congratulations and good luck with it. Second I believe that a smart manufacturer will set the chip tray so that it will be at the correct angle to drain the coolant away from the head stock without the user needing to tilt it at 5he time of leveling. Not sure if that is the case with this lathe, just my thought on the matter.

I´m so jelous of you right now. It´s always awesome to have a brand new machine and be the first one using it. Great content as always Adam :)

Six years ago I wanted to drill a hole in hardened steel and no friend had time to do it immediately , normal I let them do my metal work cause I thought I'm not good at it. So I tried, but it didn't work 😭 I picked up my phone and looked at KZfaq for an explanation....this must have been the moment the metal virus got me...what I always thought that it's a boring thing was a whole new world for me ( at age 44 ) it was very interesting and mind blowing...two weeks later my first brand new lathe came 😂 and another week later my first mill 😂 which were replaced after a year to bigger ones ( lathe 350kg mill about the same) and despite being a hobbyist ( studied law ) I have a hobby workshop for about 60K all bought the last years🤪🤪🤪 and divided into two rooms to keep the grinding dust away from the other machines and tools 😇 and its the responsibility of guys like Adam why the metal work theme was so fascinating that i spend every free minute in the workshop . Also I was becoming the star for my friends and neighbors because if they need a repair I'm glad to do it immediately for them never taking a cent even not for the material.😁😁 I know but I do it with such pleasure I don't want to take money for it and the number of people who come to me is increasing ever since 🤣🤣🤣 When I don't repair things I have two houses which there's always metal work to do or just copy nice projects from KZfaq.Since I converted my mill with four Nema34 12.5Nm Motors to CNC the fourth axis a turning axis i made myself out if steele and in near future I make the 5th also the possibilities have increased cause I can't mill the complex forms the computer can do but by using the wireless Handwheel I can use it like normal only with more precision...🤪 So thank you Adam you cost me a bunch of bucks but gave me the best hobby I can think of 😁😂😂

Great information about how to level the lathe. That machine looks well made. I hope it is a good powerful and accurate machine because I like seeing you make some big cuts sometimes lol. Enjoyed the episode and the information. Keep em coming.

More great content Adam. I am well familiar, as I am sure you are, and many viewers are, with backlash in older machines. Could you show us just how much backlash there is in your wonderful new machine in its "as new" condition in a video some time? I think it would be fascinating to see/compare , especially with your older machines, just how much backlash there is. We are all spoiled with DRO units. The old guys had to deal with backlash and dials to hit the numbers. Hats off to them. It would also be great to see you align head and tail stocks, do some test cuts on the new machine, your professional and methodical approach would make it fascinating.

Thanks Adam! I’m about to tackle this process on an 1950s Bradford Metalmaster that I’m in the process of reviving. Good, straight forward procedure to follow. Thanks again!

Neverseize - the gift that keeps on givin

Thanks for sharing. I learn so much from. You have a lot knowledge to share with us. I am loving your new shop and have shop envy. lol

Love the channel , I miss engineering and Toolmaking CNC , sheet metal work and welding . My apprenticeship was 5 years and we learned to everything

If I ever would want a sponsor for anything, it would be CRC 👌

A salute to your concrete guys, they gave you a true and level shop floor, about the best you could ask for.

Very cool methods...might want to check level again in 30 or 90 days since the concrete is fresh. Those leveling blocks you made Adam are perfect because tall operators will benefit from them.

I find it so satisfying to watch chips fly. I am not a machinist but I do have some high school experience playing around with the lathe. I have an ME degree and enjoy what I do but there is nothing like watching chips fly.

That must be a very well built machine for the leveling process to have gone so smoothly.

Thanks Adam, my PM-1440GT just arrived today! I made my leveling pads out of aluminum.

Love it! Everything coming together so nicely. It's exciting watching you get this shop up and running right from the start.

I agree with your decision on the new lathe and on your assessment of Taiwan machines. I'm a 50 year machinist and toolmaker.

Adam you need to TRAM your toolbox mat, it's not flat enough. LUL great video man, appreciate all the info you provide to the community with every video, always something to learn mate.

love the sensitivity of the masters level

That is one beautiful piece of machinery. I bet you will find it to function exactly as good (or better) than it looks.

The next step to level an engine lathe is to confirm taper. A standard in the chuck can be indicated against from the saddle travel. Indicate along the top side of the standard to see the indicator easily. Adjust the rear headstock leveling bolts to correct error. You are adjusting for "up/down error" only at this point. Now reconfirm bedway twist, sagging and crowning employing the demonstrated methods. You will likely do some tail chasing closing in on machine level. Twist correction is vastly more important than level as Adam demonstrated by intentionally adding slope for coolant drainage. .002" slope is arguably insignificant for coolant drainage, but certainly causes no machining harm. The final step I would employ us to validate headstock taper. This is done by turning a sizable piece of stock with as much stickout that won't allow part deflection, No Tailstock Engagement. Test part finish is critical for best taper measurements. Mic the turned diameter. Adjust to correct taper by loosening the headstock hardware and adjusting via the adjustment screws at the rear of the headstock. The front of the headstock pivots on a pin centered under the chuck end of the headstock. Make certain you track headstock movement before loosening the headstock hardware and while making adjustments. Monitor adjustment with at least .0005" test indicator. A .0001" may max your indicator travel when you loosen the hardware or make adjustments. Tighten headstock, recut test piece and confirm taper correction improvement. This procedure can take several test cuts to eliminate spindle taper. Your first compensation correction success gives guidance on how much to move to obtain the desired and needed taper correction. I had various pilots that varied in their opinion on how much taper was acceptable and if the tailstock end or the chuck end should be larger if no taper was unachievable. The type of work performed on the machine will help dictate this decision. This is a toolroom lathe and I would expect that Adam wants precision work and he will machine with light tool load for finish management and tool deflection minimization. I would shoot for .0000" taper over 12". Even brand new machines need the taper confirmation. You could see from the video how much an engine lathe twists, crowns and sags. Shipping and rigging is not kind to maintaining factory adjustments. Ideal leveling methods would have included anchor bolts. Anchor bolts allow down pressure that machine weight cannot provide. Machine design mandates that anchor placement must be done before the machine is set in place. Aligning over anchors set in concrete is a challenge. Adam placed this machine by himself with a jib crane. He would have really frustrated himself lowering over preset anchor bolts. An alternative is to core drill the floor, remove the core and set J bolts loosely in the hold down holes. Place the machine with the J bolts dangling in the holes. Set grout to secure the J bolts. I only bothered with this step a few times, and I have set up hundreds of machines. The haters will point out that Adam straddled a floor control joint. This is unwise, but I managed machine tool set up for 34 years and found that we suffered virtually no machine tolerance issues in our parts coming off machines that straddled control joints. Adam already explained that he straddled the control joint to allow room for a knee mill under his jib hoist. Sometimes we have to make compromises. His machine is too close to the wall for OSHA and NEC required workspace, but he squeezed this dimension for the same space constraints. I demand best practices. But life forces compromises. I have some tricks that I would have pulled out if I did this job, but high precision is never perfect in reality. Adam admitted using 1-2-3 blocks is less than perfect for parallels to straddle the V way. I agree, but Adam reduced his error by confirming 2" dimensional accuracy. He had no provision to inspect squareness and flatness, but I agree that his technique with the blocks was pretty good. If you employ parallels to bridge the V way, consider using 2 precision levels, one on each end. Then you don't introduce error by moving parallels and levels. Old lathes didn't have reliable flat ground surfaces to set the level like Adam's new machine. This factory ground flat and parallel surface is very handy for lathe setup. The cross slide rides on the carriage on the flat and V ways. Since twist, crowning and sagging are your machining accuracy enemies, all can be inspected simultaneously. Hunt on chuck runout compensation... Old chuck OD's we're not trustworthy for indicating surfaces. OD was not always true to chuck centerline. This was regarded as a non critical surface and machining complexity allowed for machining tolerance. The chuck face was more reliable, but indicating here meant interrupted surface for the chuck jaw slots. Modern machining allows for the non critical chuck OD to be machined true to the spindle mounting surface and enables the chuck OD to be a reference surface. This manufacturing improvement enormously improved my life.

Wow so cool to see you bringing your new shoo online and your first brand new lathe is im sure a real moment in time for your career.

Perfect timing Adam! I just got a 12 x 36 PM lathe. This tutorial ids just what the doctor ordered. Thanks!

It’s exciting to see a new machine

If you go to an art suply store you can find brushes in a variety of sizes including very small, these make it easy to put a small dab of anti-seize acuratly in a small area.

Always enjoyable to watch a master at work!

Thanks for making the text huge on the screen. I watch on my phone most of the time and the text easy to read on a computer screen really is hard for the aging eyes to see on a phone! Love the new metal to money converter!

Great job Adam, will be glad when you show using it and breaking it in. Thanks for sharing. Fred.

This machine... I think i'm in love... I just can't get over it. This thing is SO DANG LOVELY.

Got a 2' by 6" by 2" thick rubber from work that was left over from insulating a couple of 1750 HP Chillers. Great to lay on agent working in washing machine dryer or furnance. Can remember kneeling on steel diamond plate while an apprentice. Would never do that now a days. Good luck with the new shop.

Lastly... Adam, weight loss journey, still a thing. I haven't watched your videos for a while, but keep it up! I've lost 100lbs in 12 months just trying. I bet those are rookie numbers for you, but keep up your good work in that regard as well.

The foam knee pads are at Harbor Freight now, great for the garden as well!

From Newzealand 🇳🇿🇳🇿🇮🇳🇮🇳What a Beautiful Explanation Bro We Love It✌

Full disclosure, I haven't made chips in 20 years but if abom doesn't show a clip of him peeling that plastic off the face, he's a monster.

Great stuff, never knew levelling is that important. Congrats on your new machine, happy turning!

Excellent work Adam really nice to see the different ways of leveling u can do nicely explained.

As you say. For the money of a new 2.5 " bore lathe. That is probably the best out there. I wish I had extra money. I would get one. As people saying it will not last. For what you and I are doing with it. Plus being smart and not abusing the machine. It will last our lifetime. So happy you two are going to have a very NICE shop together. Funny how happy she was to see it. Adam you must have done your Happy dance off air. lol.

As sensitive as your master level is. It seams to me just tightening the lock nuts on the leveling bolts. Will change the level. Very interesting proses I have never seen before 👍

What a beautiful machine, Ive had the PM 1640TL on my wish list for a couple of years. One day.

Adam, those far left feet that you just snugged up actually can affect the tilt of the headstock independent of the ways. You want to make sure that the spindle's axis of rotation is parallel to the ways and those adjusters will affect that. Joe Pieczynsky talks about this in one of his lathe adjustment videos. It was a pretty good explanation as I recall. I'm told that some lathes actually have an adjustment on the headstock itself, but I've never seen one. That lathe looks really sweet, BTW. Congratulations on the new and shiny machine!! I'm retired and just have a small shop in my basement. Got one of the smaller Precision Matthews machines and I've had good luck with it. The company has great customer service. I think you'll be happy.

thanks for sharing! sweet! new lathe so far. i can almost smell it.

awesome, I go by you 4 times a day thats me beeping the horn

Congrats on the new lathe. May your ground be stable.

Hi Adam, Amazing job on the levelling and nice to see one go so smoothly. Best of luck with the grease removal an oil change etc; I'm looking forward to seeing the first accuracy tests!.

Loving the new lathe can't wait to see it cut.

Adam, you are talking about the runoff of the coolant and that is why you don't set the machine exactly level. But isn't runoff of the coolant not taken into account in the machine? I know absolutely nothing about lathes, but this made me wonder?

Man, that's exciting! I bet it feels like forever waiting on the electrician. Hope to get a mill and lathe from PM someday...

I was going mad yesterday with the four levelling feet on the headstock. Thanks for the video, I'll do the "middle" two levelling and just barely touch the outer ones.

I love your attention to detail, in everything that you do. Paul

12:04 so clean almost look tool room lab, Adam. love ya bubby.

Does the chip pan not already slope down (designed and built that way) toward the drain side so you don't have to make the whole machine un-level?

That was fun! Thanks for showing it! Glad it went well. Seems like your measurements are even more precise than all the little gotcha's that will creep in over time!

Can't wait to see it running and making some chips as well as the pacemaker. Good interesting video as always.

Everything you machine looks amazing. Works of art!!

We are enjoying this with you; you have earned it!

I love this channel , you're living the life I can only dream of.

Nice video Adam. Next step... put a piece of precision ground material in a collet at the head stock and adjust out the flex/nod with the 4 jack bolts under that end. Picture the axis of the spindle being level in the same plane as the ways. TOT has some good details on that.

Are you sure the manufacturer didn't tilt the pan for water when the ways are level?

Don't you then have to turn a shaft and check for taper as a final test for bed twist?

Always love seein' that photo at the end of your videos. Gives me inspiration, something to strive for with my son. Your videos always edify. Looking forward to the next one. Be well.

Looking good 👍 excited to see how it performs power vise and accuracy 👍😊 Best regards

Why isn’t a pitch or slope built in to the catch pan?

03:04 --getting it all over your hands IS the correct way to use anti-sieze. I've never been able to not have that happen. 😆

YES! An Abom production again.

Hey Adam, I am no machinist, but I would think that a lathe manufacturer could easily make the coolant run to the sump with the lathe leveled in all directions. Great camera work.

Adam, fantastic job leveling in the Precision Matthews, I just finished un packing and leveling in a new LeBlond RKL-1340G and it it looks exactly the same as the PM just different paint job.! Any way, I found the easiest way to get that rust inhibitor wax off is copious amounts of mineral spirits, brass o-ring picks and a brass scraper, I made one out of a piece of 1x1/4 flat bar.

I’m not a machinist so help me understand why you go thru all the trouble of a precision level process and not make it level? So the flood coolant flows toward the tail stock. Also makes you wonder why the casting or maybe the flood coolant pan doesn’t have a tilt toward the tail stock built in. I welcome opinions from the machinists reading this. Thanks.

"I know that would be the proper way to use this but..." hahahahahahaha!!! I could not have related to you on that more! I work on cars and use that stuff often and I'm here to say it's a love hate relationship. I swear I've noticed a spot of that on my face in the morning 3 days after I've used it but it has also saved me so much time when maintaining things I've already worked on. Good show sir, I really enjoy your attention to detail, thanks for sharing.

As a retired millwright we always used dial indicator on top of the foot when tightening down checking for a soft foot condition then shimming for zero pull down… then again it’s only a lathe

Exciting stuff, looks like a great edition to the new shop

I have built (at the factory) and installed many lathes, we actually made ours level unless the customer wanted it pitched. If the coolant sprays towards the headstock, liquid will go through the spindle bore, regardless how the machine is pitched. You just plug the spindle bore or stuff a rag around the stock, if you're running material through the spindle bore if you don't want drips. This whole pitching the machine thing is 100% BS. However, what machine tool builders do when they build a machine is, everso slightly tilt the headstock down and toward the operator (2/10,000"/6"). This is not the whole machine, rather the center bore of the spindle is tilted down in comparison to the bed. This is because single point turning (contact being on the operator side) will deflect the material up and away from the operator. So if the spindle was perfectly centered, a part (even with the finest finish cut) would be slightly bugle shaped (smaller at the headstock side). So, slightly tilting the headstock down and towards the operator, will counteract these forces, to some degree and attempt to eliminate the bugle shape on low force finish cuts. ALL serious machine tool manufacturers build this in at the factory. It is then the installer's job to insure the machine is installed in this same condition. I believe the myth of tilting the machine so the coolant will flow correctly, comes from people misunderstanding what tilting does and where it's done. Also, "tilting" is not supposed to be accomplished with levels, you do it with the test cut and 1/10th mics. Trust what I have said, I am 100% certain this is correct.

Hi Abomb, congrats on your new lathe pretty exiting i can imagine.love the content you have. wish you continued progress, old school machining is were its at. im a cnc guy but i never forget the roots of the trade. it always translates nicely to modern tech thanks for your vids.

I understand your excitement for the new machine, i wanted to see you finish up the other lathe first and makes some chips off that first. Keep up the video's.

THE MAN!!!!! your most definitely an inspiration.

Well done! Have fun with your new toy! Greetings from Dresden (Germany)!