Precision Matthews PM-728VT vs PM-25MV Milling Machine Comparison

Thanks @Franco! 60"x30" is really a reasonable size for the such a nice machine.

So glad u did this! About to buy a mill and wanna get a Precision Matthews.. its gonna be the PM-25, PM-27V, and PM-28. Gonna be my first mill I know nothing lol.. figured I'd get the bigger one since all the reading I've done says to get the biggest you can afford. Or even the biggest you cant afford lol..

Great compare. Thank you.

So is there anything the 728 can do that the 25 cant, other than work on bigger pieces and deeper cuts/more precise?
I wanted to get a mill for hobby gunsmithing. I've made a few 80% AR lowers as well as glock/polymer 80 lowers. I've been wanting to build a 1911 but didnt want to buy a bunch of special jigs and tools that are only good for 1911s so figured I could get a mill that I could use for other parts as well, for example maybe some parts for my motorcycle or something.
For my uses, do you think the PM-25 would be a good choice or would u recommend the 727V or the 728?
After watching your comparison video, are the only differences size/weight/precision of parts and rigidity for the most part or is there a job that the 728 can do that the 25 cant without major changes ? Do you think the PM 25 is precise enough to cut the rails on steel 80% 1911 frames, as well as steel slides?
Just want to make sure I get a machine that's capable/precise enough to cut rails in a steel 1911 frame which is probably the hardest metal I'd work with so just want to be sure its capable to cut nice, straight and even lines. Thank you for any feedback you can give me, I really appreciate it! Seems like the 728 will be a bit more precise as well as able to work on bigger projects but doesnt seem that I would need something like that for what I want to use it for.

Precision mathews should make a special "cnc ready" machine. One that is designed to be user upgraded to a cnc mill as easy as possible.

Just for the hell of it I’d like to see that twist test on a full size Bridgeport mill. I’d expect zero deflection of course given the mass of the castings.

Thanks for doing this. My 728 should be delivered today :) Now to see if it does have more room for ball nuts, and what size screws to get. Can't wait till end of July for the PM 'kit' so planning on DIYing it.

Good comparison. I'm going to try that torsion test on my PM30.

Can you tell me what the main decisions you made to go PM over Grizzly or other similar brands. I have a G0704 and a G0720R that are both CNC. I’m looking for a good machine to keep as manual now.

BTW, great torsional displacement comparison. If you can move the heads .002” with a bungee that’s wild! Imagine the displacement taking a decent sized cut. I have to do that test on my machines.

Is your long term plan to retire (sell) the 25?

I have converted a PM25 to cnc and acknowledge it's shortcomings by taking smaller cuts and plenty of them. You don't have to wind any wheels, hopefully you just have to watch it do the job.

Thanks For the Info!

Nice video, I use a similar method to check if gibs need adjustment, make small adjustments & notate feel of movement in between adjustments.

Are all the mating surfaces of the ways scraped? In pictures, it looked like just the x-axis was scraped.

came for the mills, subscribed for the cats :)

Just ordered my PM-728vt to replace the harbor freight mill. The DRO model is on back order for a couple weeks which gives me time to make it a spot. I'm trying to figure out where in the garage it will sit when it finally gets here. Can you measure how tall the blue stand is and how far up from the floor is the bottom of the table or X axis crank or whatever sits lower? Basically, I'm trying to figure out if this can sit beside my existing work bench and be tall enough for the table to overhang over my work bench if that makes sense.

I see cats I press like

your audio is no good

$2,400 for the PM 728 + taxes + shipping + stand + tooling....

Thank you, this is the exact video I was looking for.

This may be a stupid question and for that I apologize, After a CNC conversion do you still have the ability to use the machine manually
Just a beginner trying to understand better thanks

Well done! Love your cats!

I would not enjoy trying to tram the column on the 728 with the bolts under the base casting. Terrible design.

I just ordered the PM-728VT DRO today. It will be my first mill almost bought a Bridgeport the other day and decided I have enough projects going on. I am in the process of restoring an SB10L I have an Atlas 618 I restored a few years ago. I went for the PM-728-VT because It's light, it runs on 110v, its ready to run and made in Taiwan not China. I'll get a Bridgeport in 9 years when i retire, leave California and buy my retirement home. Then I'll CNC the 728.
I ordered up a brand new Kurt DX4 vise today for it, along with a bunch of other stuff. Spent a lot of money today. lol

Thanks for the vid Franco!!!

My cat would have bitten me 5 times!

What was the table tram in the Y direction on the PM-728VT? I have been considering buying one but was concerned because the column is bolted on from the bottom of the machine and would make it difficult to adjust or shim.

I will take your test as a reference thanks! :-)

Somehow, I don't think I would be able to persuade my wife to film me justifying spending a few grand on a new mill! Nice videos though. Thanks for posting.

What is the up and down buttons on the fine feed drop for

I saw your craigslist ad in which you're selling the 728VT. Any particular reason you opted to keep the PM-25MV over the 728VT? I was looking at the PM-25MV as potentially my first milling machine (no plans to CNC at this time), but your listing has me intrigued.

What a nerd! Thanks for knowing all this and having two cats

Thanks for the videos. Dont deploy those cats on us ease

Cool cats! Appreciate the comparison video on the two mills... I've been looking at purchasing a medium-ish bench mill and want something robust/rigid, with good accuracy. I've seen your video no the PM-25MV and had contemplated that due to cost, but after watching this video, as well as a few others on the 728MV, I think that's the way to go. It appears to be a solid machine for the money, and looks to be of a higher build quality than the Grizzly equivalent.

Regarding backlash... That can easily be worked around, I've used Bridgeport's with a huge amount of backlash and it's manageable. The best and most obvious way is to install a DRO, gives you absolute position, regardless of the amount of backlash. I'd much rather have smooth travel in the three axis'...

Great walk around of the machine... Just have to figure out what I want to sell so I can use the money to buy one!

Another difference, with the PM-25MV you can get away with a 110V 15A service. With the PM-728VT you need a dedicated 110V 20A circuit for it. I would have to upgrade my electrical service to run the PM-728VT in my garage. Just something else you need to factor into the equation.

Your Russian Blue is not as skittish as ours is.

Hahaha funny how things happen. Inside joke

pulling on the metal cover is different than pulling on the spindle isn't it?

Thanks for the video!

You and I have the same cats! I feel like I'm in the matrix.

Outstanding!👍👍👍

Does their stand have a hole underneath where the column mounts so you can get to the bolts? Or do you have to lift the mill off the stand in order to get to those bolts? Also, did you have to shim the column at all to tram it (or did you even worry with that)?

Hello, Franco. What CNC Kit did you use for the PM-25 Milling Machine? Thank you.

Them machines are now good . Bridge port style are better your one brakes at the ways over time get your money back

Thank you. You help make my decision. 728 it is

If you have column twist, youre being too aggressive into your cut. Just take the cut slower and there's not going to be that .001 - .002 twist of the column

Wow good video. I need some help please. I know that this video is 2 years old. But I just received my PM 728 VT milling machine December the 6th. I have not been able to get in touch with anyone at precision mathews due to the holidays. Mine has 800 thousandth back lash in the X axis which is unacceptable to me. In your video you said you could adjust it out. Please tell me how. Thanks in advance for any help you can throw my way.

I looked at both and for the money I got the PM-932v just for the size and HP

Your column distortion test is very much subject to backlash. Like you said it’s all in the setup. Same test while making a “heavy” cut might be a better test. Having sad that that the pm 727v beats them both for that size of mill.

PM-728VT is $1K more than the PM-25MV, with your honest opinion you think it's worth it when it comes to precision and tolerance for ease of usage with a CNC? Thanks.

What do you use your mills for?