JL Pana Mill *WIP*

[SAR]

I bought a brand new Pana Mill from John Leblanc, he was the guy that helped me build my first inter-frame lock-back.

It has been on a shelve covered for about 6 to 7 months, so I really look at what I using and what I was not and moved some stuff around to squeeze. yet another machine onto a bench that held 2 machines.

But the trade off was the old HF lathe went under the bench and the mill got moved over by all its friends, I have not used that lathe all to much at all it just sits there because I lack tooling and good knowledge to really use it.

My mind was a bit foggy and cold when I decided to make it happen, once the move was complete I started on some milling fixtures.

I made a template that I can cut the lock notch on the blade with a perfect finish to boot, it took a little work with a file on the pattern to get the part just right. Not to mention I had forgot how to spot my holes on the work plates but after some more coffee was able to succeed.

Now I can scribe my lines mark my hole's, drill, cut most of the material out of the notch area grind it close to the line. Place it in the fixture cut the area with the .133 stylus then drop down to the .125 stylus and make a quick zip and I am done with that part of the knife.

I need to have a friend with a good lathe make me some more stylus.

Next I will use the same fixture to build the frame cutout and the template for the inlay so I will keep posting in this thread as I move along.

It works well, what do you guys think?

and yes those 2 blade are working as a hold down on the cutting side....I blew the lock area on some other methods for perfecting this step.

Thanks
Spencer

The pattern I made today, I am still working and grinding on this one to really nail it down on the part

The first part to cut from it which will get heat treated and become my template. I will give you guys some better pics of the cut area tomorrow, so you can see how good it finish's.

Just a good shot of the work tables

 

[David Wesner]

Hey Spencer, Sweet looking little machine :thumbup: About my 2nd year as an apprentice mold maker I was put on a Deckel for about 6 months, roughing out multiple mold cavity for rack & pinion parts. I got pretty good on that old bugger One thing you might find handy will be a cutter grinder and a good supply of 1/16" - 1/4" solid carbide tool blanks. Having the ability to make up your own single fluted tools with whatever nose radius you need on the flute will inevitably save you tons of $$$$ and you'll always have exactly the tool needed for a given job. Sharp ones !! Having sharp, free cutting tools on deckel/pana-mill makes a big difference in the ease and outcome of the machining.

 

[SAR]

Hey Spencer, Sweet looking little machine :thumbup: About my 2nd year as an apprentice mold maker I was put on a Deckel for about 6 months, roughing out multiple mold cavity for rack & pinion parts. I got pretty good on that old bugger One thing you might find handy will be a cutter grinder and a good supply of 1/16" - 1/4" solid carbide tool blanks. Having the ability to make up your own single fluted tools with whatever nose radius you need on the flute will inevitably save you tons of $$$$ and you'll always have exactly the tool needed for a given job. Sharp ones !! Having sharp, free cutting tools on deckel/pana-mill makes a big difference in the ease and outcome of the machining.

David I may need to give you a call some time to discuss this in detail, thanks for the post bro.

I only have a .125 carbide cutter at the moment but need something I can really get at the corners a bit better, I can also see myself snapping some carbides with this thing

SPencer

 

[John L]

Hello Spencer: As I remember it...John LeBlanc makes these machines. Does he still make them? I am interested. Thanks

John Lloyd

 

[SAR]

John the only way I could convince John to build this for me was by going to his shop, learn to use the machine and build a knife with it etc.....mind you I paid for all of this instruction it was really worth it.

John built quite a few of these after while he had some problems 1 they are really heavy around 150+ pounds hard to move around the shop at 72 years of age and pricey to ship.

But the most trouble he had was folks really did not understand how to use it and would get bombarded by phone calls from guys who had ordered one only to fail in application because lack of knowledge. So he no longer builds them, but if you are willing put half down and pick it up he may?

I am not saying its really hard but you have to under stand some things about pattern building, hole transfer etc. When I was at Johns we spent 2 full days building patterns, one day just cutting the frame and inlays so it was pretty intense.

I will not state the price paid because I do not know what John is charging now to build another....but they are pricey very pricey.

But unlike the other choice for machines like this are the Deckel and they get pretty large and heavy take up alot of space, this thing can go back on the shelve when I am not using it.

Spencer

 

[David Wesner]

David I may need to give you a call some time to discuss this in detail, thanks for the post bro.

I only have a .125 carbide cutter at the moment but need something I can really get at the corners a bit better, I can also see myself snapping some carbides with this thing

SPencer

Anytime at all Spencer :thumbup:

For sure there are a lot of little tricks to be learned when using a Deckel. I've forgotten most of them but definitely, IMHO, single fluted solid carbide is the way to go. I'm sure you're already aware of the advantage of using a little bit larger stylus than the cutting tool when roughing. You can really sneak up on tolerance and final finish by choosing the correct stylus size, stylus nose radius in relation to cutting tool size and nose radius. As always, but especially here, sharp tool is rule #1. Rule #2, usually, conventional milling..... unless you have arms and shoulders the size of NickWheelers climb milling can be tricky and costly

Grinding a single fluted blank is quite easy once you get the hang of it. Of course a diamond wheel is required on your cutter grinder. First you split the diameter to your preferred depth of cut. Next, some guys prefer to create the nose radius prior to adding relief, some guys cut relief first. If you cut relief first on the just split blank you'll have to go back and relieve the radius (if you choose to put one on). For that reason I prefer to generate all of my cutter geometry first, then finish up with the relief. It really is that simple. Like I said, huge cost savings, and always a sharp tool on hand.

Hey Nathan the Machinist have you used a Deckel ???? If so, I'll bet considering your mad machining skills, you could add a books worth of tips here ........

 

[Nathan the Machinist]

Hey Nathan the Machinist have you used a Deckel ???? If so, I'll bet considering your mad machining skills, you could add a books worth of tips here ........

I've said it before, but I'll say it again, I am a hack machinist. (I may actually be a master hack machinist now, read below). A veteran mold maker such as yourself will have forgotten more about the machine trade than a hack jack will ever know. I wish I could contribute something here but I've never used a Deckel before.

(Though I am just a hack, I do have a real, honest to goodness apprentice going through a formal machining curriculum and I own a real job shop, so does that make me a master hack jack machinist?)

 

[SAR]

All right I got my pattern done, now I will begin working out the inlay for the design.

Here is the first knife cut from the pattern, its really tight and the repeatability is gonna be good.

First five will start this week, hope to have five at the end of the week

This folder stuff is really about paying your dues, if you want stuff working right.

Spencer

This is the start on my inlay concept