Knifemaking Tuesdays Week 57 - Norseman Blades and fixtures
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ย. 2024
- We're making fixtures and Norseman knife blades this week!
www.GrimsmoKnives.com
Our long awaited third batch of Norseman knives is finally under way! For this week's video I made a few new blades to test out all the changes I've been making to the design over the past few months. All new fixtures, all new CNC code, as well as some subtle yet wonderful design changes.
The first few minutes show how I made 6 new fixtures from 3/4" 6061 aluminum, 18" wide by 12" tall. I held them down to my vacuum table and faced them all with Tormach's Superfly facemill. Doing them all back to back ensured that they were all exactly the same thickness, making pallet changes easy and repeatable. I also bored 18mm holes in the back of each pallet so that I could press in the 12mm bushings that align to the VacMagic vacuum pallet changer. Then I flipped them and faced the top side to a thickness of 0.700. I also made a new vacuum grid plate that's 18x12, to go along with the 14"x14" one that I have. My table travel is 18"x10", so I like having a vacuum grid fixture that's the same size as my travel, it lets me maximize the table space.
In this video I show a lot of cool endmills for cutting out the blades, how they're being used, as well as closeups with descriptions. Almost all of the endmills that I use these days are from www.LakeshoreCarbide.com. I even had one custom made for a specific purpose! I show closeups of their rougher, finisher, and my custom endmill, as well as all of them being used on my blades.
The first blade had a few minor issues, no biggie, I changed the code a bit and ran a second blade. The second one turned out great except for one minor problem, the corner rounder went too deep. Again, no biggie, easy fix. Now after a few more changes I'm ready to run an entire pallet of 12 blades. We're making 65 knives in this batch, so we're going to be busy!
Thank you for watching, and I will try to get the videos back onto a more regular schedule. It's not easy, this 25 minute video took me 4 hours to edit!
watching this in 2024 and it is awesome how you can see progress from garage to what are they doing today...great
a 1in radius mill is a genius idea - well done!
And whoever complains about your videos should stuff it..... Do them how you want, it's your video and you do a great job!
I like working this way as often as possible. It doesnt typically save any time, but often makes for an easier work flow. It can also sometimes save on bolt swapping, but you'll go crazy trying to optimize every last bit of every part-- and will likely spend more time optimizing than you ever save :)
Its important to remember that if the machine is running un-attended, and you're achieving your part quota, cycle time is largely insignificant.
Watching these older videos just makes my day.
I've never seen a ringed pallet. didn't think that was possible w/o heat treat, grind, and lap. Good Job.
Finally! I'm writing the code for the lefty blades tonight and will cut them tomorrow. Can't guarantee it'll make it on film, but somewhere along the line the lefty knives will definitely get filmed.
That's a really good suggestion. I briefly considered it while coding, but didn't think about it too much so I just went with it. I had to use the finishing tool on the flat tanto portion on the spine of the blade, so I figured might as well do the edge too. But you're right, that's a few inches of cut per blade that the endmill doesn't have to do.
Like butter is right! Most of the blades are done, Erik should get 'em all ready for HT tomorrow. Probably do bearings next, the ones I made turned out sweet! 1/16" balls on a 3/16" hole, 10 balls spaced as far from centerline as I could get 'em. Should be a cool video.
Great stuff, John. Cant wait to see the dammy Norseman. Damascus pocket clips will look fantastic too!
Not all are, but most are. Because it rocks. It's relatively easy to get it to work right, simple design, and customers love it. Liner locks are also popular. Button locks are less popular but just as awesome, if not awesomer, than frame locks, but hard to make them perfect, especially for flippers.
That air suction you're feeling is "wringing". very cool natural phenomenon.
Thank you John! Not enough makers look after the lefty community. A surprisingly high proportion of people are left handed (1 in 10 i think). Most have learned to use right handed knives but its still a massive market left untapped.
When you get around to making the integral I would love to have a lefty version.
thanks man i needed that cnc shot in the arm ---killer job --i look forward to your vids
good luck on everything you do -------- man talk to you later!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love these videos. Thanks for making them!
20:40 - "See how annoying that air compressor is?" Syclone Air Compressor on Amazon and other sites. More expensive, but only 60 dB! And I think it'll last longer than my noisy Porter Cable that I never use anymore.
BTW - Flipper Gimping would be a good name for a rock star.
STILL loving the Tormach SuperFly carbide insert cutter.
Looking good bro. Will order one when I get back on my feet
Thrilled to see you making videos again, John. :D
Awesome video mate. You guys just keep getting better
Yep, always climb mill even when roughing. For slotting it really doesn't matter especially if you're doing a climb finishing pass.
I'll try to make an enclosure for my new compressor, should help a lot. Thanks! The new clamps will be half moon shaped and grip the blade spine a lot more securely, you nailed it.
3:30 was right. The electronic tool setter is a great way to add confidence in your depths of cut. Thanks and cheers.
Climb mill for EVERYTHING. If you haven't seen the difference in surface finish between climb mill and conventional mill, chuck up a block of aluminum in a vise and skim the side of it with an endmill. clockwise around the outside is climb, ccw is conventional. Just do this manually with the keyboard. Climb leaves a nice finish, conventional leaves weird burrs stuck everywhere. Also doing rough passes and finish passes, even with the same endmill, makes a nicer finish. Leave 0.010. Cheers!
I'm definitely not satisfied, so maybe I'm on the right track ;)
I remember you mentioning the camera light in a previous video, but it looked even brighter in this one.
John,
Finally found your TH-cam Channel. Have read multiple posting & in many places related to Grimsmo Knives. From what I'd read, thought you were only doing CNC scales. Looks like lot's more now. SUBSCRIBED - now to explore your videos and will check in to website.
Regards,
I have a suggestion for the new pallets. Because you have an atc now, you could do something like having two blades in each of the clamping positions. Lets say the first row has two rough peaces having the shape roughed, the second row has two blanks getting the getting the the first side cut... that way each time you change pallets you get two finished blades and then you move the rest down a row. This even out the work you do by hand (scotch-blighting...).
Thanks! The key to making parts that look good is to never be happy with anything you make haha. Then eventually you start to admire your own work.
Shop lighting is the same, but I got an LED panel light for my camera so everything seems much better lit. I need to put a fluorescent or two above the mill.
No promises that I'll be making lefty integrals, but I'll consider it.
Awesome stuff guys! You've definitely been busy! And, seriously, I'm just joking around when I razz you here. Pay me no mind. It's exciting to see the damasteel too! Can't wait! Keep up the great work guys!
Thanks bud! Those compressors look cool, but not big enough for what I need. I want to get at least a 3hp unit with a 60 gallon tank. That way I can run the vac pallet, mist, and get a bead blaster.
I engrave at max 5,100 rpm. For these stainless blades most of the tools are run at 4000-5100, with the exception of the toroid (2120) and a cobalt 1/8" drill (1900). And yes, the ATC has an internal air blast that clears chips and coolant, works great at 120psi!
also frame locks allow you to easily close the knife one handed; which in nice. i often find my self opening & closing my favorites as a nervous habit, kind of like clicking a pen. that way i get more enjoyment out of my extravagant purchase.
Interesting concept, and I like the suggestion where instead of having nothing nothing nothing boom 12 blades done, we can have a few finished ones at a time. However, I think overall my way is more efficient because when I start the day I can start a whole pallet full, not just part of it. And while the whole pallet is running, there's time to spend fixturing the next one and scotchbriting all the finished ones. The difference might be negligible by the end of the day, but I like the idea!
That would be neat, I haven't seen any options like that in SolidCAM. In GWizard, my speeds/feeds calculator, it can calculate speeds/feeds based on engagement angle, but you sort of have to pick the tightest angle and just use one setting for the whole pass.
The coolant recirculates, it drains to a tank under the machine and there's a pump in the tank that spits it back to the cutting tool again.
I did actually! And it's a lefty too, right? Better be, cause that's what you're getting haha. The blades are all done now, heading to heat treat tomorrow. Handles this week.
I'll check that out, thanks. I want to say I tried that a few years ago but it was still really loud. I'm also glad it's not an oil-less! I used to have one, it'd scare me every time it came on.
Awesome, yes we're doing a lot more than just scales these days. Enjoy the videos!
thanks John!
Fantastic Video! Thanks For Sharing!
A heater is one of those things that I would love to get, but I'm always like "Oooooh shiny tool over here!" haha. One day for sure.
Most CAM software will have some sort of feature that will allow a set of constraints that determine which corners need reduced feedrate and which dont (typically set by engagement angle.) Chatter is a relative term. I consider engagement angle among the most influential on feedrate-- and it varies widely from a sweeping outside arc to a tight inside arc. I'll concede however that you'll likely need to replace that cutter due to finish quality rather than it breaking.
Yup I did get the pressure sensor, it's saved me many times!
When I start doing pallets that take hours and hours I will definitely run them at night. With these blades the longest unattended run is only about an hour because there are a lot of clamping changes required. The titanium handles should have a longer runtime. But it would be sweet to make a pallet full of something super intricate that takes a lot of 3d milling so I can set it up and run it while I'm sleeping.
An automatic pallet changer would be NUTS, don't tempt me haha.
Good Stuff.
To Quote Wayne's World "It will be mine. Oh yes. It will be mine."
Some day.
Did i just see the ATC Shoot a burst of air before switching tools to get rid of chips....Crazy smart.
Wicked awesome. This batch already looks more butter.... I mean better. ;)
So did Erik! He almost freaked.
Thanks! Enjoy the vids, lots more coming, even if they're not exactly on Tuesday...
Custom JG end mill... Awesome
I use CAD/CAM to design and program everything, but you still have to understand the code and be able to make changes all the time. I use Mach3, it's great, definitely geared towards the hobby market but it has no problem doing production work. I am completely self taught, I spend a lot of late nights learning and watching youtube videos haha.
Not sure exactly, I used Gwizard to calculate speeds/feeds. 4100rpm, 8.2ipm, 1/8" DOC in high carbon stainless. I originally did it at 25ipm but the spindle couldn't keep up haha.
Any issues have been minor and easy to fix, and most were my fault to begin with haha. It truly is a GREAT machine. I can't think of any maintenance that I've had to do to it in the 10 months that I've had it, other than some adjustments here and there trying to make the surface finish even better. Out of the box it just "worked". I haven't broken or had to replace anything either (except for endmills haha). No idea how many hours, although the computer would tell me if I looked.
I send it off for recycling. It's a really fancy powdered steel, so the chips are of no use to me. I try to separate the metals, aluminum, steel, stainless, titanium, that way I can recycle them separately.
Next time the compressor kicks off put your hand over the air intake. If the noise that the compressor makes drops dramatically you can install a tube over the intake along with a filter to muffle the sound like a car muffler. Just be glad you dont have a oil-less compressor those things are miserable. Nice videos! Always looking on Tuesdays but Sundays work too.
The finisher isn't chattering in the corners and there's really only one corner that's even remotely tight, the rest are super wide. But I'll pack that tip away in my brain.
The SFM I'm using for the indexable is 383 with a 0.007" chipload. Not sure what coating, it's blue/grey, sort of like TiAln but without the purple hue. No coolant eh, interesting, I might try that tomorrow, but the LAST thing I want to do is cause these blades to warp, because that's already a minor problem sometimes.
That would probably leave me with the same problem I was having for my Tor fixed blades, wicked wicked chatter. Disc sander isn't that hard to do, and I'd have to do it anyway to get the flycut marks out. Also, I only want to take off one thou or less from each side.
Yup, the compressor noise was especially bad in this video, bothered the crap out of me while editing it. That Jun-Air looks sweet, but again, not big enough for my needs. I might build an enclosure box with sound deadening for my new one, as long as it doesn't overheat.
Yup, it's got its own air blast
Look up Bos heat treat, or Peters Heat Treat, that should get you started.
You could buy a couple of quiet compressors, one at a time, to supplement and ultimately phase out your existing compressor. They make a 2 HP compressor @m 70 dB, as well as the 1 HP @ 60 dB. gmcgeneratorsdotcom/?page_id=46
Or, buy a big vertical air compressor and put it in a sound absorbing but very breathable enclosure (to keep the heat in your shop) or put it in a little lean-to building behind your shop.
PS - I'm not your buddy, guy. :-)
(Terrance & Philip humor from South Park)
John, did you remember?? No thumb studs on my knife!
It would be cool for sure, but unfortunately I won't be getting into jewelery anytime soon.
At 16:00 I thought your end mill was going to go right though the bolt. Lol
Cool stuff! I've been meaning to get a flat stone so that I can lap the plates flat and knock off any burrs that form during machining, but I have no idea where to get 'em.
Honestly? Cause I don't know how haha. This is the way that I like to do it, so for now I'm sticking to it. Makes me different.
Outside in a lean to ehhhh? Interesting. Or I'll make a breathable sound absorbing box for it inside. I have thought about a wood stove, but that's about as far as I've gotten haha.
I bet a polystyrene enclosure would dampen the sound of that compressor. You could leave vent holes towards the wall. Great video. Also would making the bolt down claps in the shape of a half moon reduce the play an allow tool movement?
You've come so far
np any time. I should use that masters degree every now and then. lol
Thanks for the info John. On where the water goes. Lol
I never use the button, like, ever. So no, never noticed that ;-).
Still in my head ;-). Soon.
Outside it's -14*C, in the shop it's maybe 5*C.
On camera mic, it sounds worst when I'm standing right above it and talking, not so bad when I'm in front of it talking towards it. I haven't done any audio tweaks except for lowering the volume for all the loud machining parts. It would be nice to record better audio for all the talking parts.
Can't be perfect every day, I spent a TON of time editing this one.
Thanks! Watch week 52, it shows my new camera at the beginning.
This video is a lot more pwo fessional than before.
Yup!
They are easier to build. If I remember rightly John wanted the Norseman to be button lock originally but changed to frame lock when he realised how difficult it would be. Sorry to contradict you but i think button locks are stronger and more reliable than frame locks. This is just my opinion. Il carry out a mechanical analysis and find out for sure :)
Erik (the ginger) thinks that gingers DO have souls! But that's the extent of my south park knowledge, I'm more of a simpsons/family guy guy.
Big vertical in a sound enclosure is my current plan.
John I always wondered where does the water go ? Do you have a drain in the garage ? Just curious. Lol. Thanks.
awesome brother!! u still workin on the integral?
Been watching your videos over the last couple weeks. I noticed that you never mention or talk about maintenance or issues with the Tormach.
Have you had any issues with it and what type of maintenance have you had to do to it?
About how many machine hrs/run time do you have on it?
Looking to get into cnc and from what I can tell this appears to be a decent machine.
Also get a heater for your shop, may help on your winter colds.
Thanks
I'm jealous.
No such thing :-). We do have a fixed blade called the Tor, it's sort of like the Norseman I guess. It's $200.
Can you put the compressor outside when the weather improves?
Most Knives are frame lock due to the fact that they are the strong and reliable.
Yep. It's a lefty. Thank you Sir!
Great work guys - one question, as i think it's such a cool piece what do you think of the nirk tighe. The custom lockback is wicked cool !. Untill next time :)
Thanks! They start at $450 USD.
Dammit John, your work is amazing. Every time I machine something I think "this looks like crap compared to John's stuff". Keep the videos coming!
Did you upgrade the lighting in your shop? It seems like you have smaller and more defined shadows along the walls.
Could you please make a video in which you make a knife from start to finish? (blade + handle + assambly)
John,did you try water jet for the blanks?
On your fireplug end mill what's the specs you run at vs lakeshore specs?
Looks like you're making excellent progress, John! Have you tried leaving 5 thou on the finish pass?
Great video I like how long it was ahah.
And maybe if youve got some spare 'change' lying around you could get some Mokoti or Timascus to go with that Damascus. Cuz yea, thatd be pretty fucking awesome! ahahah
Where did you get that roughing endmill? Lakeshore Carbide?
Hey John, Were would you recommend for heat treatment services? Iv got VERY small batches of blades that need a heat treat.
Great videos,
But how much does one Norseman knife cost?
I can’t stand hearing a compressor run - bought a used Jun-Air 6-25 Silent Compressor - now I can mill and anodize late at night without waking the neighbors. Was using a CO2 tank before that but that was kind of expensive,
do you have a compnay or work with a company for knives? or is this just osmething your allowed to do after hours?