PM45 Mill Auto-Feed

[woodrowm]

Good morning - Pictures would be great.

Thanks,
Woodrow

 

[jgedde]

All,

In another thread, I mentioned the PM45 auto downfeed feature. Someone asked if I could explain it so, here you go...

The side of the mill has two additional selector switches. One is just on/off for the auto feed. The other is the inches per revolution of feed rate.

View attachment 54412

Once they are set to your needs, you rotate and adjust the depth collar (index finger) and lock it with the screw tab (thumb). The collar is marked in 1/8" increments but it's infinite and has no set detent positions. You can see at the web of my hand, another little knob. That will be explained later.

The handle crank has two positions. In the straight position, the quill is manually operated like any normal quill.

When you push the handles away from the head, the autodrive kicks in. It slowly rotates it under power just as though you were operating it. When it reaches the set depth, the handles pop back to the straight position and the quill returns. At any time while in auto feed mode, you can push the handle toward the head and disengage power feed.

Couple notes... you'll notice I've removed the bottom handle grip on the crank. It kept getting in the way. Also, if you look at the second picture from the top -the one of the depth collar, you'll see another knob just behind the web of my hand. That knob can be screwed-down to prevent from accidentally engaging the down-feed by accidentally pushing outward on the handle.

Ray,

I have the same mill. I discovered that the feed rate dial is calibrated in mm rather than inches. So, the three values correspond to (IIRC) 0.004 in/rev, 0.007 in/rev, and 0.010 in/rev.

Be careful with the downfeed. There is a slipper clutchn inside, but it doesn't really work all that well. All hell breaks loose if the spindle feed hangs up. Don't ask me how I know...

John

 

[bartives]

This is fantastic. I did not understand how the power down feed worked. I will definately use this on my next project to mill pocket to depth! Thanks everyone for the great information.

 

[darkzero]

to mill pocket to depth!

I wouldn't recommend the power down feed for that. It can't be trusted for accurate depths & it won't disengage that consistently (repeat to depth) either.

 

[bartives]

I understand, but I will practice on some scrap so I can rough the pocket out quicker and then follow with some finishing passes to depth.