MHM USERS GROUP

This board is for discussing the repair and restoration of bamboo fly rods, makers discussion and construction techniques relating to same. Examples would be different techniques or methods used by restorationists and makers.

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penta-spey
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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#61

Post by penta-spey »

I do not see any link to a 'forum' or a 'support' page anywhere on the Morgan site.
Am i missing something?

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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#62

Post by GrayHackleRods »

Regards,
Lee
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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#63

Post by Canewrap »

I was just at that site and I am wondering if interest in the Handmill and support for it is dying? A lot of things are sold out at TMR and don't look like they are going to get replaced and at the TMR forum, until I just posted something, the last post seemed to be 6 months old. I'm retiring in a few years and planning on continuing to make rods, but now I'm wondering if I'll have to make do when things wear out or just give it up. Figures, I always seem to come in at the tail-end of things.

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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#64

Post by bobha »

I sure hope not. I love my morgan

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penta-spey
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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#65

Post by penta-spey »

If folks like the MHM long term users on this forum are noticing a lack of support from TMR and new prospective buyers read about that; do you think they might think twice about spending quite a bit of money buying a new MHM?

Do you think TMR realizes they need to support the existing MHM users and that will help new MHM sales and without support-> that will hurt new MHM sales?

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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#66

Post by kermit »

The MHM cutter head is held on with two screws into a fixed position, straight up and down to the bamboo. Has anyone tried to angle (shim) the cutter head + or - of that to see if they scrape different (more or less efficient)?
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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#67

Post by Canewrap »

I haven't tried shimming, but it's an interesting idea. However, I'm thinking that you would need to keep a consistently sharp edge on the cutters to keep them from digging in. I've seen it mentioned that the ones provided by TMR can be sharpened using a diamond plate, but I've never seen anything put out there with more details on how to do that.

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saddlemaker
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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#68

Post by saddlemaker »

Canewrap wrote:
10/17/23 14:38
I've seen it mentioned that the ones provided by TMR can be sharpened using a diamond plate, but I've never seen anything put out there with more details on how to do that.
Here is a video on sharpening the inserts, this works very well in my limited experience.
Steve

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAfwlVfqIII&t=34s

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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#69

Post by Don Andersen »

Here is a picture of a partway sharpened insert. Sharp one stops wandering cuts

Don

Image

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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#70

Post by Don Andersen »

If the inserts are not equal in thickness or sharpness, the cut will tend to wander.

Don

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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#71

Post by Canewrap »

Yep, that may be the last clue I needed in dealing with the wandering. I recently noticed that a set of cutters I put on seemed to be harder to cut with and as soon as I rotated them both the to the right for new edges, the problem went away. I have a diamond plate for touch up sharpening my couple of plane blades that might work for sharpening a few of the sets that I put in my for roughing only box. I'll have to give it a try and see if it buys a little more life out of a few of those. Thanks for sharing that Don!!!

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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#72

Post by BGreer »

Don Andersen wrote:
11/08/23 15:14
Here is a picture of a partway sharpened insert. Sharp one stops wandering cuts

Don

Image
Don,

Wow, that is a very telling picture. You can easily tell that insert was not flat.

Brian

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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#73

Post by Don Andersen »

Folks,
Am rough planing a rod. I get the strip as straight as I can and start planing.
The cutters were sharpened prior to starting. There was no evidence in the 18 strips that one side was getting more attention that the other.
Here is a picture of a strip showing equal cuts. The plane was not equipped with the directional shoe. I haven’t had to use that for the last few rods since sharpening the cutters.

Don

Image

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Don Andersen
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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#74

Post by Don Andersen »

I've been asked what diamond stones I use.


I'm using a DMT fine/extra fine plate + the base they sell.
https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/8-DM ... 7C165.aspx
The plates were purchased for plane blade sharpening otherwise I wouldn't have bought them.
The work great on the inserts. Plus belt knife and kitchen knives.
Flatness is an issue with planes but due to the size of the insert with its smaller surface, any diamond plate will work.
Amazon lists a pile of diamond stones the might/should/could work at much lower prices.
https://www.amazon.ca/Diamond-Sharpenin ... 120&sr=8-5

regards,

Don

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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#75

Post by Fcs »

Just a question because I'm curious about how things work... For an average width strip (say 0.25in), about how many passes with the hand plane cutter head are needed to go from a new strip to an apex on the pith? Another way to ask it, what is the thickness of the cutting that's coming off each pass?
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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#76

Post by Tim Anderson »

Fcs wrote:
01/19/24 12:39
... what is the thickness of the cutting that's coming off each pass?
You, the operator, get to decide the thickness of the cutting. The amount the cutter head is lowered (which determines the thickness of the next cut) is completely adjustable. I usually drop the cutter head 0.004" for each pass until final passes which can be between 0.002" and 0.0005". That is not the actual thickness of the cutting, because the cutters are at an angle to the vertical drop of the cutter head. I admit to never having done the trigonometry to calculate the cutting thickness nor have I checked it graphically. Feel free to do so :D

Tim

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penta-spey
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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#77

Post by penta-spey »

Agree with Tim, Probably shouldn't take much more than .004 - .006" max drop of cutter head per pass, usually though probably around .002 or .003"; at least that is what I do with big strips on my spey rods.
Too much cutter head drop; trying to take too large of a bite; results in alot of tension on the strip as you push the plane forward... it can cause tear out or breakage of the strip at the hole for the screw that holds the strip to the anvil.
If you soak you can take much bigger bytes, but still sometimes you will get tear out or breakage of the strip at the hole for the screw if you take really big bites. Soaking however can negate previous strip straightening and node work as the soaking strip returns to its original post split shape.

Unless I am missing something; I still think the best usage for the MHM is in the final milling passes (say last 5 - 15 passes) to get accuracy and angles right on. Previous to that get the strip as close as possible with forms and a sharp sharp hand plane. If you are thinking about an MHM don't get rid of your forms. Too much repeated passes/milling on a strip with the MHM at least in my case will eventually lead to squiggles through the nodes even if I put mucho work into getting the grain through the nodes at straight as I can possibly see it. This happens often enough for me to avoid that PITA. Get the strip really close by other cutting means; then finish with the MHM. Don't get me wrong I still very much appreciate the MHM and use it all the time, would not be without it; but like almost every tool it has its unique peculiarities.

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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#78

Post by BigTJ »

Canewrap wrote:
10/04/23 08:47
I was just at that site and I am wondering if interest in the Handmill and support for it is dying? A lot of things are sold out at TMR and don't look like they are going to get replaced and at the TMR forum, until I just posted something, the last post seemed to be 6 months old. I'm retiring in a few years and planning on continuing to make rods, but now I'm wondering if I'll have to make do when things wear out or just give it up. Figures, I always seem to come in at the tail-end of things.
That’s why I bought 10 anvils and 40 cutter pairs 10 years ago. I’m set for life. And the stuff appreciates better than typical savings rates. If TMR goes out of business the prices will likely go up even further. So hard to lose. Best bet to stock up if you can. The cutters should always be available though.

John

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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#79

Post by SpringCreek »

One interesting thing I learned from Ric at Tom Morgan is that the anvils can be used even long after the chimney is gone. I had an issue with an anvil being significantly oversized in height. (To the point it wouldn't pass under the plane). I was concerned that if I cut it down the chimney would essentially be gone. Ric shared a couple of pictures of anvils he uses that the chimney is long gone. Knowing that, I probably won't need any unless for some reason I run into an issue with an insert. As for inserts they can be bought directly from Wit-son Carbide. They do give a price break for larger orders. If it ever gets to the point that TM isn't supplying them, it would be pretty easy to put together a group order. I did something similar in the early 2000's for Snake Brand Guides and purchased thousands for a group of rodmakers. The worst part of that experience was the time it took me to break apart everyones orders. Let me just say it was mind numbing counting 1000's of guides.
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Re: MHM USERS GROUP

#80

Post by BigTJ »

Oh no….that’s brutal! One tip for that is to use a very sensitive scale and sort by weight. Weigh each guide then spreadsheet the order to calculate required “pick” weights and then add guides until the target weight is reached. I think that’s how the big supply houses do it. Something tells me you won’t be doing that again but maybe it might help somebody out.

Thanks for heads up on the chimney. Makes sense. I’ll put more anvils into play for different geometries and worry less about them wearing out. I definitely am in the “don’t re-dress unless necessary” camp.

John

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