Boring head for fly cutting?

Jake P

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Not sure if this is the right forum, but I'm wondering what thoughts are for this:


I got an Allied Criterion 2" boring head with my used mill and the previous owner had also purchased a Mesa Tool 1/2"x3" boring bar. I've used the bar in the head a few times now and like it very much, so I went to the Mesa website to see what else they offered and saw this fly cutter they sell.

So........., yea or nay???

I don't have my lathe yet (it will be a few months), so I think it would be easier to get this than to try to make a fly cutter with only a mill and no lathe. I imagine it's possible, but I suspect it would be a whole lot easier to make a fly cutter with both machines.
 
Sure it will work . Be out of balance so I wouldn't crank up the RPMs to high .
 
Agree looks like it should work well. Not sure about chip clearance? Most fly cutters come in at more like a 30 degree angle to give more clearance over the part for the rest of the cutter. I would also verify availability of the inserts and make sure it is not some unique hard to find one.
 
I don't see why it shouldn't work but I don't think I would want the added wear on my boring head.
Rather make/buy a dedicated flycutter so the boring head doesn't get unnecessary wear since you want all the accuracy it can give you.
That's just my 2 cents. :)
 
Thanks for the input folks, your comments pretty much echo what I've read and have seen on some youtube videos on the subject.

I guess since no one came in and said something to the effect of "I got that for my boring head and it's fantastic!", that I'll just wait for now and make do without a fly cutter until my lathe arrives and is up and running. I'll make myself a fly cutter then.

I do have a nice two inch shell mill as well as a two inch index face mill that will do for now. I really would like to try a fly cutter to see how much of an improvement on cut quality it can provide for finish work, but it can wait if it's not a unanimous consensus on the boring head option.
 
I would own one if it fit my boring head!
BUT I would use it for boring, not flycutting.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
 
I would own one if it fit my boring head!
BUT I would use it for boring, not flycutting.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
Then you should take a look at their boring bars for the boring head!
 
I have a Bridgeport boring head. I have used the tool holders as single point flycutters but I would not use the boring head in that way.
 
Since I’ve had some projects that I wanted a fly cutter for and still don’t have my lathe, I bought a Tormach Superfly. Nice little cutter!
 
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