Fly cutter questions

If you want to make a disc type fly cutter here are some examples to get ideas from. Link to Clickspring. Myfordboy has an old video showing how he made a disc type fly cutter. I also have a disc type fly cutter but it's big & the cutter hangs out like a conventional fly cutter instead of vertical/pointing down like others have made disc type fly cutters. My disc fly cutter is big though, 5" dia just for the body. I'm sure there are plenty of more examples on the net.

www.clickspringprojects.com

Large Diameter Flycutter

One of the things we all strive for is a decent surface finish on the mill, particularly for larger work-pieces. A brand new end mill can deliver a great finish, but its narrow diameter means that...
www.clickspringprojects.com

www.hobby-machinist.com

My New (Big) Fly Cutter

I do have a 2.5" facemill which I use a lot but I also like fly cutters as they give a better surface finish (IMO). The FM can hog out more material than a fly cutter though. On my project list was to make a fly cutter that will cover up to 6". I didn't want to make a big conventional styl fly...
www.hobby-machinist.com www.hobby-machinist.com

 
Is there any 'best' way to mount it? R8 arbor, ER collet?
 
Investigator said:
Is there any 'best' way to mount it? R8 arbor, ER collet?
Click to expand...

Mine have straight shanks like most do. I prefer to run them directly in a R8 collet. Too much stickout from the spindle running in an ER collet chuck IMO (although I run endmills in ER collets).

My big fly cutter that I linked above originally had a straight shank but I converted it to a R8 arbor. That thing is big & got some weight to it so I didn't like the idea of it being a straight shank.
 
mikey said:
  • Finally, smaller and more solid can be better. My best fly cutter is a little one from Sherline that is only 1-1/8" in diameter. It is essentially a single insert face mill that cuts better, finishes finer, can hog really well and can cut a shoulder. I also use a Tormach Superfly and I like it except that it won't cut to a shoulder.
All of the current designs have pros and cons. Good luck with this and I'll be interested to see what the other guys have to say.
Click to expand...

You mentioned in another post you were using this on your RF-31 in an MT2 adaptor. I was curious about this, I've just got a Clausing 8520 mill which has an MT2 spindle and it would be nice to be able to use the Sherline fly cutter on it. I have an MT2-MT1 sleeve but like all I've found so far it has a flat tang instead of being drilled and threaded for a drawbar. It also seems to just hold the MT1 in by friction which is probably fine on a lathe, but doesn't seem to secure on a vertical mill.
 
I found a 5/8" straight shank adapter with an MT1 female taper at the end. I cut the adapter to length, inserted the Sherline tool into the end and drilled it for a roll pin. After pinning it, it is very secure. I hold the straight shank in an R8 collet and it works quite well. I actually prefer to use this tool whenever I can, and not just for flycutting. It is essentially a single insert face mill that is capable of pretty deep cuts so I often use it that way.
 
Mikey, do you think a fairly large cutter, similar to the B52 in design, would be too large and or heavy to be held safely with a straight shaft in a collet?
 
mikey said:
I found a 5/8" straight shank adapter with an MT1 female taper at the end. I cut the adapter to length, inserted the Sherline tool into the end and drilled it for a roll pin. After pinning it, it is very secure. I hold the straight shank in an R8 collet and it works quite well. I actually prefer to use this tool whenever I can, and not just for flycutting. It is essentially a single insert face mill that is capable of pretty deep cuts so I often use it that way.
Click to expand...

Ok, so its probably going to be a custom adapter. Now if only I knew someone who had a lathe and mill. :)
 
Investigator said:
Mikey, do you think a fairly large cutter, similar to the B52 in design, would be too large and or heavy to be held safely with a straight shaft in a collet?
Click to expand...

A shaft of 5/8" or 3/4" would handle it easily. Stick that shaft in an R8 collet and go. That vertical shaft needs to be precisely at 90 degrees to the body of the fly cutter but you can do it, Scott.
 
Can fly cutters be used on a lathe as well as a mill?

What would the major working differences be?

What sort of stuff is important to understand about fly cutters to the 1st time user of one?

Thanks, very interesting thread, love learning a new method technique!!
 
Fly cutters have been used forever, while in vocational high we had projects to do for grades. Well one was design and build a fly cutter. Oh we built many sizes and different angles some even straight up and down with up to 4 tool bits. Everyone worked and gave good finish . Back then we didn't have carbide inserts . Cemented or brazed yes . But we ground bits has it was a part of the grade also. I've since made many more but still have the few I made in vokie. Good work can be done with them. So go make one or two
 
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