Mini mill fly cutter - video

[Jon]

Mini mill fly cutter. 18:26 video:

[Toolmaker51]

Fly cutters are my favorite form tool when applicable. Few can hand grind 2 or more equal cutting edges on an endmill.
Careful planning and work will blend intersecting surfaces (fillet) with a undetectable lap or toolmarks.
And size? From to
That's about limit I'll test my or a knee mill's limits. Little one 1/2" shank, larger is R8, with an aluminum body to alleviate rotational mass.

[DIYer]

Thanks Toolmaker51! We've added your Large Fly Cutter to our Fly Cutters category,
as well as to your builder page: Toolmaker51's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Large Fly Cutter by Toolmaker51

tags: fly cutter

[Toolmaker51]

Fly cutters are my favorite form tool when applicable. Few can hand grind 2 or more equal cutting edges on an endmill.
Careful planning and work will blend intersecting surfaces (fillet) with a undetectable lap or toolmarks.
And size? From to
That's about limit I'll test my or a knee mill's limits. Little one 1/2" shank, larger is R8, with an aluminum body to alleviate rotational mass.

Just yesterday (compared to 03:08 am) the larger fly cutter was employed as a boring tool, on a stainless plate 3/8" thick x 28" square in Bridgeport. The cutter was stepped out by hand for hole to 8-1/2". In cases like this, (mainly poor clamping) the feed mechanism wasn't used. Locked the quill in uppermost position, and fed the work manually with the knee, lowering to re-set cutter, and thus proceeded until reaching size.

[mwmkravchenko]

Fly cutters are my favorite form tool when applicable. Few can hand grind 2 or more equal cutting edges on an endmill.
Careful planning and work will blend intersecting surfaces (fillet) with a undetectable lap or toolmarks.
And size? From to
That's about limit I'll test my or a knee mill's limits. Little one 1/2" shank, larger is R8, with an aluminum body to alleviate rotational mass.

To few people use them. So versatile and simple. And on the right setup with the right machine you can take off quite a bit of stock in one pass as well.

[Toolmaker51]

To few people use them. So versatile and simple. And on the right setup with the right machine you can take off quite a bit of stock in one pass as well.

There is no "break even" spot between fly cutting and face milling. One is the other on steroids, or a diet. As you said "right set up, right machine...". Weak link is the setup, which condition of the cutter is a factor.

BTW; the little guy helped out on But wait; more box truck saga creating a spotface for grommet of the light mounting, the smooth finish aids with less friction or tearing. Main reason, removing the bead where the base and sides meet.

[mwmkravchenko]

There is no "break even" spot between fly cutting and face milling. One is the other on steroids, or a diet. As you said "right set up, right machine...". Weak link is the setup, which condition of the cutter is a factor.

BTW; the little guy helped out on But wait; more box truck saga creating a spotface for grommet of the light mounting, the smooth finish aids with less friction or tearing. Main reason, removing the bead where the base and sides meet.

My 75 year old tool and die maker friend has at least 4 smaller sizes and a few great big mother hooters like yours. He has and uses end mills a lot. But where he can use a flycutter which is most places that's what he uses. His simple point is paying for the cutters is not cheap. The flycutters are. Broken endmills make great flycutter bits to. I learn a lot from a few of you guys. It's appreciated.