# Fly cutter



## blacksmithden (Nov 2, 2013)

Probably one of the easier projects you can do with a lathe and a mill. I finally got around to making one that takes 1/2" tool steel and has a 3/4" shaft. I don't really want to do heavier cuts. I just want to be able to take wider swipes at a piece of work. I've got a power feed on the mill, and taking a cut....go back, reset....take another cut....go back, reset...take another cut....yea..that's gets boring quickly. I'd rather just set everything on a slow feed, and do one big, light, swipe at it...engage the feed once and you're done. Also, to me anyway, one set of machining marks is better looking than rows of them. The body of this one is 3" wide, so I should be able to do at least 4" wide swipes without overstretching things. Anyway...here's a pic...cheers ! Den.....


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## bvd1940 (Nov 2, 2013)

That is a bit different style than most. looks good, you been a busy young man, like your setup but to bad you dumped your lathe.
thanks for sharing.


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## blacksmithden (Nov 2, 2013)

bvd1940 said:


> That is a bit different style than most. looks good, you been a busy young man, like your setup but to bad you dumped your lathe.
> thanks for sharing.



Just tried it out and she works like a champ. Nice shinny finish....zero vibration. 

Yea...the lathe incident. Thank goodness I decided to take out the extended insurance coverage on the house. The insurance company covered all but the $500 deductible for a new lathe, and the credit card company's buyer protection plan caught that for me. Besides the near death experience of nearly having 1/2 a ton fall on me, and some sweating, it all worked out in the end.


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## Pacer (Nov 2, 2013)

> I'd rather just set everything on a slow feed, and do one big, light, swipe at it...engage the feed once and you're done



I know what you mean here -- I was doing a project using a piece of 6" channel and wanted the flat side to benefit from that mirror like finish that you can get from a flycutter. I didnt have one nearly big enough to sweep that width so I made one up sweeping about 6 1/4" and taking about 5-6 passes at about 3-4 thou i was able to get that finish -- flycutters are one of my favorite tools!)


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