# First Time Fly Cutter Making And Using



## atlas ten (Jan 28, 2016)

Finished making my first fly cutter. Also first time using one.  It has been a learning experience for the next one I make. 
	

		
			
		

		
	





Jack

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## atlas ten (Jan 29, 2016)

Testing on scrap aluminum. First pass on the left side (best looking pass). Not sure what happened on other side.  I did touch up the cutter after 3 or 4 passes with no change.  
	

		
			
		

		
	



Jack

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## mattthemuppet2 (Jan 29, 2016)

that's a neat interesting design. Are you running your spindle in reverse? You may get better results with less overhang and the bulk of the flycutter body behind the cutter as it meets the work, instead of in front of it.


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## atlas ten (Jan 29, 2016)

mattthemuppet said:


> that's a neat interesting design. Are you running your spindle in reverse? You may get better results with less overhang and the bulk of the flycutter body behind the cutter as it meets the work, instead of in front of it.


Yes I ran it in reverse with that cutter. I will try again with cutter choked up tomorrow. I  can use both left and right hand cutters in this fly cutter by pivoting the clamp. With pivoting clamp I may change contact angle of cutter to.  I tried it way out in big sweep same results.   I think I have to check the tramming of this mill. I might not have the fly cutter concentric with the spindle either. So many variables needing attention. 
Jack

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## thomas s (Jan 29, 2016)

I like it nice job. thomas s


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## Ed ke6bnl (Jan 29, 2016)

nice job, is it rigid enough?


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## mattthemuppet2 (Jan 29, 2016)

concentricity of the cutter body with the spindle center line shouldn't have too big effect unless it's way out and causes vibrations to show up in the work. The cutter body is hanging quite a ways out of the spindle and the cutter quite a ways out of the body, so there's a lot of tool hangout there. The body is also quite long compared to the diameter of the shank that goes in the collet, which will add to potential flex. Finally, if you look at the clamp and body, there's a lot more meat behind the cutter when the cutting face is on the clamp side, ie. rotating clockwise, which might help too.

Lots of other things like speeds, feeds and tool grind. Remember that a fly cutter does most of it's cutting on the outside edge, not the bottom (unless you're boring a hole), so make sure it has appropriate angles on that edge.


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## atlas ten (Jan 29, 2016)

Today I changed the cutter and choked it up. Getting better finish. Found the one piece of aluminum was much thinner causing the flex up in middle and most of the chatter cutting
	

		
			
		

		
	



Jack

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## atlas ten (Jan 31, 2016)

I tried running the fly cutter different speeds up to max machine speed 2250 rpm. No horrible vibration in the machine. 
Jack

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