Fly Cutter????

Hi Mike,
It is a good tool for flattening in light cuts. High RPM's with a carbide brazed turning tool bit will last a long time. Make sure you Don't run it backwards.
If you don't have the means of sharpening a carbide bit, a high speed steel bit will work well also.
Have fun
 
I think you will like it very much. for cutting wood you can run at a high speed just make sure the bit is tight.
 
This came up recently. This was my responce:

The rake angle of cutters used on metal is usually pretty close to 90, which makes a strong well supported edge and helps roll the chip into curls. It also tends to lift and splinter wood before the actual cutting edge is engaged in the cut, requiring very shallow cuts so the wood chip is flexible enough to roll out of the way.

So you either need to generate a very thin chip, like the teeth on a saw blade do, or you need a chisel ground cutting edge, which would fail quickly in metal, so you won't find an off the shelf tool.


Generaly I don't like fly cutters, their single cutting edge requires slow feed rates, but that is what I use for this.

23.jpg


Notice the moderate relief angle and very aggressive rake angle. That is ground sharp enough to shave hair and has a polished edge, which prevents splintering. Bit of a radius at the tip.

I trued up the sides, flattened and thinned down about 20 sets of Osage orange scales with that cutter a few days ago without needing to resharpen it. I don't run it up real high because I don't want sawdust all over my metal shop, but generally the faster you turn it, the faster you can feed it. I only shave about .020-.030 per pass to prevent splintering. I've used it on several types of wood and it works well on most everything, though I've never tried it on something with grain like oak.[/QUOTE]
 
Mike, I just pm'd this question to Nathan about a week ago!!!! :D

You can see his generous and thorough response above.

I'd been using a cheap-O face mill.... and recently aquired a high dollar face mill with carbide inserts and it wasn't working so swell (on wood... it eats up steel).

I'm fixing to try a fly cutter with a simple HSS bit sharpened up like Nathan's. :thumbup: :)
 
I like center cutting end mills, and high helix router bits in my milling machine for milling wood with the mill at its highest RPM I get a good finish with minimal tearout

-Page
 
nice advice everyone.... except for you dill.... i mean sam. :thumbup::D

just kidding.

sam. i prefer my mill as to keep down on the heat generated from grinding, and not to waste belts.

is there another option for a big ol mill that won't require messing with bits and stuff?

not that i mind but i just like to weigh my options.

see that Nick, great minds think alike. We sure are two smart fellas
 
i use a 3" carbide insert roughing mill and shave the wood off with light cuts if the piece is wide. for the sides, i use a carbide end mill that is a little wider than my piece and take light cuts also. i get a smooth finish that cleans up nicely with some fine abrasive paper if i want an even smoother finish than what the mill leaves.
 
I have been using an old 3/4" HSS end mill, but I am liking Nathans set up and may have to pick up a fly cutter. Besides this they have many other uses.
 
I use a regular fly cutter on wood also. But like Nathan I re-ground the blade with a more pronounced rake angle. It does a nice clean job on wood and I can almost peel a thin veneer slice with it.
 
I've been using a fly cutter with a carbide tipped cutter. Sounds like I really have to learn to grind my own and understand Nathan's directions to do so.
 
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