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making a flycutter

oh no ! now the new lad has bought a mill

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Dismaldunc15/10/2011 09:49:53
91 forum posts
8 photos
Hello folks, So I finally have myself a nice SX2 plus from arc trade, and very nice it is too. My first thoughts on milling.. its a noisy violent process and you REALLY need to make sure the work is held down. friction counts for nothing you need a positive hold on the stuff.
Anyhow, getting the hang of depth of cuts, feed rates etc and am making a flycutter out of aluminium. its going fine but just need to know if its ok to use one of my indexable lathe tools as a cutter?
 
Thanks in advance
Duncan
Clive Hartland15/10/2011 10:19:33
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2929 forum posts
41 photos
Duncan, why make the fly cutter from Aluminium? You need as much inertia from the tool as possible so it should be made from steel.
The aluminium will not be durable and could well distort around the cutter location.
Particularly when being clamped up hard.
As regards the cutters, buy or obtain some 6mm High speed steel cutter blanks and grind up to suit.
Best bet is search for a set of fly cutters in one of the tool suppliers as they are so cheap.
 
Clive

Edited By Clive Hartland on 15/10/2011 10:19:58

Ian S C15/10/2011 10:26:17
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7468 forum posts
230 photos
Hi Duncan, You can use indexable lathe tools, but you;ll do OK with HSS, you can sharpen it easily, its cheaper, don't know how big your wallet is, but you need cheap. I don't know that aluminium is the best material for making the tool holder, someone will tell us which steel to use, I'm afraid I just use what I'v got.
I don't find that its too noisy when things are going well. Ian S C
Nicholas Farr15/10/2011 10:31:34
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3988 forum posts
1799 photos
Hi Ducan, I have to agree with Clive. IMHO I wouldn't think that Aluminium would stand up to the constant inttermitant loading that they very often get, as it will start to distort and creep out of shape, and you may even find the cutter flying out while in use.
 
Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 15/10/2011 10:32:33

Dismaldunc15/10/2011 11:19:52
91 forum posts
8 photos
Thanks chaps, well I didnt think that one through! of course it need mass for inertia and strength. Truth be known I had a lump of ally being used as a paperweight and thought I would give it a whirl as a practice piece.
I will get somm HSS finish the tool and most likely use it as a template for a steel one.
 
The milling has got a lot better since i relaced the gib screws yesterday and got them all well snugged up!
 
Thanks again
Duncan
Michael Cox 115/10/2011 13:06:32
555 forum posts
27 photos
Hi Duncan,
If you want to make a flycutter you might like to consider making one with a tangential tool:
This type of tool in my experience enables a much greater depth of cut and gives a superior finish to conventional flycutters.
Mike
 
Dismaldunc15/10/2011 14:46:58
91 forum posts
8 photos
Hi Mike, Thanks for the link thats a really good article, I shall certainly give it a go
Dunc
ady15/10/2011 22:44:45
612 forum posts
50 photos
.. its a noisy violent process
 
which is why I got a shaper.
Stub Mandrel16/10/2011 21:03:31
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4318 forum posts
291 photos
1 articles
.. its a noisy violent process

I agree with Ian, if it is really noisy, someting is wrong. As you have discovered by adjusting the gibs the mill is MUCH less tolerant of poor adjustment than a lathe. Normal cutting on a lathe tends to push the bearing surfaces into contact, but mills push and pull in different directions as you move around the work.
 
Also the intermittent cut of a mill tool is different from the continuous cut of most turning as well. this means mills are very intolerant of wrong feedrate and blunt tools. Note that too slow with the speed or feedrate can make things 'rough' as well as too fast.
 
Neil

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