Uses for Fly Cutters - Think Smooth
The fly cutter has a variety of uses. That's why it has a place in most machinist’s shops. Whether you machine manually or are into CNC machining, fly cutters are your specialized cutting tool with many uses. Use fly cutters for:
  • Shallow cuts
  • Broad cuts
  • Quickly removing small amounts of metal
Use your end mill to remove large areas and then grab that fly cutter for the smoothest finish. Fly cutters outperform a face mill every time. Make fewer passes and score a smoother finish. Nothing beats fly cutters for fine finishing. Look at these ways to use fly cutters.

Bed Leveling

CNC'ing requires a tabletop that is absolutely smooth and absolutely level. Even when you level the legs, the bed or top of the table may still have dips and bumps that will ruin performance. That means you must resurface the bed at least several times a year. The best way to do this is with a fly cutter. Since this is a large area, you want to use a large fly cutter. The Sierra American FC-25 is a 2 ½” diameter fly cutter. It will allow you to clear a large area smoothly and quickly. When you setup, allow for a 40% overlap and just skim the surface to remove 1/16” at the first pass. That's probably all you need to get the smooth, level surface your machine demands.
 Mercedes head

The Fly Cutter in the Machine Shop

If a head gasket is blown or you must change the compression ratio, a fly cutter is your go-to tool. That’s because it can completely resurface a head. That's called “skimming” in an automotive machine shop. Cylinder head skimming is a head saver and savior. As long as the head isn’t cracked and can hold pressure, refinish the face with a fly cutter by removing 0.0002” of the surface to return it to a smooth and flat state. If you use a face mill, you may get crossover lines. While the lines will be almost impossible to see, they will surely affect performance. Does an exhaust or intake manifold need cleaning up due to corrosion or erosion. Or, maybe the angle needs to be changed slightly to better align with an aftermarket intake manifold. The deck surface on the block may need to be resurfaced. When resurfacing these parts, you must do it quickly, efficiently and correctly. Use a fly cutter and not a face mill.

The Best Fly Cutters Give the Best Results

If you want the best results you need the best fly cutters. You need to use a fly cutter from The Tool Company. Every fly cutter, CNC tool tray, and saw arbor we sell is made right here in the USA. Our fly cutters are:
  • Heat-treated
  • Balanced to run at high RPMs
  • Use large set screw for blade stability
You get a fly cutter and a 5 year warranty. Why settle for inferior fly cutters and inferior results? Order your fly cutter today.
Category_toolsCnc fly cuttersFly cutter usageFly cutters