[TurboStep]

Scott, thanks for the data. It sounds like you did the tests very well. The difference is nevertheless surprising.
It sounds like a very interesting tool to take a shallow cut off a wide surface but think I'd have reservations using it at full power like you have done. It appears to me to be a quite an aggressive, intermittent cut which I wouldn't expect to be very friendly to the spindle. Do you have any thoughts on this?
Step

[Scott_M]

I did a lot of testing in both steel and aluminum and have run a few jobs with it. The most recent was a casting prototype. That means I turned 40 lbs of aluminum into 30 lbs of chips to simulate a thinwall casting. My almost 6 year old spindle seems just fine.

Scott

[TurboStep]

Thanks Scott. Looks like another item to add to my wish list
Step

[twocik]

The TTS Fly cutter tool sounds promising for a low HP machine and can tell you I'm seeing the same results as Scott with the FM45. My GMT will almost stall my machine at full woc, .03 - .05" doc, 2500 at 60ipm. I normally run my cutter at less woc when possible, .025 - .035" doc, 55ipm at 2500 rpms. Without lube it will get very close to the red, however with a little coolant it will push right through at full woc. I've face over 300 1"x4"x7" 6061 blocks with a .129" carrier with no issues but .05" or more doc would be nice at 70 - 90 IPM. I always thought it could be due to the weight of tool too.

Any HD pics of the Tormach fly cutters finish on your parts ?

[Scott_M]

Hi twocik

I do not have any photos. I bet if you take 4 inserts out of the Glacern you will see similar results of the Super Fly.

Scott

[latenorgreat]

They use the exact same inserts anyway right?

Korloy SEHT1204 X83

[Scott_M]

yes



Scott

[SCzEngrgGroup]

The TTS Fly cutter tool sounds promising for a low HP machine and can tell you I'm seeing the same results as Scott with the FM45. My GMT will almost stall my machine at full woc, .03 - .05" doc, 2500 at 60ipm. I normally run my cutter at less woc when possible, .025 - .035" doc, 55ipm at 2500 rpms. Without lube it will get very close to the red, however with a little coolant it will push right through at full woc. I've face over 300 1"x4"x7" 6061 blocks with a .129" carrier with no issues but .05" or more doc would be nice at 70 - 90 IPM. I always thought it could be due to the weight of tool too.

Any HD pics of the Tormach fly cutters finish on your parts ?

You don't say what size your Glacern is, but I would tend to think you should be either increasing RPM, or decreasing feedrate. I have a 4" FM45 that I normally run 3500 RPM, 30-35 IPM, up to 0.050" DOC, and these values were deemed about ideal by Sol at Glacern. If yours is smaller, you should be running correspondingly higher RPM for the same feedrate.

Regards,
Ray L.

[racingdave]

I was in the beta tests for the new fly cutter and did some extensive testing on the "SuperFly". It is very impressive. I compared it to the Glacern FM45-250 Face mill In both steel and aluminum the SuperFly had almost double the MRR using the same inserts. This is because the fly cutter is only turning 1 insert. Each additional inserts sucks up horse power. On a low horse power machine the fly cutter will win . I am sure if we were talking about a 10+ HP spindle the Glacern would blow away the fly cutter. But on the Tormach this fly cutter was far more efficient. The best I could do with the SuperFly in aluminum was a cut .035" deep @ 100 ipm for a MRR of 8.75 cu. in.( this cut was in the red ) The video below is .030" deep. The best MRR's I could get with the Glacern were 4.5 cu. in.( alum. ) and 1.25 cu. in ( steel ) The SuperFly got 2.125 cu. in. in steel.

The biggest drawback to this kind of MRR is the amount of chips distributed all over your shop !! If you look in the video you can see that I have cardboard extensions on the guards, they helped a little bit.

I talked to Andy at Tormach and he should have a blog post coming out soon for the SuperFly.

What about stainless?? Would the facemill be a better choice??

thanks.
dave

[Scott_M]

Hi Dave
They both use the same inserts so it is just a matter of efficiency of HP. On the Tormach the FlyCutter wins. Regardless of material.

Scott

[twocik]

"You don't say what size your Glacern is, but I would tend to think you should be either increasing RPM, or decreasing feedrate. I have a 4" FM45 that I normally run 3500 RPM, 30-35 IPM, up to 0.050" DOC, and these values were deemed about ideal by Sol at Glacern. If yours is smaller, you should be running correspondingly higher RPM for the same feedrate"


It's a 2.5" FM. The recommended starting point for my tool wasn't even close to what the 1100 had to offer. My IPM & RPM was the best I came up with on a sunday afternoon, which I'll add left a very nice finish. Since my post I've balanced the motor fan and replaced the belt with a power twist v groove belt. Thanks to the help from another 1100 owner.

I need to take another afternoon off for testing one of these days. Measuring my machine at different points with a seismometer, the vibration was causing all kinds of issues and face mill finishing was one of them. I can now up the RPMs for finishing and can't complain. Ok back to the fly cutter