Boring head as fly cutter?

[Old Minger]

This is probably a dumb question but can you use a boring head as a fly cutter by inserting an indexable tool and inserts?


Reason for the question is that I just bought myself a secondhand boring head for when I get the Bridgeport up and running and if I can get 1 tool to do 2 or more jobs. Would do think, dumb idea?

Thanks
John

[Dr Stan]

A fly cutter is easy to make and dirt cheap to purchase.  Personally I would not use a boring head as a fly cutter, but its your tooling.

[EdK]

I'm not sure how you would use a boring head as a fly cutter.
Now using a fly cutter as a boring too, hell yes. I've seen our very own Tom do it on the knurling tool project.

Ed

[Old Minger]

(01-03-2017, 07:55 PM)EdK Wrote: I'm not sure how you would use a boring head as a fly cutter.  
Now using a fly cutter as a boring too, hell yes. I've seen our very own Tom do it on the knurling tool project.

Ed

Ed, I was thinking a carbide indexing tool could be placed in the side hole of the head and as long as the insert was below the bottom of the head all would be good. But it seems like fly cutters are cheap enough not to go down this route. However I would need to invest in tooling to sharpen HSS blanks which I don't have hence my question.

Cheers
John

[TomG]

Boring heads have dovetail slides in them and using one has a fly cutter would pound the hell out of them. And as has already been mentioned, fly cutters are dirt cheap. 

Ed - I don't remember that, but I have used a fly cutter in a boring head as an extension for boring large holes.

Tom

[Old Minger]

(01-03-2017, 08:21 PM)TomG Wrote: Boring heads have dovetail slides in them and using one has a fly cutter would pound the hell out of them. And as has already been mentioned, fly cutters are dirt cheap. 

Ed - I don't remember that, but I have used a fly cutter in a boring head as an extension for boring large holes.

Tom

Thanks Tom

[Dr Stan]

(01-03-2017, 07:55 PM)Ed Wrote: Now using a fly cutter as a boring too, hell yes. I've seen our very own Tom do it on the knurling tool project.

I've used a fly cutter as a boring tool adjusting it with a flat "point" in a dial indicator (not a DTI).  PITA for sure, but it got the job done.

[EdK]

(01-03-2017, 08:21 PM)TomG Wrote: I don't remember that, but I have used a fly cutter in a boring head as an extension for boring large holes.

Yes, that's what I meant.

Ed

[stevec]

(01-03-2017, 08:12 PM)Old Minger Wrote:  However I would need to invest in tooling to sharpen HSS blanks which I don't have hence my question.

Cheers
John

Tooling? You don't have a grinder?

[Old Minger]

(01-04-2017, 08:23 AM)stevec Wrote:

(01-03-2017, 08:12 PM)Old Minger Wrote:  However I would need to invest in tooling to sharpen HSS blanks which I don't have hence my question.

Cheers
John

Tooling? You don't have a grinder?

No grinder! I know it's hard to believe but it's true.

I seem to be doing this metal work thing backwards. I inherited my Dads old Myford lathe and was going to sell it on as I know nothing about machining. However In my research to find out more about it I stumbled across Tom G's you tube channel and after watching all his videos I was hooked. So now I have a small lathe, a Bridgeport mill half built and no tooling to speak of for either machine hence some very daft questions from myself to this forum. So I'm now in a position of 'tooling up' from scratch and as I know very little I'm just trying to find tools that will do more than one job so I can at least get going on something. 

It's a sad story but true!

Cheers
John