Steelex M1096 Fly Cutter Set with Tool Bits

After experimenting with grinding the bit, they worked well. Clean cut, but must take a very light cut and slow feed speed.

As others have noted, the tool steel "bits" are not shaped for use. You will need to grind them to shape. If you don't you're going to have a lousy finish and make a lot of noise trying to surface anything. The set screws are made of a very soft steel - so soft it is easy to round them - if they aren't loosening, don't apply massive force; just "spring load" the allen wrench and tap the back of the wrench at the elbow with a light hammer.

Solid little fly-cutters! Amazing value! Have not used on metals but was able to make a precise non-standard diameter hole (1.854") in a very hard wood (Bubinga) for a tool fixture. Obviously, first drill out a smaller hole first with a conventional bit or hole cutter. Then enlarge to whatever you like. Good tool steel blades come square; grind and sharpen to whatever angles you need. Seem to hold an edge fine in hardwood.

Based on other reviews, I did not bother to try the supplied HSS blanks (waste time to grind them?). Instead I was inspired by another reviewer's approach of using a carbide lathe tool. I had some similar inexpensive bits so I milled down the shank to fit the the largest of the three holders. I wanted to see if I could put a decent single pass face on a scrap block of 2x4 with a nice knot in it. Not much of a challenge for this holder and it did work well for such a long extension (3.5 inch circle). The surface was quite smooth on both the soft and hard parts of the scrap suggesting the holder is quite stiff. Tried it on aluminium with similar good results. Other reviewers have had problems with the set screws but mine took a very high torque without issue (are they using a 3/32 wrench instead of a 2.5 mm?). Since I will be mostly using these on desert iron wood and aluminum they should be fine. Yes, as you see in the pics, the carbide face is on the wrong side of the tool; I had to run the mill in reverse (CCW).

Looks like decent quality. Should get the job done face milling my exhaust manifold. This wasn't a problem for me because I only really need the largest cutter, but they came shipped with one large and two medium cutters. The smallest one was missing completely.

I've used two out of three of the three sizes in the set on a Little Machine Shop 3990 mini mill, and they're really good! Be aware that you'll need to grind the included HSS cutters for using these on most materials, but that's what machine shop people do. :) The sizes feel about right for mini mill-sized jobs. Would buy again!

These fly cutters are ok. They left a nice enough surface finish on aluminum, 6061, 015" DOC, 1700RPM. My grind on the cutting bits was not the greatest but it still worked out ok.Good indicator of head tram too.-----------------UPDATE 4/5/2017The bits that come with this are not sufficient for steel. They really wouldn't hold on 1018. I took out the hss bit and dropped in a milled down grazed carbide el cheapo grande from Harbor Freight. That worked great and cut very well on some 1018. I had no other use for these carbide bits so I figured why not? I did regrind them real quick to put the proper angles on it.

Just opened the package, haven't tried them, but I know they will work great.I have a little hobby mill and these will get the job done.I am amazed they can sell these for this price and ship them half way around the world.I made fly cutters many years ago when I was an apprentice and these are exactly what I would have made.

Nice finish, they look well made, but have yet to try them. Fast shipping.

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Received the items which are good quality but its was missing the 3/4 inchtried to sort a replacement or partial refund and they were beyond useless

These will work good on aluminum