Itinerant Air-Cooled

I don't own a dremel but I'd like to get a good one for cutting out the rusted driver's side rocker on my bus. Are all dremels the same? What is recommended for cutting bus metal?

Can't offer much more than the recommendation to stay away from the battery powered ones. I hated the fact that every single time I wanted to use it the battery had run down during storage so a five second job would turn in to four hours of waiting for the battery to charge first. I swapped for a corded one because I'm rarely doing projects far from an outlet. Just my $0.02!

For cutting serious metal I think you're probably better off with an angle grinder rather than a dremel, but the dremels are still pretty useful for lots of things.

This is a pretty decent 4 1/2" grinder for the money...

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-7- ... /202101584

Thanks guys, I have an angle grinder but I think that I need something a bit smaller for the vertical cuts. Father's Day is coming up and I wanted to know if I should drop a detailed hint, or if I could be more general.

BellePlaine wrote:Thanks guys, I have an angle grinder but I think that I need something a bit smaller for the vertical cuts. Father's Day is coming up and I wanted to know if I should drop a detailed hint, or if I could be more general.

I love my dremel. It hates me. A dremel is fine for rocker sills because the metal is mighty thin. There are dremel cutting wheels that are too thin, and there are cutting wheels that are pretty good. Um, pick the good ones.
Colin

Dremels are awesome..i use em for everything...longevity/quality is about equivalent to price. Cutting wheels are maddening..but still do the job. Keep the motor from overheating and it will last longer

Get a variable speed corded unit with the flexible extension for getting into tight spots and close quarters. You won't regret it.

Tim

If you can find one, get a Dremel model 380. They have more torque than the newer high speed models, and can run at lower rpm's, too. My new Dremel has very little torque and only starts when the lever is half way up.

1967250s wrote:If you can find one, get a Dremel model 380. They have more torque than the newer high speed models, and can run at lower rpm's, too. My new Dremel has very little torque and only starts when the lever is half way up.

Dremels are to bench grinders as Honda Formula One engines are to Chevy 454s.

The former rely on horsepower way up the rpm curve, the latter rely on gobs of torque.

It is a weird thing to have such a real-world example of two ways to get the same job done.

The greatest failing in the use of a high-speed dremel is to not give it time to do its work. That little bitty disc cutter will fell mighty oaks, but we all get too frantic at the tinyness of the thing, and we end up shattering the discs when we lean into them.
Colin

I have one of these: http://www.ebay.com/bhp/craftsman-all-i ... tting-tool, which is apparently no longer available.

As I used to do a good bit of woodworking, having the small router that doubles as a rotary tool is convenient. The cheapo knock off dremel wannabe I also have is good only for cleaning parts with a tiny wire brush. Don't buy the cheap one...

Amskeptic wrote:There are dremel cutting wheels that are too thin

One trick is to double up the thin ones.

Also, when going for fine control, I find it helpful to hold the dremel with two hands, and if you can get the heel of a hand against some solid surface, it's even more steady. Sorta like holding a camera when you're using a slow shutter speed.

jcbrock wrote:Sorta like holding a camera when you're using a slow shutter speed.

Good analogy. But how many out there can relate?

I'm going to replace the margin release/bypass pawl on my typewriter now…
Robbie

asiab3 wrote:

jcbrock wrote:Sorta like holding a camera when you're using a slow shutter speed.

Good analogy. But how many out there can relate?

I'm going to replace the margin release/bypass pawl on my typewriter now…
Robbie

You insolent young pup. I smell sarcasm. That damn margin release/bypass pawl is why I am a lowly mechanic. My High Honors history term paper came up short because of that thing. My GPA was down-graded, as were all of my future educational opportunities and career prospects. When I threw my Smith Corona out the window in frustration, I accidentally flattened a pomeranian being walked by a high-powered lawyer. So I am an animal cruelty criminal too. You best be careful with your typewriter release/bypass pawl stories, boy, you might open up a Pandora's Box of Pain.
Someday, young pup, some kid will make a smart remark about Windows 8, "hahaa, who here still relates to Windows 8, pshaw!" and your broken dreams will flood back from that moment when your resume for that dream job missed the deadline because your computer just had to do an "Windows Defender scan" at the wrong moment . . .
Colin