I got a Dremel for Christmas, never did any project work before. Please
tell me: when I'm cutting metal (such as a threaded rod or a computer
case), besides wearing a dust mask, what else should I worry about?
Metal threads landing on skin, clothing or furniture? How about
vacuuming the workspace afterwards: necessary?

Thanks.

writes:

I got a Dremel for Christmas, never did any project work before. Please
tell me: when I'm cutting metal (such as a threaded rod or a computer
case), besides wearing a dust mask, what else should I worry about?
Metal threads landing on skin, clothing or furniture? How about
vacuuming the workspace afterwards: necessary?

Eye protection. Everything else is just a matter of how much you care to
clean up.

Oh, and take the overpriced Dremel toy back and get one of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40432

Much heavier, versatile, easier to use, and effective. Often on sale for
$50.

"Richard J Kinch" wrote

Oh, and take the overpriced Dremel toy back and get one of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40432

Much heavier, versatile, easier to use, and effective. Often on sale for
$50.

You get what you pay for. I think one of these would last longer than ten
Dremels and HF POSs:

http://www.brandsonsale.com/foredomtool.html

Available on ebay for about $160.

I think it depends on what you are going to use it for. If you are going to
use it 20 hours a year, the Cheapos are fine. If you are serious, you will
burn them up quickly.

What say ye, other owners?

Steve

On Mon, 26 Dec 2005 23:42:29 -0800, "Steve B"
wrote:


"Richard J Kinch" wrote

Oh, and take the overpriced Dremel toy back and get one of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40432

Much heavier, versatile, easier to use, and effective. Often on sale for
$50.

You get what you pay for. I think one of these would last longer than ten
Dremels and HF POSs:

http://www.brandsonsale.com/foredomtool.html

Available on ebay for about $160.

I think it depends on what you are going to use it for. If you are going to
use it 20 hours a year, the Cheapos are fine. If you are serious, you will
burn them up quickly.

What say ye, other owners?

Steve

Actually Steve..Ive got both an original Foredom and the HF copy shown
above..and they both have a **** load of hours on them, both still run
fine with no play in the hand piece.

Some of the HF stuff aint bad, aint bad atall.

Gunner

"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire.
Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us)
off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give
them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the **** out of you
for torturing the cat." Gunner

"Steve B" wrote in message
news:Pe6sf.8858$_L5.3769@fed1read06...

"Richard J Kinch" wrote

Oh, and take the overpriced Dremel toy back and get one of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40432

Much heavier, versatile, easier to use, and effective. Often on sale for
$50.

You get what you pay for. I think one of these would last longer than ten
Dremels and HF POSs:

http://www.brandsonsale.com/foredomtool.html

Available on ebay for about $160.

I think it depends on what you are going to use it for. If you are going
to use it 20 hours a year, the Cheapos are fine. If you are serious, you
will burn them up quickly.


My first Dremel was purchased in the early 1970's and replaced around 1990.
Second one is still going strong. I got a used Foredom on eBay about 5
years ago and I've built up quire a system around it but for portability the
Dremel (even the corded ones) have got the Foredom beat everywhichway! I
personally wouldn't be without either.

My own feeling about HF stuff is that I'll buy it if it's either for a
one-time project or will be lightly used. For heavy duty use, I much prefer
professional grade tools. But I'd estimate that about a 25-35% of my 40+
year old tool collection is HF-quality stuff and it's about the only way
that I've been able to afford to justify purchasing tools to do some things
that I do infrequently.

Norm

"Norm Dresner" wrote in message
...
"Steve B" wrote in message
news:Pe6sf.8858$_L5.3769@fed1read06...

"Richard J Kinch" wrote

Oh, and take the overpriced Dremel toy back and get one of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40432

Much heavier, versatile, easier to use, and effective. Often on sale
for
$50.

You get what you pay for. I think one of these would last longer than
ten Dremels and HF POSs:

http://www.brandsonsale.com/foredomtool.html

Available on ebay for about $160.

I think it depends on what you are going to use it for. If you are going
to use it 20 hours a year, the Cheapos are fine. If you are serious, you
will burn them up quickly.


My first Dremel was purchased in the early 1970's and replaced around
1990. Second one is still going strong. I got a used Foredom on eBay
about 5 years ago and I've built up quire a system around it but for
portability the Dremel (even the corded ones) have got the Foredom beat
everywhichway! I personally wouldn't be without either.

My own feeling about HF stuff is that I'll buy it if it's either for a
one-time project or will be lightly used. For heavy duty use, I much
prefer professional grade tools. But I'd estimate that about a 25-35% of
my 40+ year old tool collection is HF-quality stuff and it's about the
only way that I've been able to afford to justify purchasing tools to do
some things that I do infrequently.

Norm


Ditto. I bought an air chisel to remove a tile floor. I think it was $25.
If I had given it away after that job, it would have been WELL worth the
$25. I hand chiseled for about an hour, then tried a scraper.

Went and got the air chisel, and BUUUUURRRPPPPPPP! It still took a good
while, as we had about 800sf. But it would have taken two forevers with
hand tools.

Then, I bought a Pit Bull mini air grinder. Used it a few times so far, and
really like it. Paid ten bucks.

Then the impact sockets. And so on.

If I was doing this stuff every day, the income would justify buying the
best, and I like to do that on stuff I know I am going to ride hard. But,
like you, I can't see spending big bucks on an impact set (or any tool) that
I'm going to use very infrequently.

On Tue, 27 Dec 2005 01:01:39 -0600, Richard J Kinch
wrote:

writes:

I got a Dremel for Christmas, never did any project work before. Please
tell me: when I'm cutting metal (such as a threaded rod or a computer
case), besides wearing a dust mask, what else should I worry about?
Metal threads landing on skin, clothing or furniture? How about
vacuuming the workspace afterwards: necessary?

Eye protection. Everything else is just a matter of how much you care to
clean up.

Oh, and take the overpriced Dremel toy back and get one of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40432

Much heavier, versatile, easier to use, and effective. Often on sale for
$50.

Second the eye protection. If you already wear eyeglasses, still use
safety goggles over them because those little bits will pit the hell
out of your Rx polycarbonate lenses.

I like my Dremel just fine. Finally wore one out after 20 years,
bought another one. My primary use is similar to yours: cutting
small rod stock and screws to length. I'd use other tools for cutting
up computer cases.

On Tue, 27 Dec 2005 16:16:07 GMT, "Norm Dresner"
wrote:

"Steve B" wrote in message
news:Pe6sf.8858$_L5.3769@fed1read06...

"Richard J Kinch" wrote

Oh, and take the overpriced Dremel toy back and get one of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40432

Much heavier, versatile, easier to use, and effective. Often on sale for
$50.

You get what you pay for. I think one of these would last longer than ten
Dremels and HF POSs:

http://www.brandsonsale.com/foredomtool.html

Available on ebay for about $160.

I think it depends on what you are going to use it for. If you are going
to use it 20 hours a year, the Cheapos are fine. If you are serious, you
will burn them up quickly.


My first Dremel was purchased in the early 1970's and replaced around 1990.
Second one is still going strong. I got a used Foredom on eBay about 5
years ago and I've built up quire a system around it but for portability the
Dremel (even the corded ones) have got the Foredom beat everywhichway! I
personally wouldn't be without either.

My own feeling about HF stuff is that I'll buy it if it's either for a
one-time project or will be lightly used. For heavy duty use, I much prefer
professional grade tools. But I'd estimate that about a 25-35% of my 40+
year old tool collection is HF-quality stuff and it's about the only way
that I've been able to afford to justify purchasing tools to do some things
that I do infrequently.

Norm

Ditto. I have a bunch of import air tools. Most work well, a few
haven't worked out. If an import doesn't hack it, I then replace
it with a better one -- e.g., 3/8" air ratchet/impact. The imports
are crap, went to Ingersoll Professional on that one. Ditto the
butterfly.

The orange HF angle grinder sounds like it's about to explode, but it
has since day 1 and it just keeps on working. It screams holy hell
about having to work, but it keeps on doin' it!

Geez, I'm not an import....???

Keywords:
In article , Don Foreman wrote:
On Tue, 27 Dec 2005 01:01:39 -0600, Richard J Kinch
wrote:

writes:

I got a Dremel for Christmas, never did any project work before. Please
tell me: when I'm cutting metal (such as a threaded rod or a computer
case), besides wearing a dust mask, what else should I worry about?
Metal threads landing on skin, clothing or furniture? How about
vacuuming the workspace afterwards: necessary?

Eye protection. Everything else is just a matter of how much you care to
clean up.

Oh, and take the overpriced Dremel toy back and get one of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40432

Much heavier, versatile, easier to use, and effective. Often on sale for
$50.

Second the eye protection. If you already wear eyeglasses, still use
safety goggles over them because those little bits will pit the hell
out of your Rx polycarbonate lenses.

I like my Dremel just fine. Finally wore one out after 20 years,
bought another one. My primary use is similar to yours: cutting
small rod stock and screws to length. I'd use other tools for cutting
up computer cases.

The eye protection is a must, and a full face shield is good if you use
the abrasive cutoff disks with no fiber reinforcing. Ear protection is
also good because it lets you concentrate on what you are doing.
Vacuuming up afterward is a good idea, especially if you are grinding
steel. Between the steel dust & the grinding wheel dust, it makes a very
abrasive mess.

Ignore the folks who put down Dremels. Yes, they have limits, but I've
had one for 30 years and it still works fine. I've used it for all sorts
of stuff. If you have a fixed speed model, get the foot pedal speed
control. It gives you a lot more flexibility and control without having
to fiddle with the on-board speed control. Unfortunately, most units
come with the built in controller, and it will argue with the foot pedal.
I think the electrical noise from one confuses the other.

Doug White

Norm Dresner wrote:

My first Dremel was purchased in the early 1970's and replaced around
1990. Second one is still going strong. I got a used Foredom on eBay
about 5 years ago and I've built up quire a system around it but for
portability the Dremel (even the corded ones) have got the Foredom beat
everywhichway! I personally wouldn't be without either.



Mine is from the late fifties. I replaced it recently with a variable
speed unit, gave the single speed to a friend, and it was still in good
working condition. I also have one of the smaller rechargable units.

wrote:
...
Metal threads landing on skin, clothing or furniture? ...

If you use a carbide burr on steel, you may get teeny tiny, itsy bitsy
slivers that are sharper than needles! Be careful and thorough when you
clean them up. Bob

Steve B wrote:
"Richard J Kinch" wrote

Oh, and take the overpriced Dremel toy back and get one of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40432

Much heavier, versatile, easier to use, and effective. Often on sale for
$50.


You get what you pay for. I think one of these would last longer than ten
Dremels and HF POSs:

http://www.brandsonsale.com/foredomtool.html

Available on ebay for about $160.

I think it depends on what you are going to use it for. If you are going to
use it 20 hours a year, the Cheapos are fine. If you are serious, you will
burn them up quickly.

What say ye, other owners?

Steve


Hindsight says i should have gotten a foredom i'm killing my craftsman
dremel cleaning up the small welded stuff i do as art

Brent Philion wrote:


Hindsight says i should have gotten a foredom i'm killing my craftsman
dremel cleaning up the small welded stuff i do as art

Well, a Craftsman ISN'T a Dremel, at least the current crop isn't.
Don't know who makes them for Sears, but it's not Dremel. The b-in-l
has one, not very well made and uses different collets.

Foredoms have their limitations, too, you've got to watch that cable
sheath and make sure it doesn't get kinked, plus regular lubrication of
the cable. Best thing for small work I've gotten so far has been those
pneumatic micro-die grinders. Foredom also sells one of those that
uses their regular collets, it's a cut above the regular Chinese
imports in workmanship, not sure that it does 10x a better job for the
price. For $15-20, you could try out an HF unit and get a better one
if it works for you. At one time, HF had one that used Foredom-type
collets, I've got one of those for use with oddball shank sizes.
They're cheap enough, I've got several, leave them tooled up and
connected to a manifold, then just pick up the one with the point I
need at the time. Saves a lot of tool changing.

Stan