Another Question from the Dumby

[DeadSanta]

When y'all are getting down and dirty with the Dremel, how do you keep the tiny metal scraps from scratching your case?

When I watch my buddies over at Orange County Choppers do their metalworking they're constantly flushing water onto the piece to keep it from getting scratched to crap. This is a little unrealistic for me, but I was wondering if y'all have any tips for this young soul who's about to venture into his first Dremel job.

God help us all.

[Jagermeister]

Hmm... I just kind of splashed lots of water on the side panel and was very careful not to press the scraps in to the metal.

It created this nasty dark grey substance.

Never found any scratches around the cut.

I also went rather slowly, at not too high RPM's, never went about 15k.

[iLuminatae]

Originally posted by DeadSanta
This is a little unrealistic for me, but I was wondering if y'all have any tips for this young soul who's about to venture into his first Dremel job.

God help us all.

I dont think I would recommend flushing anything with water, especially when you are working with an electrical tool. Usually they are flushing metalwork for either lubrication or to keep the tools from getting too hot.

As far as scraching goes, just keep your body parts off the case when you are dremelling, so you wont rub any filings into the case. when done break out the vacuum cleaner.

[web56n]

If you don't want scratches near or around your cuts first off use masking tape for the entire side your cutting, and if at all possible drill and dremel from the inside out, not the outside in,that way if you do slip with the dremel you won't be scratching your paint.

like iluminatae said
DO NOT USE WATER WITH any power tools the tools you see using water are designed to be used with water.....
not only may it fry your little investment but also can hurt you too

I also put two sided tape on top of the masking tape were the cut lines will be on opposite side that way alot of the little filing stick to the tape as your dremeling.

[zackbass]

For a Dremel job the answer is masking tape. Lots of tape. Put it around the edges of where you are working and tape sheets of paper to cover the rest of the parts. It's usually not the chips that do the damage but slipping with the cutter. As web56n said, work on the inside out so that screw-ups don't show.

Entering OT territory: American Chopper is a great show. They tend to skimp on technical details but they really show the what a shop environment is like in terms of social dynamics. That's not made-for-TV action, that's real and it happens constantly in every shop on earth.

[RobsMob]

Originally posted by zackbass
For a Dremel job the answer is masking tape. Lots of tape. Put it around the edges of where you are working and tape sheets of paper to cover the rest of the parts. It's usually not the chips that do the damage but slipping with the cutter. As web56n said, work on the inside out so that screw-ups don't show.

Entering OT territory: American Chopper is a great show. They tend to skimp on technical details but they really show the what a shop environment is like in terms of social dynamics. That's not made-for-TV action, that's real and it happens constantly in every shop on earth.

Tape. You beat me too it.


OCC hams it up for the camera. And they use coolant to keep the cutters from being destroyed along with the piece they're working on.

[DeadSanta]

Dang that's a lot of replies.

Thanks guys. Pray for me.

[schultz]

Originally posted by DeadSanta
Dang that's a lot of replies.

Thanks guys. Pray for me.

oh...we will be!

i personally didn't use tape when i was cutting, but just used a vacuum cleaner to vacuum everything up and i only allowed the dremel to touch the case. and as others have said...i cut from the "inside" where any mess ups (which i had quite a few) wouldn't show up.