Dremel

[inflames988]

I need to get a dremel, or some type of other tool to cut fan holes/do other minor mods. I want something basic--preferably cordless--and cheap. Dont get me wrong, i also want something that will last and work well, i just dont need anything fancy. I need some type of wheels for it that will cut through metal, and some type of sander for it too. If anyone has easier ways to cut 120/80mm fan grilles or other mods, im open to suggestions. Any idea where i can get the dremel or other similar tool at a good price? The closest stores to me are one local hardware shop, and a home depot.

[flanzig1]

Battery powered Dremel would not be a good choice, not a very long battery charge life. Home depot would be the place to get one; I think you can get just the Dremel and add bits or get a kit. You can go to the Home depot web site and check prices.

Just looked at their web site and they have the multi-pro kit on sale at the stores for $58.

[inflames988]

ok, i dont mind spending $50-60 on it, my parents will prolly chip in too. the problem is, im the only one in the house who ever uses tools of any sort, so we dont really have any...some old drills and screwdrivers, hand me downs from my grandfather....nothing more lol. im the only one who has any use for it, but i dont think theyll mind paying for some of it. how hard are dremels to use? ive heard to just draw your hole your gunna cut with the fan, then cut around it trying to stay on the line or INSIDE,then sand it down with the sanding bit. sounds easy enough lol...but everything sounds easy enough until you actually try it.

[bucksfanjimj]

Lowe's and Sears would have them as well. Any good hardware store should carry them. I have a Sears Craftsman model, came with a blow molded case and a few bits to start with. I have since added more bits and a few attachments for other jobs.

They're pretty easy to use. All you need to do is hold it steady and guide it. Let the tool do the work. I like it and find pretty useful for all sorts of things. It's well worth the investment.

Since you want to do some fan grilles, I would suggest you make a template first with some 1/4" plywood so that you can get the right spacing and dimensions of the grille worked out first before you start cutting into your case. Then when your happy with that, clamp the template to the part of the case where you want the grill and start cutting.

[inflames988]

thanks guys, ill keep all this in mind. what bits/etc should i be looking for? i need the one that cuts thru metal (those wheels or w/e??) and also a sanding type piece.

[bucksfanjimj]

The package that each bit comes in will tell you what their purpose is. There are literally hundreds of bits that will fit into a Dremel. There are also multiple grits of sandpaper. Start with a low grit and work up to a higher grit for final sanding and finishing. Lower grit like 60 or 80 will take off rough edges then go up to 120 or higher for smoothing and final sanding before painting. You might also want to pick up a few sheets of emery cloth. It's just like sandpaper but has stronger backing paper. It's generally used for sanding metal surfaces. Emery cloth can generally be found in grits upto 800. That would give you an almost like glass finish.

Something you might also want to consider for the Dremal is an attachment that will make it work like a router. It will allow you to control the depth of your cut. It usually costs about $15. If Lowe's or Home Depot don't carry that attachment try Sears. That's where I got mine. When it's all said and done don't be surprised if spend a little closer to $100. Definitely shop around a little. Heck try Walmart they have a few power tools in their (hack cough) hardware section.

P.S. As an edit to my earlier post; try a few practice runs with your template and some scrap plywood so that you can get a feel for the tool before you start cutting on your case. You might want to make a second template to do this with. One template to practice with and one to do your final cut on the case.

[Cricket]

thanks guys, ill keep all this in mind. what bits/etc should i be looking for? i need the one that cuts thru metal (those wheels or w/e??) and also a sanding type piece.To cut through metal you'll need the reinforced cutting wheels. Don't forget your safety equipment too...eye protection and hearing protection as well as gloves.

:) Cricket

[tigstah]

To cut through metal you'll need the reinforced cutting wheels. Don't forget your safety equipment too...eye protection and hearing protection as well as gloves.

:) Cricket


i'll second the eye protection.
i did a mod with a dremel a few years ago....i am so glad i wore eye protection. those lil bits of metal were flying.

[inflames988]

The package that each bit comes in will tell you what their purpose is. There are literally hundreds of bits that will fit into a Dremel. There are also multiple grits of sandpaper. Start with a low grit and work up to a higher grit for final sanding and finishing. Lower grit like 60 or 80 will take off rough edges then go up to 120 or higher for smoothing and final sanding before painting. You might also want to pick up a few sheets of emery cloth. It's just like sandpaper but has stronger backing paper. It's generally used for sanding metal surfaces. Emery cloth can generally be found in grits upto 800. That would give you an almost like glass finish.

Something you might also want to consider for the Dremal is an attachment that will make it work like a router. It will allow you to control the depth of your cut. It usually costs about $15. If Lowe's or Home Depot don't carry that attachment try Sears. That's where I got mine. When it's all said and done don't be surprised if spend a little closer to $100. Definitely shop around a little. Heck try Walmart they have a few power tools in their (hack cough) hardware section.

P.S. As an edit to my earlier post; try a few practice runs with your template and some scrap plywood so that you can get a feel for the tool before you start cutting on your case. You might want to make a second template to do this with. One template to practice with and one to do your final cut on the case.

gotcha. ive got some old cases that are truly the exact same type of metal, those should work, ill test on wood, the old cases, then the real thing. ill look around to see what i can get.

a friend had a router and told me it'd be better then the dremel. whats the difference?

yea i did think of eye protection. thx guys, i know how bad gettin stuff in ur eyes is.

[bucksfanjimj]

"a friend had a router and told me it'd be better then the dremel. whats the difference?"

Routers are mainly used for woodworking and Dremels are a multi-purpose tool. The bits for routers are generally not up to the task of cutting metal. You'll probably ruin the bit before you are finished with the cut. You could get lucky though. A 1/4" straight cutting bit for a router is about $8 at Sears. This dremel bit is what your looking for

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00953071000&subcat=Rotary+Tool

Dremel Tools- http://www.dremel.com/HTML/home_fr.html

Router bits are sometimes coated with just carbide to improve the cutting edge. The two links I have here are tungsten carbide bits meant for cutting steel.

That's the best I can tell you. Yes a router can most certainly cut a round or even a square hole. The real difference is in the types of bits available for the job you want done and the material your working with. If you were to say be working with acrylic, either tool would do fine. I hope that helps a little.

A tip for cutting steel or any metal: Spray some WD40 or Liquid Wrench on the bit and the metal to reduce friction and increase your cutting ability.

I also apologize for my negligence in recommending eye protection.

[Stuey]

I also recommend safety goggles. I once had a cutoff whell shatter while I was cutting through something.

For cutting, I use the multipurpose cutting kit (http://www.dremel.com/productdisplay/display.asp?sku=565) and you can also pick up extra multi purpose bits. I don't know how much better this is over the reinforced cutoff wheels but it does the job and allows for higher curvature cuts.

[inflames988]

thx for all the info guys. should be up by home depot store tommorow...gota go in that verizon store there...erghhh i hate goin there but it must be done...verizon store workers are coldhearted lol....just the one near me :)

thanks a ton for all the dremel info. hopefully i can make this blowhole cut as painless as possible, the ideas and info uve provided should really help.

not planning on buying one tommorow, guna shop around as recommended. i mean if theres a good deal on one sure, but hardwares not the kinda thing that goes on sale much from my guess.

[Spaz06]

I need to get a dremel, or some type of other tool to cut fan holes/do other minor mods. I want something basic--preferably cordless--and cheap. Dont get me wrong, i also want something that will last and work well, i just dont need anything fancy. I need some type of wheels for it that will cut through metal, and some type of sander for it too. If anyone has easier ways to cut 120/80mm fan grilles or other mods, im open to suggestions. Any idea where i can get the dremel or other similar tool at a good price? The closest stores to me are one local hardware shop, and a home depot.

The dremel multi pro kit is a nice setup. I wouldn't recommend the cordless either. I would recommend using a metal cutting hole saw attachment for a drill to cut out for 120/80mm fans. It leave a fairly clean cut, with little clean up. The 80mm holes requires a 3 inch hole saw and a 120mm requires, I think about a 4 1/2 inch hole saw.

[Hi Ho]

You can buy metal cutting bits for routers and with a circle jig it would be really easy to cut perfect circles using a router. A Dremel is a cheaper alternative though and it will work fine. I have used a Dremel in my very limited modding "career" (cutting out fan grills to improve air flow). I have some metal cutting bits for my router but I have never tried it.

[inflames988]

just stopped @ my local true value hardware store...

they had 3 multipro kits:

49.99 -- two speed dremel with 60 pieces and a carrying bag.
59.99 -- two speed dremel with 15 pieces
69.99 -- multi speed dremel, with 45 pieces.

they all had cutoff wheels and sanding pieces. they also had a cordless one with almost no accessories for like 30 dollars. i didnt even consider this one. all the dremels in the kits above were different, but seemed enough to handle what i was talking about. however the guy at the store said dremel cutoff wheels are meant for straight lines, not circles, and it wouldnt work good for my purposes. I didnt get like model numbers, but they were all the cord type of dremel for the ones i looked at. believe it or not the 49.99 one had much more accessories, and seemed to be the best deal. Im checking hope depot in a few minutes, we'll see what i can find there. Thx for all the help!

[inflames988]

just picked one up at home depot. it was the one that was 69.99 at true value, but it was 59.99 at depot. actually it mighta been a little diff...its a fully ajustable one with all the speed settings, and a 51 piece kit with lots of cutoff wheels, sanding tools, etc.

[Stuey]

Last night I went browsing bit-tech.net to see if they had any grill-cutting guides. The only guide I bookmarked is here (http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/2003/12/23/meet_the_dremel/1.html) and it's in the modding section. The forums there are focused on modding and might be able to provide you with some assistance as there are guides and work logs and such.

Anyways, the link above takes you to a "meet your dremel" kind of guide where it also shows how to cut a circular hole with a cut-off wheel. Although I feel odd recommending another forum here, bit-tech (http://www.bit-tech.net) seems to be a great instructional place to see what others have done with their dremels.

[inflames988]

Last night I went browsing bit-tech.net to see if they had any grill-cutting guides. The only guide I bookmarked is here (http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/2003/12/23/meet_the_dremel/1.html) and it's in the modding section. The forums there are focused on modding and might be able to provide you with some assistance as there are guides and work logs and such.

Anyways, the link above takes you to a "meet your dremel" kind of guide where it also shows how to cut a circular hole with a cut-off wheel. Although I feel odd recommending another forum here, bit-tech (http://www.bit-tech.net) seems to be a great instructional place to see what others have done with their dremels.

thanks, im looking at it now, yea i understand about recommending another forum tho. modding isn't huge here, although there are tons of knowledgeable people here who can help you with it. I've found that you can come to pcmech for just about anything, which is what makes it convenient. other outside forums tend to focus on just one thing, modding for example is the sole focus of some sites. ill read over the dremel guide and see what else about modding is at bit tech. thx

[inflames988]

ok ive got everything ready the dremel and stuff, and ive been practicing cutting but im getting more n more worried about doing it for real. so far ive come up wiht a few things i need to remember:

1) use a cd for the template, tape up the case top with masking tape everywhere EXCEPT what's to be cut...those dremels slip easily! It would be better if i could cut from the inside, but i dont know if i can! the top of the case is riveted on, can i just turn it upside down and try to work from inside hte case because i can take the side panels out but not the mobo mount.

2)get fiberglass reinforced cutoff wheels--go slowly around in circles creating a "groove" until it finally breaks through. The wheels ive been using will be OK, but i dont think they are the reinf. as they wear down real easily.

3) maybe a way to cover up the hole--i heard of using that window stuff but i want something small, some people recommended a coaxial cable hollowed out--those are just the kind for cable tv right...if u dont kno what i mean, its kinda like the stuff people put around their case windows to make em look better

[austin1]

u mean the rubber? its easy to make that just get a cable or w/e and but it down the middle and it should work.

[inflames988]

yea i guess i was askin if thats hte kind for cable TV though

[inflames988]

thx for all the help here guys. i got the blowhole done today, and after a full day of work everythings reassembled. Two fresh cut fan holes, and the blowhole looks AMAZING compared to what i was hoping for. the reinforced cutting wheels are really a life saver. i had been practicing with the small ones, but the reinforced i used ONE for a whole 120mm blowhole without much wear at all. After two quick passes around the outside of the circle with the wheel, the third one cut through it like butter. The case is starting to shape up really nicely. Ill be posting pics soon in custom case work...

o yea anyone looking to do a blowhole, i had an extra cable layin around...a black audio cable from radio shack. just ur basic 1/8th to 1/8th (cd player/mp3 player type jack on both ends). I cut out a small section of it, enough to go around the hole, and cut out all the wires inside via one straight cut down the length of the cable. once this was done i put it around the hole in my case, and it totally hides the rough edges of the cut (and a few of my mistakes). Makes the hole look alot cleaner. thx to everyone who helped me pick the dremel, and the guy who suggested using some type of cable cut open to hide the edges of the hole.

[catacon]

Dremel's are nice. I used one to cut some plastic on my case, very nice, bad smell though. Anyway, glad it worked for you muskie!

[inflames988]

Dremel's are nice. I used one to cut some plastic on my case, very nice, bad smell though. Anyway, glad it worked for you muskie!

yea they take a bit of practice depending what ur doing, but plastic is fairly easy compared to metal. If it smells alot like burning and ur plastic is melting, turn the dremel speed down a bit. Metal jus takes more time, u gotta slowly cut into it a little at a time, making a groove for where the cut will go. A great modding tool nonetheless though.

[bucksfanjimj]

Good job muskie88! :) Glad to see you got it done. The more you use that Dremel the better you'll get with it. You will find out over time that the Dremel is a neat little tool and you'll use it for all kinds of stuff. I use mine for all sorts of jobs.

Congratulations again!

Bucksfanjimj

[inflames988]

Good job muskie88! :) Glad to see you got it done. The more you use that Dremel the better you'll get with it. You will find out over time that the Dremel is a neat little tool and you'll use it for all kinds of stuff. I use mine for all sorts of jobs.

Congratulations again!

Bucksfanjimj

yea believe it or not ive used it for a few other things. Anything thats difficult to cut or oddly shaped...the cutting wheels practically destroy. They make nice clean cuts especially on plastic and thinner metals. I used mine to cut out an old 80mm fan and it cuts through that plastic like its nothing. Its a good addition to a house with no power tools. im the only one who ever builds / upgrades / modifies anything in the family. The rest of them just settle for what they can find at the store. Thanks! I cant wait to post pics i just dont have a digital camera

gotta remember to ask my sister to borrow one. The problem is i cant download the drivers for mine online, and she lost the CD. Yet she still wont let me use hers.