How do I use a Dremel?

Super Cameraman · Post by **Super Cameraman** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:27 pm

I just bought a nice Dremel today, and practiced cutting some scrape plastic I had (Jeopardy for the NES...

) and I don't really know if I'm doing it right. What's the best way to cut plastic, the tool that looks like a drill bit (Multi-use cutting tool I think) or a cutting wheel? I need to cut a square hole. (For a screen of course.)

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:14 pm

Do whatever works for you. Personally, I use the below as follows:

(from left to right):

cutting wheel - cutting through controller plastic, mobos.
diamond metal cutting wheel - cutting through metal.
sanding wheel - good for quick grinding of plastic edges and melting parts of plastic to adjacent piece (friction)
(2) drill bits - bore through perspex and also shave perspex into straight lines / curves. (general use).
general cutter - quicker version than above. I use this one a lot.
grinding wheel - ideal size to bore holes in plastic for buttons and circles. Can also grind down small pieces of metal. I also use a bigger version too.
engraving tools - not in pic - very thin, grinders - ideal for corners and screwholes.

Super Cameraman · Post by **Super Cameraman** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:20 pm

Thanks! For cutting a square hole for a screen, should I use the cutting wheel or the general cutter? I've been experimenting with the general cutter and straight lines are really hard. Wow, I'm a real dremel noob.

khaag · Post by **khaag** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 12:26 am

I posted in your GH DS thread on how to do it

Website · Post by **Life of Brian** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 1:44 am

Best advice I can give you is to make a cut in several passes. Carefully follow your line the first pass and the second time, and generally by the third pass you can cut through to the other side. This will help you get straighter lines and will prevent you from overloading the cutting wheel. A dremel is a high speed low torque machine as opposed to a drill which has lower speed and higher torque. Let the speed do the work for you. Also, once you get your hole cut out tackle the corners with a file to make them nice and square.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:32 am

I suppose it depends on how steady your hands are.

When cutting squares, circles or straight lines, I use a two stage process, firstly I use a drill bit and run it through the plastic, about 5mm from the edge (in case it slips), then move it a bit closer to the edge, and cut out the whole shape about 2-3mm or so from the edge, then stage two, use the same tool or the general cutter, and shave the edges down until they are perfectly straight. I have steady hands, so can make the finished item really straight. When I did this for the Nintendo 64 Advance I put the sides I had cut against a metal ruler, the perspex was completely flat.

I find using a cutting wheel to be an aggressive cutter and it is hard to get a cut millimeter perfect, although they are ideal for cutting through controller plastic (different thicknesses) or mobos as they are effective and quick, and are accurate enough.

There is no perfect way of doing the cutting, I am sure my methods are probably not the best, but work for me well and I get great results; which is all that matters.

The grinding bit on the far right of the pic is a nice fast way to cut a button hole, it is about 2mm smaller than a NES action button for example, so I can roughly cut a hole in the case (to give the grinder grip on the case) then run the grinding bit straight through the plastic, give it a wiggle slightly, then a little bit here and there to get the button to fit nicely.

Tibia · Post by **Tibia** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:19 am

My methods aren't too different from bacteria's, but I do often outline my holes with electrical tape or masking tape. It gives me an unmoveable border to work in, and if I get too close to the edge, the tape usually stops any chipping on the edge.

Neildo_64 · Post by **Neildo_64** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:07 am

Rotozip bits are awesome for cutting. I use this a LOT. It takes some practice to make fine cuts, but it works great. They zip through plastic very fast.

I usually use the cut off discs to make straight cuts, but beware - when you hold the dremel at an angle (which you usually have to) the cut will be beveled. As Life of Brian said, making 2 or 3 sweeps helps enormously.

Website · Post by **Life of Brian** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 9:34 am

I've learned my lesson about pressing too hard - I once had a cutoff wheel shatter while I was using it. Luckily I was wearing eye protection, but jeez that scared me! I probably had been using that one wheel too long in addition to trying to cut through in one pass.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 9:40 am

Yeah, I must admit I am often stupid in not using eye goggles, although I do wear spectacles so that gives some protection. After a heavy dremelling session cutting through perspex, the carpet is covered, so am I, and my glasses are coated in the stuff!

The circular cutters are lethal though, they often slip if you are not very careful, and these suckers will slice your fingers off quite easily!

Neildo_64 · Post by **Neildo_64** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 11:37 am

If you get a cut off disc in a bind, it will shatter. I have shattered probably somewhere around 75-100 of them.

As long as you NEVER, EVER look directly down the disc (or any other bit/wheel) your eyes are probably going to be ok. You should always wear safety glasses. If you dremel much at all with cut off discs, you will brake a lot of them. There are different thicknesses of cut off discs and there are bigger, reinforced ones that are really hard to brake. They work amazing.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:17 pm

Yes, they break easily, however that is why for ages I used the metal diamond edged ones, they don't break, although they cost about Â£1 each. I tend to break the normal ones just by careless handing rather than just by use! I got lots of free ones when I got other dremel bits a while back, so I am using them at the moment.

Tibia · Post by **Tibia** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 8:16 pm

When you've used a Dremel enough, you get to a point where you can usually predict when your wheel's going to shatter. I find that once the edge is rounded and slightly pitted, it's best to replace them then.

There's about three different thicknesses in just the plain discs. I like to use the thinnest for wood and plastic, the medium for metal, and the thickest for general grinding. I like the reinforced discs, but they're kind of expensive for me. I did finally break down and get a cutting shield. Even if I'm not wearing eye protection, nothing gets thrown towards my face.

hank freid inn · Post by **hank freid inn** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:32 am

For a case mod freak, the Dremel is a very valuable tool to have. It lets you mutilate..... errr.......I mean modify your PC case in ways you have never dreamed possible. It is very easy to handle and it carries out it's intended purpose without much hassle. I know this, not only because I'm a mod freak, but also because I own one!!! I knew from the very moment I laid my eyes on this baby that I got to have it!

Post by **Triton** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 8:31 am

i recommend the fiber reinforced cutoff wheels, they last a lot longer than the other ones and are harder to break