Tools of the trade :)

rogard · 06-01-2007, 02:45 AM

Well I have just come from my back garden where I was trying to mod the side panel of my lian li case and it didnt go very well...

When modding I normally use two tools I have a Bi-metal hole saw at about 114mm for hole cutting, which seems to work well and I have a dremel.

However I find the dremel very very disappointing, I have burnt out the motor in one dremel trying to cut through this lian li case, then using another dremel the screw which hold the re-enforced fibreglass disc inplace snapped.

I must be doing something wrong!

Can someone please point me in the right direction, I need a suggestion for a dremel and other stuff needed to cut a hole for a PA120.3 I also need a suggestion for a Jigsaw and blades.

Thanks for looking.
(Also please no plasma cutter options I do only have a limited budget!)

serialk11r · 06-01-2007, 02:50 AM

My only suggestion: Don't even use the dremel. I find dremels very annoying when it comes to cutting. If you do need to use the dremel only apply light pressure, or else the disc will break (which it does easily, to the operator's annoyance/fury). Are you going to get a jigsaw? Jigsaws should be wonderful at cutting cases. You should use high speed and a high teeth per inch blade, preferably the highest one you can find. Use the dremel to remove a small rectangular area, and cut out the area you want with the jigsaw

Jedda · 06-01-2007, 02:59 AM

If you're cutting cases with your dremel forget the little cut-off wheels.
You want one of these. You still need to go slow but the discs last much better.

rogard · 06-01-2007, 03:09 AM

@Jedda thanks I think Ill grab a couple of those

@serialk11r I think i am gonna get a jigsaw and use a dremel to to the little bits
any makes/model suggestions?

voigts · 06-01-2007, 08:52 AM

I have a simple variable speed Black and Decker jigsaw that I got at Lowe's. A jigsaw with a good metal bit is the way to go when cutting metal cases.

SparkyJJO · 06-01-2007, 09:24 AM

Serial I'm a noob with a dremel but I've only broken 1 disc so far and have cut several things (trimmed my rad hole, case support arms, screws, ramsinks...) It cuts pretty well once you get the hang of it. I found that cutting one direction is pretty smooth going but the other direction the rotation of the wheel is working against you and it tends to bounce around and break discs off.

Walternowi · 06-01-2007, 01:06 PM

Use a jigsaw. Don't try to force the cut, let the saw do the work.

mcflurry4321 · 06-01-2007, 01:16 PM

Yeah the key to using Dremels to cut metal is just go slow. It works fine then.

AuroraProject · 06-01-2007, 01:20 PM

You don't even need the Dremel to start a jigsaw cut, just slap a 1/2" drill bit into a drill, drill a hole and off you go.

serialk11r · 06-01-2007, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AuroraProject

You don't even need the Dremel to start a jigsaw cut, just slap a 1/2" drill bit into a drill, drill a hole and off you go.

Yep, but the only problem is he doesn't mention a drill anywhere, so I'm assuming he doesn't have one...

beaneh · 06-01-2007, 03:45 PM

Then the man needs to sort out his tooling

kamongear · 06-01-2007, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serialk11r

Yep, but the only problem is he doesn't mention a drill anywhere, so I'm assuming he doesn't have one...

He says he has a bi-metal hole saw which is operated via a drill so he must have one.

serialk11r · 06-01-2007, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bartsimsonii

He says he has a bi-metal hole saw which is operated via a drill so he must have one.

Oops my bad :P Yea the drilling a hole thing is much easier. You might want to file the burs off because they're sharp and might ruin the asthetics.

Vice · 06-01-2007, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jedda

If you're cutting cases with your dremel forget the little cut-off wheels.
You want one of these. You still need to go slow but the discs last much better.

These discs are the answer to your problems- I switched over to them when trying to cut out a psu hole in .125" thick alu, and I only used up 2, while regular discs I had used upwards of 7 for only about a 5in line.

jabski · 06-01-2007, 06:46 PM

i have a dremel that i use but like the idea of a jigsaw.
Will any model do really ??
And what blades would be recomended ?

serialk11r · 06-01-2007, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jabski

i have a dremel that i use but like the idea of a jigsaw.
Will any model do really ??
And what blades would be recomended ?

A jigsaw cuts much much much faster than a dremel and is WAAAYYYYYY easier to use...
Get variable speed, because different materials need different speeds. More HP=faster cuts obviously, and if you don't use it too often, I don't see a reason to get an expensive one. For blades, if you want to cut metal or acrylic, use the highest teeth per inch blades (like I said).

jabski · 06-01-2007, 07:48 PM

ok kool. Thaks serial

AussieJester · 06-01-2007, 08:55 PM

Jigsaw is definitely your best bet, metal cutting blade is the answer, I can cut a case window in under 2 minutes with my jigsaw in a steel case! that said a dremel does a damn fine job to, i like the look of those disks to dont have them locally I usually buy 25 reinforced cuttoff disks from eBay for ~5 bucks they last 6 times longer than the "standard" non reinforced. The dremel does take a good 30 minutes to do the job, you do get a cleaner cut and less finishing is required though.

Best of luck :-)

MrToad · 06-02-2007, 12:39 AM

Personally I find that many jobs are much easier done with a hand nibbler than with a jigsaw.

In fact I seldom use the jigsaw on sheet metal, I use tin snips or hand nibblers instead.

Disclaimer: Where it reads "sheet metal" it should say "the kind of sheet metal we regularly use on computer cases".

This is a extreme forum, and if people suggest using ammonia or mercury as coolant, I'm sure someone will flame me because the nibbler can't chew through his 5 mm thick aluminium/high carbon steel/titanium enclosure.

_G_ · 06-02-2007, 01:42 AM

+1 for the hand nibbler. much cleaner than a hole saw(its just hard on the hands but blisters will heal

)

rogard · 06-02-2007, 05:44 AM

Thanks for the advise guys.

Im gonna get:
These jigsaw blades:
http://www.tool-wise.com/tools-detail.asp?prod=594

This dremel kit:
http://www.tooled-up.com/ManProduct....tachments-240v

This jigsaw:
http://www.tooled-up.com/ManProduct.asp?PID=111941

Jedda · 06-02-2007, 06:46 AM

Hand nibbler chomps off 1/16" per bite.
More than 2" - 3" of cut is a mug's game with it.

Rogard,
Good blades

~~septim~~ · 06-02-2007, 07:51 AM

hand nibbler, yep very hard on the hands. i still feel occasional pain from 2 weeks ago using this tool...

i use combination of the 3, jigsaw for fast cuts, nibbler for corners and dremel for finishing rough edges.
then the occasional filing and sanding to finish the job.

LogAn'sRun · 06-02-2007, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogard

Thanks for the advise guys.

This dremel kit:
http://www.tooled-up.com/ManProduct....tachments-240v

This has been a debate over here for sometime, but the Dremel of choice is this one in Sweden. . .

http://www.dremeleurope.com/dremeloc...A?&ccat_id=472

Jedda · 06-02-2007, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LogAn'sRun

This has been a debate over here for sometime, but the Dremel of choice is this one in Sweden. . .

http://www.dremeleurope.com/dremeloc...A?&ccat_id=472

What are you talking about? The 400 is available most places. Beyond that you want 33000 rpm and AC, if you can afford it get the 125watt model.