Cutting Aluminum Case...Dremel, or should I...?

G

Ghent915

Gawd
Joined
Apr 14, 2005
Messages
974
Hey guys.
I'm going to be cutting into my Li-Li case to mount a rad. I was GOING to use my dremel tool (XPR400), but watching the heavy duty cutting disc bogg and stutter on a LI-LI HD cage, put second doubts into my mind. Should I get the saw attachment for my dremel, or just say screw it, and go out and buy a full jigsaw and some metal blades? OR...can I cut the top aluminum using the straight edge cutter for my XPR400 and just a better bit?

Also, if it's just a case of me doing something wrong, please clue me in. I'm a n00b here, and welcome any/all advice.

-Ghent
 
Well I used just some house hold metal cutters to cut my case it worked fine,and I edged it up with a metal filer and sand paper.
 
i used a fiberglass reinforced cutting wheel on my ATC-210 sidepanel and as long as you run it high speed and dont push too far ahead, it shouldnt bog much at all.
and that sidepanel isnt thin aluminum either!
 
Yeah, high speed with a fiberglass wheel will slice right through aluminium without much bogging...Hell those fiberglass wheels will go through thick steel with little trouble either...just a whole lotta sparks and slag.

When cutting Aluminium, remember to wear some PPE, inhaling Aluminium dust is NOT healthy.
 
adn wear long sleeve shirts, that dust is ithch as heck!

i cut my heat sink with the reinforced wheels:

ha to cut off about 2cm cause it was hitting capacitors (and yes STUPID me i didnt put something between my hand and he base :( )
IMG_7437.JPG
 
Use a dremel. Go slow, and don't try and cut a perfect line the first time around, just cut close to where you want it, then finish up with a sanding wheel and hand sanding for a perfect result.

Dremels have a specific speed at which they like to cut through a material. As long as you don't force the tool to go faster then that, or try and cut curves with a cut off wheel, you should be fine.
 
and done foget to wear goggles as well, and gloves :D

<---- yeah, look who's talking!
 
Use the Dremel and reinforced cut off disks (the kind that look like they have threads of fiberglass through them). Take your time and go slow... let the tool grind instead of forcing it into the metal.

Remember, Dremel "cut-off disks" are not cutters, they are grinders. You're not sawing through the metal, you're grinding away at it.

Go slow!

I butchered the HDD cage in my LL PC-75 with no problems. It's not going to bind or even slow down mutch if you're careful.

I'd hesitate to use tin-snips. I've seen people get some great results using them but I also used them in shop back in HS and they tended to bend the metal a little and distort it if you're not REALLY careful.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top