Need some dremel tips...

S

starhawk

[H]F Junkie
Joined
Oct 4, 2004
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Hey... I'm thinking of doing another junk-ass mod, and I need to know a little bit about what I'm getting myself into. I'm not as well financed as the pros (to say the least) so this is gonna be a rig in more ways than one ;)

I have some plastic here, it's from these heavy-duty binders that Staples apparently used to sell. The binders are plastic all the way through (the ring assembly inside is the only metal present), but it doesn't tell me on there which plastic was used. Probably acrylic, but could be anything from ABS to polystyrene. Whatever. I can post a picture of one if it matters.

I want to cut a curved shape (with a few angled spots) out of this plastic with a dremel. I will be painting this (krylon fusion) but I want as few cracks as possible (which is why I'm going for the dremel and not a pair of sturdy scissors!). I have sandpaper and a (single, rusty, bastard-shape) file, so I'm not worried about the edges themselves being messy, just the possibility of cracking.

FWIW, I can deal with 1mm or smaller (tiny, hairline) cracks, it's the stuff that my horrible painting skills won't cover up (I've yet to learn "finesse" with a paint can!) that concerns me -- especially since I've spent a grand lifetime total of maybe 3 hours with a dremel! (...and that was with metal)!

How much trouble am I setting myself up for with this? Is this going to be a breeze, or am I in for a world of hurt?
 
Using a dremel with plastic is likely going to end poorly. The high speed (and thus high temperatures) created by the cutting wheel will melt the plastic rather than cutting through it neatly like it would through metal.

What I'd recommend (and what I used for cutting the acrylic window for my Cosmos S) is a coping saw. It'll cut through the plastic without melting it and coping saws are meant for cutting curved shapes. If you go this route, be sure to get a blade with at least 10 teeth per inch. They also have the benefit of being really cheap, I got one at Home Depot for like $8.
 
Hmmm... maybe. I'll see if my tool-loving father has one I can borrow. I've asked him for the dremel, maybe he can bring me both...
 
Hey, reviving this thread for a minute. Hope it's OK.

I've got an ISA-8 card that I want to cut the cardedge connector off of (nobody's gonna miss this one, it's a 5250 terminal emulator with jumper wires on the back!). Don't ask, it's a silly project of mine; I'll be posting a worklog soon. The PCB is about 1/16" thick. I want a straight, clean cut. I have the following tools...
Hacksaw
Coping Saw (2x -- thanks Dad!)
Dremel (2x, one stronger than the other but both battery powered)

I also have wood saws, including an 18" Stanley FatMax that likes to be a bit bendy at the tip (wibble wobble) and a hand-powered miter saw with plastic miter box (it's cheap).

...while I do have a paper-cutter / "office guillotine", it's really Mom's and I can't see her approving of this use for it!

I do not have power saws or working power sanders of any kind that I'm aware of (this is probably just as well). I do have a "bastard" style file (I think that's the right term -- flat on both sides, diagonal splines) and some spare 100grit.

How should I do this?
 
Very true about the coping saw being the best route for ya. If that possibility isn't an option, than a round file would probably be best. Might take longer, but you wont have to worry about chipping and cracking with a high rpm cutoff tool.
 
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