Disaster please stop using the Dremel as a saw...

Every time I see people use the dremel to cut long, straight lines, I cringe. That is not what the dremel is for. If you want to cut nice, long, straight lines, use a table saw, or a jig saw, or a scroll saw, or a band saw, or a radial arm saw, or a mitre saw. anything but a dremel. Yes, I realize it has it's uses in tight spaces and cutting curves (not very good curves at that, how do you turn the cutting wheel?) For even better curves, invest in a jig saw, or even better, a scroll saw.

http://hem.bredband.net/b225890/CircleButterfly/pcb_psu_004.jpg see this? You might as well have cut it with scissors. Aluminum is soft enough and that panel looks thin enough that some good construction scissors (the ones that can cut through pennies) would probably do a better job than the dremel. Not only will you no longer have to invest in copious amount of cutting wheels, it will be take far less time and look better.

The dremel does have it's uses, but it not the end all, multi-use tool that everyone makes it out to be. I've used it on several occasions; to cut a .5" x .5" square hole in the top of my case (that isn't visible, which is why I used the dremel), and I also use it to touch up several fan grills I've made from cherry with the scroll saw and on several other occasions. I know I'm probably going to be flamed into oblivion for this post, but I had to speak my piece anyway.

On the other hand, if you don't have the money for all sorts of different types of saws, ignore me

 

The only thing that comes close to the thin width of a dremmel disk is a razor saw and that would be ruined on cases.

BTW not all cases are ali, alot are steel.

 

And there you hit upon the entire reason people do all the stuff you're annoyed about in the rest of your post. Money.

Most people either can't or don't want to spend more money on various things like jig saws or even decent construction scissors - they buy a dremel (or maybe even a knockoff cheapo dremel) and then use that for everything they can make it work for. Personally I have no problem with it, I've always seen being able to do something with the least ammount of resources as fairly elegent and as a contributing factor to my apreciation of the final product. So if people want to go ahead and use dremels, good luck to 'em.

 

hehe.
Almost any time I see someone cut a long straight line with a dremel, they have to grind and sand for just as long to clean the edge up from the original cut.
The only time I've used a dremel for straight long cuts, is when I was cutting two adjoining sides of some square tubing. (Where any other saw would not work.)

Dremels work great on engraving, sanding/buffing small areas, and grinding same.

Of course, if you don't have anything else, it's understandable, though you could probably recoupe the cost of a new saw with all those disks that you won't need.

 

I beg to differ, I would ever argue that the blade on a scroll saw is the same width if not skinnier than a dremel saw disc. I know not all cases are alu (in fact, most are probably steel), I was just using that pic as an example.

 

I'm gonna add that dremels can do cuts nothing else save a scroll saw can-and a scroll saw can't go in situ...

 

Agreed, you can save a lot of time using a proper saw because you won't have to spend hours filing and sanding your dremel cut. I'm not against dremel use in most situations, just mostly against use for long cuts where another tool could easily be used.

but as Gibbon and I said, if you don't have the other tools/dont want to buy them/or dont have the money for 10 different saws, then more power to you

 

I know exactly what you mean

The Dremel is quite versatile (especially with the right attachments) but is by no means the optimal tool for everything. I use various cutting tools based on what I am doing; my tools include: a jigsaw, circular saw, router, hack saw, and coping saw.

 

Dude my dremol just read this and started crying...Thanks alot. Seriously though, when I first started modding it was all I had. If you don't actually put pressure on it I can make a disk last a pretty long time. You let the tool do the cutting for you, that's what 30,000 RPMs are for. I can't agree more that If you mod alot you need the correct tools to do the job. Things will be cleaner and faster.

 

I have never cut long straight lines with my dremel

It has been my best friend making stoves tho

 

Never in my life had I thought you could use a dremol to make stoves. Awesome

 

so eight 13" long straight cuts with my dremel was a bad idea?

i wish i had a jigsaw, but for poor people like me the dremel is sometimes the only option.

 

a nice pair of snips and/or a nice shear... good point. Its only option for lots though... My dremel was the first tool i ever invested in. Well, in 7th grade i bought a Piece of S*** scroll saw for a crazy shop class project. But i have a pretty incredible shop IMO, however i still find myself using my dremel quite often. I almost never use it for cutting (except for when i need to cut weird things...) Its such a handy tool for sanding, grinding, removing paint/rust, et cetera... I drilled lots of holes with my dremel, I can't think of another tool that will do more for its money.

My .02$

 

bla...
dremel, scroll saw, jig saw... bla bla bla...

DIY Plasma cutter > *
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W3tLDBdPQQ

 

not huge home-heating stoves, more like this size

 

Where's the project log?!

Some people use a Dremel for straight cuts because of cost and that they're unfamiliar with alternative methods. Every hardware store and big-box supercenter carries hacksaws but they're too expensive (lol) at less than $10 a piece.

 

http://www.instructables.com/id/Cool-Little-Miniature-Stove!/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Can-Stove/

http://www.instructables.com/id/cat-stove-pt1:-alcohol-fueled/

I made one too.... very useful for camping, although I usually have a campfire handy anyway.

 

less than 10 grams is hard to believe, the lightest one I have is 14 grams

you wanna buy one??? I have 15 in stock ready to ship(all of them are polished)

 

lol, no I do not want to buy one, nor do I want to make one. I just thought that it would make for a cool project log, that's all. I'm a photo junkie.

 

Well if you are going to make a dremel cut, at least buy a rod of steel or something to use as a ruler...

I have access to a fully kitted out workshop luckily, but I do understand the woes of others without these toys