Rotary tools

[fransjoe]

I was wondering if anyone has used a rotary tool to cut the panels. Dremel has some nice stuff including the router tables as well as the cutting guide attachment that kinda looks like a handheld router. The question is using this cutting attachment, would this also act like a fine jigsaw? I'd love any feedback since I think that this would be pretty much the most basic power tool to have.

[i smell smoke]

i was reading in a forum some where the other day where some one was using one of these for cutting and said it was doing a great job.
kinda got my interest a bit i am going to look into these further myself .


http://www.bosch-do-it.com/productspeci ... 80e/au/en/

[OnkaBob]

I used my Bosch multi with the flat ended blade to cut out ply panels and it worked well. Seemed to allow closer cut to the line without tearout.

You can buy an attachment for the Dremel that turns it into a miniature circular saw. If you already have the Dremel tool then this may be a good investment. You should be able to find it in an online catalogue somewhere.

As another option: Last time I needed to cut out panels my jigsaw packed up so I did the job with my Japanese hand saw. It's not much slower than the jigsaw on thin panels and again reduces tear out and can be quite accurate. (In fact it's the only type of hand saw I've ever been able to cut a straight line with!)

[olsnappa]

I use a Dremel for creating an even gap between the stitched panels.
I've used both the rotary blade and the little router bits as below.


I find it a really useful tool for this kind of thing and the sanding reels are handy for tight spots too.
However, I think the Dremel is a bit "light duty" for cutting entire ply panels out.
Part of the reason it works so well for trimming the edges of stitched together panels is that, for the most part, you're only slicing away
a whisker of wood to open up a gap between two panels that are butted together, usually on an angle.
On the rare occasions I've used it to cut right through 4mm marine ply at 90 degrees, it struggles enough that I think it would take a heck of a long
time to make a continuous 6 or 8 foot cut.
My opinion is that the best combination is a good jigsaw with a fine metal cutting blade to make the main cuts, (although that Bosch Multi looks pretty nifty) sand down to the line, stitch the panels and create a nice consistent tack welding/filleting gap between the stitches with the Dremel. Once the tack weld has set, cut away the stitches and open a similar gap where they were and complete the filleting.

[fransjoe]

I was thinking using a little hand hacksaw and then using the dremel to to the trimming and get rid of the weird cuts that I would make with it. I think it would be easier to detail with the rotary tool than trying to eyeball it by hand.

[olsnappa]

Sounds like an okay plan.
If you get your eye in and can make your main cut nice and snug to the line, I still think you'll find tidying it up by sanding will be easier and maybe even quicker. That's what I've found..... but find what works for you. Horses for courses I guess
I'd still get the Dremel and try it because I'm sure you'll find it useful once the panels are stitched anyway.
A word of warning in advance. DEFINITELY wear eye protection when using any of the dremel attachments. They can and do break off the mandrel quite unexpectedly sometimes and those pesky (and dangerous) little shards will almost always head straight for your eyes if they have half a chance

[john the pom]

I tried all sorts of tools but found the best by far for tidying up after jigsawing a panel was a wood rasp . Half round for inside curves and flat ones for outside curves. Bonus is they're cheap as chips and last for ages. Cutting and trimming across the grain is best done neatly by first scoring both outside plys with a boxcutter knife.
John.

[Bellybuster]

If you're talking the rotary tools that have the up cutting spiral drill bit style cutter they willtear the heck out of your ply. They are however very good at cutting openings where there is a backer board to run against like window openings etc. If you catch some grain trying these tools freehand they will take off in a hurry across your ply.

this is the tool I'm talking about

[preacher]

I use a 4" circle saw for cutting long panel runs. I do use a Dremel with rotary rasp to clean up dried fillets that have globs that would interfer with laying fiberglass tape.

[Jacko]

I have wanted to get a Dremel 400 for some time now, I think it would be a handy addition to the shed just for those times when nothing else will do the job, not only for building boats but for lots of jobs around the house, that's a good excuse to use on the Minister of Finance anyhow
A rotary tool would be very handy for doing fine triming & if you are into putting inlays of timber designs into your boats. You can buy adapters to turn it into a small Plunge Router, Drill Press etc. now I sound like a salesman.
Well I'm convinced think I'll buy one