Dremel Alternative, Exacto?

[sharkhead7854]

Hello fellow 405thers!
another noob question from someone who's been here for quite a while!
Let me start of as usual in saying that I have thoroughly used the search button to look for a similar topic but nothing. Same as stickies unless its been placed in a random one that has nothing to do with it.....
Anyway, as most reading know I'm building my Iron Man helmet (and sucking at my own model XD) and it's come time to cut the faceplate off to put hinges on.
My question is:
Has anyone tried cutting through their finished piece with something like an exacto in place of a dremel?
I tried using a dremel to cut a small line on the edge of the gold faceplate but its very shaky and wide.
If not does anyone have any tips on getting straight dremeled edges?

 

[phenry]

It's been fiberglassed and bondo'd right? I would steer very far away from using an x-acto knife for that, I had a hard enough time cutting through 2 coats of resin today for my plasma pistol with my x-acto.

 

[Achille]

Might I suggest an X-acto razor saw?

As thin as a blade, but able to saw through a lot. I used it to cut out my visor; it worked great. Just try to cut along the surface of the model to the back, so you don't have to saw through as much. (Hold the saw parallel to the surface, rather than perpendicular.)

 

[sharkhead7854]

Wow. I've never seen that before, any idea where they might be sold?

 

[phenry]

Wow. I've never seen that before, any idea where they might be sold?

Any hobby/crafts store like Michael's. That's where I got mine quite a few years ago.

 

[Cadet]

A tip I learned from my brother for steady dremel cutting is to almost hold it like a pencil down near the end, and to hold onto the piece, or simply rest or press against the piece you cutting with your thumb to help to steady yourself. I can get a picture to illustrate this if you want.

 

[sharkhead7854]

Cool, I'm about due for a trip to Michaels
I hear what ya mean, I tried it that way too and I can get a decent line but- like people who know me will say, I'm a perfectionist. Not the method that I think is flawed of course, I'm just not good with rotary tools.

 

[BFDesigns]

Cool, I'm about due for a trip to Michaels
I hear what ya mean, I tried it that way too and I can get a decent line but- like people who know me will say, I'm a perfectionist. Not the method that I think is flawed of course, I'm just not good with rotary tools.

It usually takes a good 6 solid months of cutting to get straight lines out of a dremmel cut. I use the standard heavy cut off wheels for cutting through the fiberglass and it helps to draw a line with a bic pen before you start cutting so that you can follow it. It takes a very steady hand to cut perfectly straight over long distances. For cutting the visor I would steer you towards a similar strategy where you're cutting along a drawn line.

I would either do that or use the butterfly saw that Achille pointed out. Don't use an xacto or a utility knife as they won't even cut through resined cardstock without chipping it funny.

 

[Jonny]

I also think it's important to use the right attachment on the dremel. Stay away from grinding bits otherwise they'll just heat up and start melting the plastic and make a right mess.
Use a disc with teeth, and also keep it cool with a water spray bottle. But make sure you wear goggles, don't want bits of plastic in your eyes.

 

[rowan]

I guess i have a very steady hand since i find straight lines with a dremel no problem. I always make sure my hand and the dremel are properly supported so they don't twitch around or anything.

 

[Yttrium]

For making fine cuts, you may want to consider tracing a line and using a jeweler's saw. They are designed to make fine cuts through metal, so fine cuts through fiberglass should be no problem.

 

[Sean Bradley]

Get the flex shaft attachment for your Dremel for fine detail work.

 

[BFDesigns]

For making fine cuts, you may want to consider tracing a line and using a jeweler's saw. They are designed to make fine cuts through metal, so fine cuts through fiberglass should be no problem.

Oooo no, bad idea. I've been working in the jewelry field almost exclusively for the past 4 years and when it comes to cutting plastic you do not want to be using a jeweler's saw. The blades are almost hair fine and they bind up very easily in anything that isn't metal. And because they bind up they will break, unless you've had about a year's worth of time using one you will probably go through a dozen blades just trying to cut through a thin piece of copper. They do sell spiral saw blades (wax blades) for use in jeweler's saw frames but they can still be a real pain in the ass when it comes to trying to cut a straight line with one (it's damned near impossible!). Not to mention that jeweler's saw blades are pretty expensive as compared to other blades.

The easiest way to cut a straight line with a dremmel is to do what Sean said and buy a flex hose attachment for your dremmel and use the standard silica carbide discs. Brace your hand so that you aren't moving around too much and cut the line cutting towards you, not away. I know this seems counter intuitive but the dremmel spins in a counterclockwise direction meaning that right handed people are still gonna get blasted in the face with the dust that comes off of your project; in this case fiberglass dust and resin powder which can cause silicosis and cancer respectively if they are inhaled over a long period of time (wear a dust mask). Also as has been mentioned before you can use a wheel that has teeth on it but they are more expensive. I would highly recommend that you buy a faceshield (full face) that you can wear when you're cutting with carbide wheels as they can shatter unexpectedly if your angle changes.