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> What are they good for?

Trimming dog toe-nails. I don't think I have used mine for anything else in a decade.
 
My Dremel doesn't get that much use, but years ago I did find one odd  for it. 

I have maintained many MCI desks for years, and they used button-head screws with hex (Allen) heads to secure the modules into the frame.  Over time, ham-fisted techs with crappy Allen wrenches (NOT me!  lol)  screwed up those screws.

Hate to admit it, but I have used a cutoff wheel chucked into the Dremel to make a slot on the destroyed screw heads so I can then use a flathead screwdriver to loosen the screws.

Bri
 
Brian Roth said:
My Dremel doesn't get that much use, but years ago I did find one odd  for it. 

I have maintained many MCI desks for years, and they used button-head screws with hex (Allen) heads to secure the modules into the frame.  Over time, ham-fisted techs with crappy Allen wrenches (NOT me!  lol)  screwed up those screws.

Hate to admit it, but I have used a cutoff wheel chucked into the Dremel to make a slot on the destroyed screw heads so I can then use a flathead screwdriver to loosen the screws.

Bri

I always try an automatic centre punch before resorting to cutting a slot.  Using it at an angle in the direction of rotaton sometimes you can get it to shock the screw loose.
 
Rob Flinn said:
I always try an automatic centre punch before resorting to cutting a slot.  Using it at an angle in the direction of rotaton sometimes you can get it to shock the screw loose.

Thats a great tip. Never thought of that!

I usually go for the "vice grip around the head trick", but not on customer equipment.....  ;D
 
Another good use for dremel cut off wheels is cutting IEC connector cutouts in aluminum chassis (Done a few silvertone 1484 mods). I havent had much luck doing that in steel chassis with a  dremel.
 
iampoor1 said:
I havent had much luck doing that in steel chassis with a  dremel.

No sweat with a Foredom.  I do almost all my steel chassis work  with it. I do dSub cutouts all the time with a cutoff wheel and a file.
 
PRR said:
> What are they good for?

Trimming dog toe-nails. I don't think I have used mine for anything else in a decade.
I wonder if i could cut my toenails?

With my arthritis I can't bend my right knee enough to easily reach the nails for trimming. 

Whats the worst that could happen?

JR
 
iampoor1 said:
Thats a great tip. Never thought of that!

I usually go for the "vice grip around the head trick", but not on customer equipment.....  ;D

In the few situations where I resorted to that with the screws that attach the MCI channel modules into the frame of the desk, those are small 6-32 button heads and no way to grab them with a vice grip.  I dunno it whacking them with an automatic center punch is viable, either because of the small/low profile of the button heads. 

It was a "last resort"measure to be able to remove the screw so the module could be repaired.

https://www.mcmaster.com/button-head-cap-screws

Bri
 
JohnRoberts said:
I wonder if i could cut my toenails? With my arthritis I can't bend my right knee enough to easily reach the nails for trimming.
I have the same knee problem, and I have never been tempted to self-Dremel.

Mostly we let the Vet trim the dogs. Maybe he will do you too? Of course there are people to do people toenails, but they charge to buff paint and polish too.
 
iampoor1 said:
Another good use for dremel cut off wheels is cutting IEC connector cutouts in aluminum chassis (Done a few silvertone 1484 mods). I havent had much luck doing that in steel chassis with a  dremel.

I can never get 100%$ straight lines with that, it's probably me, a work around is neutral power con if there is space.
 
pucho812 said:
I can never get 100%$ straight lines with that, it's probably me, a work around is neutral power con if there is space.

For one off's as long as the connector fits and it looks relatively straight from the outside I don't mind it a little rough looking on the inside.  For production units, using a rotary tool is too time consuming.  For repairs, mods, and prototyping it's close enough for me and the best option I've come up with.

I scribe lines where I want to cut but I wouldn't say it's as accurate or as neat as milling or punching a cut out.
 
Brian Roth said:
In the few situations where I resorted to that with the screws that attach the MCI channel modules into the frame of the desk, those are small 6-32 button heads and no way to grab them with a vice grip.  I dunno it whacking them with an automatic center punch is viable, either because of the small/low profile of the button heads. 

It was a "last resort"measure to be able to remove the screw so the module could be repaired.

https://www.mcmaster.com/button-head-cap-screws

Bri

It does work on the MCI screws as that is what I've used it for, but not all the time.  It's a first rather than last resort.  Another way you can use the centre punch is sometimes you can use it to reshape the hex hole so the Allen key grips it enough to loosen the screw.    If it doesn't work I use a hacksaw blade to cut a slot since I don't own a dremmel.
 
Rob Flinn said:
It does work on the MCI screws as that is what I've used it for, but not all the time.  It's a first rather than last resort.  Another way you can use the centre punch is sometimes you can use it to reshape the hex hole so the Allen key grips it enough to loosen the screw.    If it doesn't work I use a hacksaw blade to cut a slot since I don't own a dremmel.

have you tried using a screw extractor kit for any of that?
 
pucho812 said:
have you tried using a screw extractor kit for any of that?

No mainly because I haven't owned a screw extractor kit until very recently, & haven't had problems with MCI screws since I have owned one.  I guess the desks I look after I have sorted all the stuck screws now.
 
pucho812 said:
I can never get 100%$ straight lines with that, it's probably me, a work around is neutral power con if there is space.

The trick (that I learned after doing this poorly about 20 times) is it work REALLY slow and slowly file/remove maybe an 1/8 of an inch at a time until you have a perfect fit. I wouldnt have the patience to do it on a new case, I only do it on amps where the owner wants a retrofit. I really like the powrcon idea! Probablly much easier to use a step bit. :)
Gold said:
No sweat with a Foredom.  I do almost all my steel chassis work  with it. I do dSub cutouts all the time with a cutoff wheel and a file.

Wow, hats off to you. I dont have that much patience...and my dremel is a knock off and stalls under load in steel. That might be part of the problem!
 
iampoor1 said:
I dont have that much patience...


It doesn’t take that long. I scribe the lines.  The cutoff wheel goes right through the Par Metal cases.  I cut through on the long sides.  I also do a cut in the middle of the connector cutoout. I score the sides because the cutoff wheel is too big.  And  I cut the middle so the pieces to come out are in two pieces. Then I bend them with a pliers so they break on the sides at the score line. Then I clean up the sides with a file.
 
Rob Flinn said:
No mainly because I haven't owned a screw extractor kit until very recently, & haven't had problems with MCI screws since I have owned one.  I guess the desks I look after I have sorted all the stuck screws now.

It's been awhile since I fought with the MCI module screws.  Problems with them apparently were due to the painted panels on 500 and 600 desks.  I'm guessing the screw heads became imbedded into the paint.

Bri
 
One of my dogs doesnt like his toe nails cut at all , Ive tried a few times and he let me know politely he didnt want it , I was thinking of making a special sanding pad just to gently rub them down , if I went near him with a dremel he'd be terrified .

I usually find even if you cut rough ,finishing with a file cleans it all up after as long as you've left enough to work with around the edges.

I have a set of screw extractors ,lidl special , never actually needed them yet .
I got plenty of practice removing stubborn bolts in the motor winders , mostly its heat it good and hot with a gas torch,tap of a hammer  and it comes out easy ,  on ocassions where the screw head is damaged or completely gone drilling out the thread is about the only option , its delicate but it is doable ,with patience , a steel screw in alloy is a chalenge to drill with hand tools , slow and carefull is the way to go. 
 
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