Rotozip tool
 

The first two frames I built were truly done by hand, meaning outside of a bench grinder used to rough in miters on the tube ends everything else was done with hand files and a hacksaw. This past winter after starting out this way I remembered I had a Dremel tool from about 20 years ago. Serious labor saver. Unfortunately, the thing died this week. Got it running again, but it died once more. Time to move on.
Went to the local hardware and found the Rotozip tool. Much more substantial tool, 5.5 amps vs. 1.8 for the old Dremel. Wasn't sure I could slot stays for drop outs with it figuring it was a beast of a tool, however it has proven to be better than the Dremel. I use the Dremel cut-off discs from the old tool. So happy I found this thing. Had two stays slotted and fitted in about an hour. With a hacksaw and hand file it would have taken many more hours than that.

My name it tihabanero and I approve this tool!

could you post a picture with a cutoff blade in the tool? I have the Dewalt version of the Rotozip, never would have thought to use dremel accessories in it. The bearings are going out on my Dremel. I was thinking about getting a Proxxon or something more substantial than the Dremel

Unterhausen, hopefully this pic will explain things. Show the slots make on the SS. The cut-off disc in the tool right now has been used to slot the chain stays and seat stays on this frame as well as the one this winter, plus cutting seat stays to length. The discs seem to last a long time for their size. The Rotozip is a nice tool, much more substantial than the Dremel.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...158fcb1131.jpg

Thanks. I have been using 1 1/2" cutoff wheels I bought from McMaster, but I finally went through all of them. Tried to order them from Amazon and they wanted proof I was a licensed dentist. Huh. The company does list dental work as a potential use, but obviously it's not the only use. And nobody is going to stick a 1 1/2" cutoff disc in someone's mouth anyway. Ended up buying some Chinese cutoff wheels, but they are a little thinner and it's not hard to break them at the hub. Probably order the MUSA ones from McMaster when I go through all of them.

I had been using the Chinese cut off wheels, but the break much too easily as you know. The local hardware had these things from Dremel and they have been perfectly suited to the job at hand. I have also used them to slice a piece of 1mm cromo that was about 4 inches long. Two cuts the entire length of the tube and the wheel was nearly gone. Only a little life left in it.

You can buy heavy-duty wheels the last much longer cutting hard(er) metals....even the official normal consumer cutting wheels from Dremel burn through way too fast.

Which is one reason why the Dremel disks are generally packaged in such large quantities. I remember getting my first jeweler's saw and thinking the package of one gross blades was crazy. After cutting out my head badge I changed my mind:) Andy

The first time I needed to shorten a Ti seatpost I used a Dremel as it was all I had on hand.....I think 5+ cheapo cutting wheels later....The second time, I used the metal chop saw we have in our shop at work....Needless to say it was faster, and a cleaner cut :lol:

The heavy-duty Dremel wheels I herd about from our facilities guys...tried them, and never want to go back to the mega-pack cheapo wheels again.

I should probably track down some of the blades I bought from McMaster Carr. They do last a long time. The trick to cutoff blade life is to keep the blade moving in the cut. Plunging in will just wipe out any blade quite quickly. I have thought about doubling up the Chinese blades. They seem to be okay other than their thickness.

mcmaster doesn't have brand names. I think this gets you to the blades I had https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/125/2467
link isn't specific enough, item #1257A85 1 1/2" .049 thick aluminum oxide fiberglass reinforced metal cutoff blade for miniature dremel

$1.50 apiece is not bad for the life I got out of them

The cut-off wheels I now use are Dremel and fit a quick release arbor. Certainly are hundreds of times more durable than the old ones which were held to the arbor by a screw. They come in a pack of 5 or 6.

I refuse to use that quick release system though. Although the 1 1/2" wheels aren't that much more than the ones I linked.

this thread made me think about a compressor upgrade so I can use a die grinder

The QR discs are much better than the screw type. More secure, the mount hole never gets out of shape and even on the old Dremel tool with the bearings spinning in the housing causing a serious imbalance, the discs never released or wobbled. A huge improvement over the old method.

I really like the new cut off wheels for steel Dremel now sells too. They have only been on the market for a couple of years + -. They come in a thin version as well. And other models for wood and other materials use the same quick release system. As most people know I like to do carve blank lugs and these Dremel cut off wheels can hog out material quickly. Some of my frame building students hardly use a jewelry saw at all because most of the work can be done with these new wheels. The quick release system is vastly easier to use then the old screw system and of course the wheels don't break constantly, they just get smaller.

I have 2 newer Dremels and a couple of Foredom rotary units. One of the Dremels is a corded unit and the other one is battery operated. Since I am usually carving a fairly complex design, tool weight is important to me for fine control so I'm not wanting anything more powerful. In fact the corded Dremel is more powerful than the old ones I've had in the past. The battery operated one doesn't have nearly the power but its light weight and portability can be an advantage in some circumstances. The Foredoms are more awesome with lots of power in a small hand tool but the rotary shaft that drives it restricts movements in some ways too.

That's a ringing endorsement for the quick release system, but with the disks I linked to, there is no need to swap disks very often. A box of 6 lasted me quite a while. I finally ran through the last of them when I tiled the backsplash in my kitchen, glass and aluminum weren't the best things to use the disks on.

I always wanted a Foredom, but I have always been too cheap. i have a cable driven Dremel remote, but I have never used it. Maybe I'll try it now that the dremel itself is acting up.