[xelion]

Well, I've gotten into audio DIY, started building a cmoy, going good so far, but now I need a dremel tool and possibly a drill so that I can make the holes in my tin to put it all together.

So I'm looking for cheap, but not so cheap I'll have to buy a new one next week, like 30-50 dollar range. And preferribly something from Wal-Mart or similar so that I won't have to order it and wait forever for it.(Sears is a possiblity, but the mall, bleh)

And would I need a drill as well as a dremel? Or can I find drill bits for dremels? Do I need a drill at all?

Thanks for the help.

edit: Also, this doesn't really relate, but so I don't have to make a separate topic for it, how do I ground the amp? I'm following Tangents article, with a few differences, and I see the ground's all go to one spot, but how do I ground it? Do I just let that part touch the metal case, solder it to the tin or what? Thanks again.

 

[kramer5150]

Dremel tools dont have the torque needed to drill through metal. Dremels are low torque / high RPM. Drills are vise-versa.

Different applications for the most part.

My Costco sells a Ryoby (SP?) with some basic accessories for ~$25. Can't beat that IMHO. Sears sells some nice kits too.

Get one with variable RPM. It really comes in handy if you do any surface grinding.

 

[tomb]

I agree with Kramer in principle. The Ryobi stuff is really good, and cheap, too. (Home Depot carries a lot of them, if you don't have a Costco or membership.) Also, he is correct about drills and Dremel's.

However, the metal in a typical Mint Tin is thin enough that you can do better with a paper hole punch - the kind that look like a pair of pliers. Anything else will rip the metal up if you blink too long. That's essentially the problem, even with good quality Hammond 1455 series cases: the metal is aluminum and the metal is thin (thicker than a mint tin, though).

As noted in another thread, a Dremel with the right bit can destroy aluminum. In fact, you can chew up a piece of steel pretty easily, too. You can even get pretty good results on the cases mentioned by selecting a stone bit of the same diameter of the desired hole, and using that as a drill.

The real issue is one of control and precision. The torque from a rotating mass or the backlash from high rpm's mean that any hand-held power tool lacks control - and therefore, precision. As a static non-powered device, a punch can offer control and precision, assuming it can cut through the object. Otherwise, a drill press is the best choice.

If you do use a drill, add a lubricant. A couple of drops of Marvel Mystery Oil or something similar can make all the difference in drilling/cutting metal. Too much heat develops otherwise, and the localized metal around the tip of the bit can literally weld itself on the tip, or worse - snap the bit in short order. Always use a backing board, too, or the metal will bend instead of cut.

 

[xelion]

So I can just punch through the metal with a hole punch and widen the hole carefully with a dremel?

What if I need a hole smaller than a hole punch?

Are there any good cheap drills that would be fine for this type of work?

 

[soloz2]

I just cringe when I see people trying to get by with cheap tools... My father is/was a contractor and I grew up working for him, so I was constantly using commercial/industrial quality tools and that is all we ever bought because anything less would break.
Now that I am on my own and don't have a whole lot of money. (That's something that being married and still in college will do to you! but I wouldn't change things!

) I have tried to skimp on some tools thinking that I wouldn't use them that often and/or I'm not as hard on tools as as other workers and/or the jobsite.
All I can tell you is that I have been frustrated and suffered for thinking things like this... the most recent was with the cheapo soldering iron I bought thinking I wouldn't use it much and then made a PIMETA with it and spent more time messing with it then building my amp... and I had to wait another month to get a better iron. Now I have a Hakko 936... but lack the funds to build another amp. LOL it's a vicious cycle!

As for dremels... in all honesty they are a great tool to have around and there are many, many different accessories so they can be used for almost anything. (I took a dremel to the top of my CM Stacker case... yeah it's 1/8" steel!) Drilling holes is not something they are extremely good at though. So, let me add my :2cent:

Dremels:
you should try to stick with a name brand as you can get even name brand ones cheap. And just an FYI this is one case where the Dremel brand and Sears Craftsman are the same exact thing. The colors are different. I have the top of the line Craftsman and it is the same exact thing to the top of the line Dremel you can buy at Home Depot (and they cost the same price... except I got mine on sale) With each step up you get more accessories which make the price increase worthwhile... however, you also get a better dremel. For example the cheaper dremels are single speed, but once you get to about $60-75 you can get a variable speed Dremel. Then the top of the line dremel has a more powerful motor and an easier to use variable speed. So if you look at in that light the best buy is the top of the line model because it comes with a case and lots of accessories, along with the best dremel tool itself.

Drills:
While Ryobi makes some decent stuff (used to be better) the thing to consider when buying a drill is that almost all cheap(er) drills have plastic gears inside them. Even Makita which markets themselves as a higher quality tool and sells their products for more money uses plastic gears in all but their top line of drills.
You have to make a pretty decent price jump to get metal gears, but a drill with metal gears will last much longer then one with plastic gears, so the choice is really yours. Some people can get by with plstic gear drills and get a few years out of them, but for someone like me, I'll have to buy a new drill in a couple months. Heck, I used to work in a store similar to Home Depot (wasn't HD, and I won't say which one) I sold tools to people and I saw countless people bring drills back after only a week or two after stripping out the gears. I picked up one of the 'better' drills and held my hand over the chuck to act as resistence and pulled the trigger, after a few seconds I could smell burning plastic... with just the pressure my hand applied! I wouldn't want to drill holes or drive long screws with that drill!

I've seen drills with metal gears last years, heck I've got a drill that is about as old as I am in the closet that's still kicking!

for cordless drills, you'll buy new batteries long before you buy a new drill.
I know these are out of your price range for the most part, but you can keep the price lower by buying corded drills over cordless. While cordless is nice, you pay a premium.
Brands to consider: DeWalt, Rigid, Maulkee, others, but these can be easily gotten at a HD or Sears

 

[goalie35]

I'm looking at getting a Dremel kit myself, and I was curious if anyone has experience with the Canadian Tire Mastercraft brand? Sepcifically this one:
Mastercraft 150-piece Rotary Tool Kit

Thanks,
Aaron

 

[nysulli]

don't really know anything on the mastercraft tool, but another one to look at is actually the black and decker version, i know, its black and decker, but the older model i have varies from 10k-35k rpm, and actually had a bit more powerful motor then the dremels when i got it (2.2a to 2.0) and its served me well for a few years from case modding to deburing edges on a hammond case

i also second the ryobi drill for a cheap pickup, i've seen other cheap drills strip gears, or just have batteries crap out in a year, but the my future father in laws and my own ryobi just kick on kicking after 5 years, definitly reliable for a cheap tool

 

[xelion]

Well I got a dremel, Craftsman, got it from Sears for 60 bucks(was on sale) It's variable speed and seems pretty nice, couldn't get a better soddering iron becuase of the price, but the soldering iron can wait until my next project I guess.

I got some drill bits for it, and I hope that the mints tin will be thin enough to be able to just use those, I'll end up investing in a drill sooner or later.

 

[IEATTEFLON]

I have a dremel 395 that I hijacked from my bro.

For mint tins I would consider buying a dremel press. The stability you get with it and the versatility of the dremel would pay for itself in the long run compared to a clunky giant drillpress.

 

[mbriant]

Quote:

I'm looking at getting a Dremel kit myself, and I was curious if anyone has experience with the Canadian Tire Mastercraft brand? Sepcifically this one:

At $39.95 Can. with the complete accessory pack, I don't see how you could lose on that one. The accessories would normally cost more than that. Even if the actual tool burns out right after the warranty expires, you'll be getting your money's worth IMO.

 

[PinkFloyd]

Just in case there are any UK Head-Fiers reading this post. Lidl, at the moment, have a Dremel / B&W wizard etc. boxed set of pieces for an incredibly low £2.99. 100 pieces (or thereabouts) are enclosed in an absolutely stunning (for the money) wooden case (proper joints and hinges, the works) I've tried the cutting discs today and they last just as long as the official Dremel jobs, absolutely superb value for money and this is a RUN, don't walk, to your local Lidl recommendation.... so good I've bought 10 of them... £29.99 for a thousand pieces and 10 incredibly constructed cases, fantastic.

Mike.

 

[whiz]

copy/paste from another post

check this out before buying anything...

http://www.isc-gmbh.info/isc-gmbh/in...ion=changeport

it is ULTRA cheap and has flexible shaft! like dentists drill!
also 2 years guarantee

P.S i have it...

 

[joostoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by goalie35 I'm looking at getting a Dremel kit myself, and I was curious if anyone has experience with the Canadian Tire Mastercraft brand? Sepcifically this one: Mastercraft 150-piece Rotary Tool Kit Thanks, Aaron

Thats pretty much the one i got, but instead i got this one: http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortments/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524443249866&FOLDER%3C%3EbrowsePath=2534374303517524&FOLDER%3C%3EbrowsePath=2534374303517525&FOLDER%3C%3EbrowsePath=1408474396670180&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396670180&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474396670271&bmUID=1158986192905]http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortmen...=1158986192905
I got it on sale for $50.00, almost a year ago. Like most things at Canadian Tire, what was on sale once goes on sale again soon; its like a cycle.

Its very nice. The picture is a little misleading tho, it doesnt quite look like that one. It looks more like the one in your link (the end of it whre the cord is has a bit of a curve). I especially liked it because it worked with most Dremel branded accesories. I got the Dremel drill press, and it worked just fine with it ( the only difference is the end doesnt fill up the whole gap, but it still screws in and stays straight ). The stand it came with it pretty crappy, it holds it fine and some more usefull bits, but seriously, its pretty much a waste of time.

Id say get it. The Mastercraft stuff seems fine to me, i dont think it has any less quality than Dremel branded stuff. Especially cuz the price is good, if you end up only using it once, its not like youve spent a ton of cash on it.

 

[tomb]

Hmm ... my 18V Ryobi will rip my arms off without any hint of plastic gears melting. I've had it for years and built decks and outdoor sheds with it.

Keep in mind when you see these recommendations for $200 - $300 Dewalt or Milwaukee drills, you're talking about contractors who want to drop them into a tool box from a 12ft ladder and still have them work. They are definitely good drills, but we're talking paper-thin aluminum electronic cases in our DIY. The only reason to even mention a drill press is because of the control and precision, not robustness.

 

[SiBurning]

With a coupe of C clamps, or a vise and a few pieces of scrap wood you can arrange some kind of jig with the soft metal inside a sandwich of wood, then drill through that. If it's hard to align, you might be able to do it by drilling through the top piece of wood first, then align the metal with the hole to get it in the right place. You probably want to leave the bottom piece of wood solid or you'll just push the metal aside.

For a mint tin, you should be able to do this with any cheap drill, even a hand drill, but as mentioned earlier, cheap tools are more trouble than they're worth.