Harbor Freight Rotary Tool

[bedhed]

I see you've got the job done now, but I was going to suggest one idea that I've been eyeballing at HF. They have a small table-mount grinder/polisher that also has a removable side attachment like the Dremel pen-style extension. Kind of a kill three birds with one stone kind of deal. The whole setup is $30-$40.

I like the bur bits like qslim suggested. For metals, I really like this bit. It's cutting isn't as violent as the bur bits, and makes for a much smoother cut.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004UDJJ/?tag=wranglerorg-20

I read through and realized I was overthinking it too. Hand files! I bought a set of files from Lowe's that I later found a very similar set at HF. Those are a great set of tools to have on hand.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Project-Source-23-Piece-File-Set/4777065

 

[Not_Invented_Here_]

I see you've got the job done now, but I was going to suggest one idea that I've been eyeballing at HF. They have a small table-mount grinder/polisher that also has a removable side attachment like the Dremel pen-style extension. Kind of a kill three birds with one stone kind of deal. The whole setup is $30-$40.

I like the bur bits like qslim suggested. For metals, I really like this bit. It's cutting isn't as violent as the bur bits, and makes for a much smoother cut.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004UDJJ/?tag=wranglerorg-20

I read through and realized I was overthinking it too. Hand files! I bought a set of files from Lowe's that I later found a very similar set at HF. Those are a great set of tools to have on hand.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Project-Source-23-Piece-File-Set/4777065

Haven't actually tried anything yet, gonna mess with it after work tonight when the weather is warmer and I've got time. I've got the file at home but may just pop into HF for those bits. I like the shape of the one you linked better anyway.

 

[bedhed]

Haven't actually tried anything yet, gonna mess with it after work tonight when the weather is warmer and I've got time. I've got the file at home but may just pop into HF for those bits. I like the shape of the one you linked better anyway.

It's a nice little bit. I can't remember if I've tried it on steel before, but I don't feel like it will have a problem at all with notching steel. I used it on 1/4" aluminum recently, and it cuts through it with ease. With it being less violent, it works great for small holes.

 

[Not_Invented_Here_]

It's a nice little bit. I can't remember if I've tried it on steel before, but I don't feel like it will have a problem at all with notching steel. I used it on 1/4" aluminum recently, and it cuts through it with ease. With it being less violent, it works great for small holes.

It'll be here tomorrow but I'll have a go tonight with the file. In reading up, it looks like these are somewhat brittle? I'll be sure to grind carefully with it.

 

[robertgreen79]

I've had bad luck with HF's power tools. Personally, I'd look on craigslist, offerup, letgo, etc for a used dremel. The prices are ridiculously low when tools are used.

 

[Not_Invented_Here_]

I've had bad luck with HF's power tools. Personally, I'd look on craigslist, offerup, letgo, etc for a used dremel. The prices are ridiculously low when tools are used.

Yeah my expectations are low but so was the price, like $14 for the heavy duty cutoff wheel. I'm not putting it through anything too crazy either, just house work, cutting out old fencing, small pieces of rusted metal siding whatever

 

[robertgreen79]

$15 dremel: https://kansascity.craigslist.org/tls/d/kansas-city/7061777240.html

Keep an eye out. Cheap tools have their purposes but you can get quality the first time around for the same or similar prices

 

[Not_Invented_Here_]

$15 dremel: https://kansascity.craigslist.org/tls/d/kansas-city/7061777240.html

Keep an eye out. Cheap tools have their purposes but you can get quality the first time around for the same or similar prices

My wife thanks you

 

[robertgreen79]

A few dollars more and you can get a really nice one with a bunch of attachments thrown in:

https://kansascity.craigslist.org/tls/d/raymore-dremel-multipro-395/7078126330.html

 

[bedhed]

It'll be here tomorrow but I'll have a go tonight with the file. In reading up, it looks like these are somewhat brittle? I'll be sure to grind carefully with it.

The Dremel bit being brittle? My first reaction to that is confusion. So much so that it makes me wonder if someone got a defective bit. Not sure what those folks were trying to do with it, or how they were using it, but the one that I have has never left me thinking that. I've used it on several projects, and it's still going strong.

 

[Not_Invented_Here_]

The Dremel bit being brittle? My first reaction to that is confusion. So much so that it makes me wonder if someone got a defective bit. Not sure what those folks were trying to do with it, or how they were using it, but the one that I have has never left me thinking that. I've used it on several projects, and it's still going strong.

I generally take bad reviews with a grain of salt, or discount them entirely unless they're articulate and thorough with their description- I already thought of Tungsten as a brittle material though and some reviews mentioned that. Absolutely possible it's just user error

 

[bedhed]

I generally take bad reviews with a grain of salt, or discount them entirely unless they're articulate and thorough with their description- I already thought of Tungsten as a brittle material though and some reviews mentioned that. Absolutely possible it's just user error

Same here. Unless I see repetitive complaints about the same thing, I typically go with it. Others though, yeah, grain of salt. Too many unanswered questions with some of them make the review useless. I really hope yours doesn't break, but the concern of one breaking isn't something that would even come to mind when recommending that bit, or any of the others I've used for that matter. For what it's worth, I don't always use finesse with those types of bits. If the project allows, I'll insert it as far into the chuck that the tip's cutting edges allow, so that there is minimal to no bending.

 

[Not_Invented_Here_]

Same here. Unless I see repetitive complaints about the same thing, I typically go with it. Others though, yeah, grain of salt. Too many unanswered questions with some of them make the review useless. I really hope yours doesn't break, but the concern of one breaking isn't something that would even come to mind when recommending that bit, or any of the others I've used for that matter. For what it's worth, I don't always use finesse with those types of bits. If the project allows, I'll insert it as far into the chuck that the tip's cutting edges allow, so that there is minimal to no bending.

Gotta love the reviews like "THIS PRODUKT SUKS NEVER BUYYY!!"

 

[qslim]

I read through and realized I was overthinking it too. Hand files!

For real, I should have suggested that too lol. For a one-off like this I bet it would get the job done just fine

 

[bedhed]

Gotta love the reviews like "THIS PRODUKT SUKS NEVER BUYYY!!"

Yes! Those and the reviews that are just stupidity.
*Universal (stick-on) Product*
"Didn't fit my car. This is garbage! Don't buy from this seller!!!!!!! They are just taking your money!!!!!!!

 

[bedhed]

For real, I should have suggested that too lol. For a one-off like this I bet it would get the job done just fine

No doubt. I hate it when I do that. Not the first time I've complicated something simple.

 

[qslim]

No doubt. I hate it when I do that. Not the first time I've complicated something simple.

That reminds me of a time almost 3 decades ago when I first started fixing cars.. I had a like a 3-drawer Craftman box sitting on top of a workbench changing oil & rotating tires for an ASE Master tech. The Snap-On guy comes through the shop and starts trying to sell me all this shit like a digital 1/2 torque wrench and dial indicators. My boss kicked him out and said something like "all this dude needs right now is basic hand tools, get the hell out of here". I'm glad he was there because them tool dudes make it REAL easy to start an account.

 

[Not_Invented_Here_]

That reminds me of a time almost 3 decades ago when I first started fixing cars.. I had a like a 3-drawer Craftman box sitting on top of a workbench changing oil & rotating tires for an ASE Master tech. The Snap-On guy comes through the shop and starts trying to sell me all this shit like a digital 1/2 torque wrench and dial indicators. My boss kicked him out and said something like "all this dude needs right now is basic hand tools, get the hell out of here". I'm glad he was there because them tool dudes make it REAL easy to start an account.

This is good advice. I didn't know jack about tools or anything car related when I purchased my TJ - I got it in part because I wanted to learn. I thought I needed any and every tool I saw/read about. Knowing what I know now, it's amazing what you can accomplish with a couple basic tool sets.

 

[qslim]

This is good advice. I didn't know jack about tools or anything car related when I purchased my TJ - I got it in part because I wanted to learn. I thought I needed any and every tool I saw/read about. Knowing what I know now, it's amazing what you can accomplish with a couple basic tool sets.

That about sums it up.. You can spend a couple hundred bucks on basic tools and accomplish practically all routine mx items. For almost everything else you can borrow from autozone or hit up Harbor Freight. Combine that with sites like these and you're golden.

 

[bedhed]

Gotta love the reviews like "THIS PRODUKT SUKS NEVER BUYYY!!"

Man, I had to go and dig through to find this post to show you something I came across. As soon as I saw it, I thought back to what we were talking about, here.