New Tool Day

[Mike_H]

When making parts for your RV do you have to design from scratch or are the drawings available online (assuming you are in a RV forum).?

Almost 100% design from Scratch. There are about 5 models for my particular motorhome around that you can download, but I typically like to do my own design work anyway. Kinda like you can't take a steel design and just make an aluminum part with it, you need to think about things a bit differently when planning a 3D model vs an injection molded part. Plus, the models I've reviewed are pretty crappy. They are old and not well thought out.

 

[E-Ticket]

I solved a couple of needs with an M12 rotary tool and a 12” disk sander.

 

[Viking Jeeper]

I solved a couple of needs with an M12 rotary tool and a 12” disk sander.

View attachment 577682

I definitely like my M12 rotary tool. Lots more power than the cordless Dremel I had.

 

[Feralkid]

I definitely like my M12 rotary tool. Lots more power than the cordless Dremel I had.

High speed, but low torque. The wheel tends to stop rotating if you apply slightly too much pressure. Drains batteries fast as well. Good tool though, good for using with a wire wheel to knock off rust or scale before painting, but for sanding or grinding it's just too weak.

 

[E-Ticket]

High speed, but low torque. The wheel tends to stop rotating if you apply slightly too much pressure. Drains batteries fast as well. Good tool though, good for using with a wire wheel to knock off rust or scale before painting, but for sanding or grinding it's just too weak.

Appreciate the feedback. I’ve got grinders for the heavier work, but looking forward to going cordless wherever I can and this will help for fine work where my grinders can’t access. My Dremel cord is so stiff it is always in the way and of course tethers me to a wall or extension cord.

Speaking of low torque, the small M12 cut off tool is weak sauce in my view and stops constantly. I don’t even try cuts with it unless the material is very thin or maybe aluminum. I just go to the larger angle grinders or reciprocating saw. So, not all of the M12 stuff is great but most of mine have my expectations.

 

[Blake Stamper]

Milwaukee 2562-21

Bought this over a month ago, then bought another one because someone stole the first one

By far one of the niftiest impacts I’ve seen and used, the power to size is ridiculous. The kit comes with the new 5.0 hight output m12 battery and charger and I highly recommend that route as the stubby needs the more optimized cells in the 5.0 high output.

 

[Feralkid]

View attachment 577814

Milwaukee 2562-21

Bought this over a month ago, then bought another one because someone stole the first one

By far one of the niftiest impacts I’ve seen and used, the power to size is ridiculous. The kit comes with the new 5.0 hight output m12 battery and charger and I highly recommend that route as the stubby needs the more optimized cells in the 5.0 high output.

My m12 stubby impact, rachets, drill, and sawzall have all performed fantastic. 10/10 on all of them. The rotary tools I would give a 7/10, just too weak. m12 is perfect for DIY but if I was buying for pro use I would go with the m18 versions.

 

[sab]

High speed, but low torque. The wheel tends to stop rotating if you apply slightly too much pressure. Drains batteries fast as well. Good tool though, good for using with a wire wheel to knock off rust or scale before painting, but for sanding or grinding it's just too weak.

I agree. I have two of them - the older generation 2460-20, and the latest generation 2525-20. The old one gave an overheating alarm and "all stop" very quickly, especially on hot summer days in the shop. I bought the new one hoping it would be an improvement, but it's not. They just aren't up to the same level of robustness like all my other M12 and M18 stuff.

Just last weekend, when I was preparing my Flux aluminum slider backers for paint, I was using a small stainless wire brush in the 2525-20 to remove the surface oxidation from the welds on the spacer plates, and it was the usual frustrating experience. I could run it for about 10-30 seconds (putting almost no pressure on the brush - just riding on the surface), and then it would stop, all the LEDs would flash (which, according to the instruction manual, means the battery is too hot), and I'd have to shut it off and back on to continue using it. Very annoying. I tried both M12 tools, and both did that. I tried switching between five batteries in sequence to avoid them heating up (they did not feel warm to the touch) - no go. I ended up switching to a corded Dremel that's about 30 years old to get it done.

The Milwaukee rotary tools are about the only tool in their line-up that I can't recommend. They're just too light-duty. I'm now looking at Fordham Foredom rotary tools that jewelers use...

Edited because Mr. Blaine caught my spelling mistake - doh!

 

[Feralkid]

I agree. I have two of them - the older generation 2460-20, and the latest generation 2525-20. The old one gave an overheating alarm and "all stop" very quickly, especially on hot summer days in the shop. I bought the new one hoping it would be an improvement, but it's not. They just aren't up to the same level of robustness like all my other M12 and M18 stuff.

Just last weekend, when I was preparing my Flux aluminum slider backers for paint, I was using a small stainless wire brush in the 2525-20 to remove the surface oxidation from the welds on the spacer plates, and it was the usual frustrating experience. I could run it for about 10-30 seconds (putting almost no pressure on the brush - just riding on the surface), and then it would stop, all the LEDs would flash (which, according to the instruction manual, means the battery is too hot), and I'd have to shut it off and back on to continue using it. Very annoying. I tried both M12 tools, and both did that. I tried switching between five batteries in sequence to avoid them heating up (they did not feel warm to the touch) - no go. I ended up switching to a corded Dremel that's about 30 years old to get it done.

The Milwaukee rotary tools are about the only tool in their line-up that I can't recommend. They're just too light-duty. I'm now looking at Fordham rotary tools that jewelers use...

I have the straight and the angled version, same exact experience, had to keep switching between them every couple minutes because they would stop from over heating. They work well but only for very light duty.

 

[Mike_H]

I agree. I have two of them - the older generation 2460-20, and the latest generation 2525-20. The old one gave an overheating alarm and "all stop" very quickly, especially on hot summer days in the shop. I bought the new one hoping it would be an improvement, but it's not. They just aren't up to the same level of robustness like all my other M12 and M18 stuff.

Just last weekend, when I was preparing my Flux aluminum slider backers for paint, I was using a small stainless wire brush in the 2525-20 to remove the surface oxidation from the welds on the spacer plates, and it was the usual frustrating experience. I could run it for about 10-30 seconds (putting almost no pressure on the brush - just riding on the surface), and then it would stop, all the LEDs would flash (which, according to the instruction manual, means the battery is too hot), and I'd have to shut it off and back on to continue using it. Very annoying. I tried both M12 tools, and both did that. I tried switching between five batteries in sequence to avoid them heating up (they did not feel warm to the touch) - no go. I ended up switching to a corded Dremel that's about 30 years old to get it done.

The Milwaukee rotary tools are about the only tool in their line-up that I can't recommend. They're just too light-duty. I'm now looking at Fordham rotary tools that jewelers use...

Get a dynabrade and be done. Or, if you're looking for a pencil style, look up Dotco. That is what nearly all the mold makers I've ever worked with use. Most of them (the grinders) are 20+ years old and they get used every day for multiple hours a day.

 

[sab]

Get a dynabrade and be done. Or, if you're looking for a pencil style, look up Dotco. That is what nearly all the mold makers I've ever worked with use. Most of them (the grinders) are 20+ years old and they get used every day for multiple hours a day.

I have five Dynabrades. One straight, three 90°, and the Dynafile. They don't replace a good 1/8" collet rotary tool for detail work. Thanks for the tip on the Dotco. I'll look it up.

 

[mrblaine]

I haven't found any grease guns that don't do that, especially in warm climates. I keep all my grease equipment in 5 gallon pails with lids and rags heaped around them.

Be careful with that. Oily rags can do bad things. https://www.essexct.gov/fire-marsha...mbustion of oily rags,ignite the rag or cloth.

 

[mrblaine]

I agree. I have two of them - the older generation 2460-20, and the latest generation 2525-20. The old one gave an overheating alarm and "all stop" very quickly, especially on hot summer days in the shop. I bought the new one hoping it would be an improvement, but it's not. They just aren't up to the same level of robustness like all my other M12 and M18 stuff.

Just last weekend, when I was preparing my Flux aluminum slider backers for paint, I was using a small stainless wire brush in the 2525-20 to remove the surface oxidation from the welds on the spacer plates, and it was the usual frustrating experience. I could run it for about 10-30 seconds (putting almost no pressure on the brush - just riding on the surface), and then it would stop, all the LEDs would flash (which, according to the instruction manual, means the battery is too hot), and I'd have to shut it off and back on to continue using it. Very annoying. I tried both M12 tools, and both did that. I tried switching between five batteries in sequence to avoid them heating up (they did not feel warm to the touch) - no go. I ended up switching to a corded Dremel that's about 30 years old to get it done.

The Milwaukee rotary tools are about the only tool in their line-up that I can't recommend. They're just too light-duty. I'm now looking at Fordham rotary tools that jewelers use...

Foredom??

 

[sab]

Foredom??

Darn it. Yes!

 

[mrblaine]

Darn it. Yes!

I used to do silversmithing for a living. I used several different Foredom tools. Unless they have changed, they work very well for a lot of things and really bring the suck for other things.

The cable mounted hand pieces come in two main varieties. Collet style like a router has with various diameter collets to match common shank diameters and then the drill chuck style with a chuck key like most drill presses. I prefer the drill chuck style since you don't have to hunt down a collet if the next tool you are using has a different diameter shank.

The suck is the cable drive. If you work it too hard, the cable will burn through the cable housing. If you catch a "too large" tool and bind it up, the torque will wind up the motor drive and try to rip it off of the hanger, so make sure the hanger has a tall enough loop to prevent the motor from falling or zip tie around it.

The max RPM on mine is a bit low for some of the carbide burrs I'd like to use. Too much chatter because I can't get the speed up high enough.

They have a foot pedal rheostat control. That is good for when you can sit and work, not good when you can't. Sometimes it is nice to be able to dial in an RPM and keep it there and not have to modulate back to that for each tool pass. Sometimes it is nice to be able to modulate RPM while you are using the tool.

 

[srimes]

Be careful with that. Oily rags can do bad things. https://www.essexct.gov/fire-marshal/bulletins/rise-in-fires-due-to-improper-disposal-of-oily-rags#:~:text=Spontaneous combustion of oily rags,ignite the rag or cloth.

Grease and rags will burn so a metal container is ideal but nothing that goes in a grease gun will auto ignite. Only oils that cure/harden do.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Grease and rags will burn so a metal container is ideal but nothing that goes in a grease gun will auto ignite. Only oils that cure/harden do.

Definitely happens. This is my good friend Brian's custom-built shop. He was doing some wood finishing and left a few rags soaked in something like poly or varnish in the trash can. Burned to the ground. Total loss with a couple of very nice custom cars in it.

He called me afterward and asked if I knew finish-soaked rags could ignite - which of course I do. Nasty stuff if you are not careful. When I finish a project, I leave those rags spread out on the driveway until they dry completely.

 

[jrfuda]

Three new tools that have been rather handy.

The Milwaukee ratchet, which I've had for about 6 weeks now, is awesome. No more ratcheting a click at a time in tight spaces.

The electric die grinder is awesome as well. Makes it easy to cut and gind in tight spaces. I've had it for about a week. The grinder uses batteries pretty fast though. I just ordered two knock-off batteries to see how they do. These are the only Milwakee tools I own other than my worm drive circular saw.

The last thing is the induction heater, which came yesterday. I ordered it after the list of stuck bolts I still need to deal with was growing (If I convinced myself a bolt was going to break in a way that I would be very challenged to remove it, I would stop whatever part of the process that was and move on to something else). I broke down and bought the heater. It worked great today when I finally installed the M.O.R.E steering shaft riser I had postponed since it had a stuck bolt connecting the upper and lower half of the shaft was going to break if I kept trying to remove it (head was flexing but the other end of the bolt was static). The heater made easy work of it. When I reassembled everything I used plenty of antiseize since it was a steel shaft and bolt connecting to an aluminum yoke.

 

[NWPA Jeepy T]

Three new tools that have been rather handy.

The Milwaukee ratchet, which I've had for about 6 weeks now, is awesome. No more ratcheting a click at a time in tight spaces.

The electric die grinder is awesome as well. Makes it easy to cut and gind in tight spaces. I've had it for about a week. The grinder uses batteries pretty fast though. I just ordered two knock-off batteries to see how they do. These are the only Milwakee tools I own other than my worm drive circular saw.

The last thing is the induction heater, which came yesterday. I ordered it after the list of stuck bolts I still need to deal with was growing (If I convinced myself a bolt was going to break in a way that I would be very challenged to remove it, I would stop whatever part of the process that was and move on to something else). I broke down and bought the heater. It worked great today when I finally installed the M.O.R.E steering shaft riser I had postponed since it had a stuck bolt connecting the upper and lower half of the shaft was going to break if I kept trying to remove it (head was flexing but the other end of the bolt was static). The heater made easy work of it. When I reassembled everything I used plenty of antiseize since it was a steel shaft and bolt connecting to an aluminum yoke.

View attachment 578977

I've never seen an induction heater before. Do you have more info on it?

 

[sab]

I like a pencil-tip butane torch for heating fasteners. Just direct it to the head or other end. The big advantage over an induction heater is it works on fasteners with no protrusion and broken-off fasteners. With the broken fasteners, I'll use a bit of heat before trying to remove them. The heat will cause relative movement between the male and female threads, and often, that is just what the doctor ordered to break the chemical bond that forms over time. This method worked great for removing those dreaded Torx bolts in the door hinges. I didn't break any of them!