# cable housing cutter or dremel?



## eman2 (May 3, 2004)

I need to re-cable the bike - new cables and housings. I don't plan to have to do this all that often just every once in a while. I have read the threads on the dremel doing a good job cutting housing. I stuggle with whether I should buy a bike specific tool to cut cable and housing for $30 or should I spend $70 for a dremel kit that will cut my housing as well as do many other things - should I find the need around the house. While the cable housing cutter will cut both housing and cable, the dremel will only do a housing with a reinforced disk. I think I can just cut the cable with regular cutters?
thoughts?


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## bubbrubb (Jun 10, 2004)

I don't like dremel cutting. The process is a bit more tedius, and if you break a disc, add on a couple minutes per disc change. The dremel will also heat the housing, melting the casing and/or liner

FELCO.


In case you didn't catch that, FELCO. C-7

That is all.


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## eman2 (May 3, 2004)

I understand that the felco cutters are great, but for a home mechanic I was thinking more along the lines of the Park CN-10. Anyone else have a comment about the dremel for housing cutting. Time is really not all that critical to me, a few extra minutes does not seem a big deal.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

*Dremel*

I use a Dremel and and a Park CN10 cable cutter. The Dremel works a bit better but the Park is so much handier it's what I use most of the time. If you need a dremel for other uses go ahead but just for cable and housing I'd get a good quality cable cutter.


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## bubbrubb (Jun 10, 2004)

Travis Bickle said:


> The Dremel works a bit better but the Park is so much handier....


that's what i was inferring... The dremel makes clean cuts but nothing is quicker than the snip-snip of a hand-tool.


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## weps (Feb 2, 2006)

i like the knipex wire rope cutter. usually retails a few dollars more than the park, but beefer and comes in handy elsewhere in the shop. its not a bike tool, but designed to cut up to 6mm cables and housings. you might be able to find them at an electrical supply, but will probably have to order from specialty supplier.


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## archer (May 20, 2004)

I am currently doing some of the same shopping.

Felco seems to be ~$43 from Spruce.

Knipex is a good brand. I own a couple of their tools but I don't know how their cable cutters are.

Park runs about $30 from most sources.


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## Speedub.Nate (Dec 31, 2003)

I continue to use a Dremel for housing, and a cutter for cable.

I didn't buy the Dremel for bike use, but it comes in handy for so many other bike related tasks that I should have: cutting housing, drilling out cable stops, modifying disc brake adapters, cleaning up steerer tubes, polishing my frame...

It's a bit time consuming to drag out, plug in and use for a couple of simple cuts that would otherwise take a few seconds with a cutter, but the results are worth it.










The ultimate in simplicity would be to pick up one of Dremel's newer Li-Ion recharagable tools. Having that ready to go without the hassle of plugging in would be great. I just can't justify the $50+ expense when I already have a perfectly good corded version.


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## KINBOY (May 23, 2004)

Use tin snips for cables and housing, low cost (about $10CAD at canadian tire) and work perfectly. A hint though is when cutting cables use the tip and you will always get a clean cut!
KIN


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## ferday (Jan 15, 2004)

i was sold on tin snips, or the dremel for a larger project (re-cabling the entire bike...)

but after finally caving and buying a set of the park cutters, they cut better and cleaner than the tin snips, and waaaay handier then the dremel.

buy some real cable cutters.


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## Jeep_Nut (May 11, 2005)

Dremel here, owned two - a rechargeable and a plug-in one. IF you ever do any other handy work besides work on your bike go for the dremel, one tool many uses. Wear safety goggles when you use the cutter disc (or sunglasses or anything, those things spin at a high rate and they will break at some point).


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## Speedub.Nate (Dec 31, 2003)

Jeep, which rechargable unit do you have? 

Do you know if the Dremel 800 the same as the Dremel 8000/8001?

I'm really, really tempted to pick one up if I find it for the right price.


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## Jeep_Nut (May 11, 2005)

My corded one is the XPR 400, I have it with all the extra attachments - very cool. My cordless one I will have to go down to the basement and look up - but I can tell you I bought it in the early/mid 90s so it is quite old.

I know cordless batteries have gotten better over the years, but at some point the battery will have to be replaced once it wears out. As far as using a dremel away from a power source (like installing a car radio) I have a couple of AC/DC converters.

To be fair my old cordless Dremel still holds a charge, just not much of one. Also it started to loose its ability to charge up all the way after about 2 years of use.


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## Speedub.Nate (Dec 31, 2003)

Roger that. The newer "8000" series is using a Li-Ion battery, which doesn't have the high self discharge problem the older ones had. I think they're hitting 25k-30k RPM with them, as well. It'd be a nice addition to my kit.


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## _hamilton (Aug 24, 2005)

*I was just pondering this.*

Which dremel tip do you use and how long does it take to cut through a cable?
I have a dremel already and was just getting ready to order a park housing tool.
I have a park cable cutter, but it doesn't quite work on housing.


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## Speedub.Nate (Dec 31, 2003)

_hamilton said:


> Which dremel tip do you use and how long does it take to cut through a cable?.


#456 Reinforced Cut-Off Disc.










The cut should take all of 2 seconds, probably less. Quick and decisive. If you linger, the metal winding overheats, melting the inner liner. https://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=130064


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## Jeep_Nut (May 11, 2005)

Nate the 409 disc works well too. Man after looking at that picture, I never thought about cutting them on top of a piece of scrap wood. Damn....


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## Speedub.Nate (Dec 31, 2003)

Jeep_Nut said:


> the 409 disc works well too.


...and they sure cost a lot less! The only problem I have with the 409 is that they tend to shatter... a little too easily for my comfort.



Jeep_Nut said:


> ...I never thought about cutting them on top of a piece of scrap wood. Damn....


Yeah, the scrap 2x4 sure beats cutting against, oh, say, an aluminum frame


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## holden (Jul 27, 2004)

i'd use a dremel if i wasn't so lazy...
i would've bought a felco if i wasn't so cheap...
i ended up with a shimano cable cutter (i've used them since late 80's) 

though the cordless dremel is a great idea.


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## Jeep_Nut (May 11, 2005)

Damn holden thats almost haiku.

When building a new bike from the frame up I like to cut my housing long, fit it, trim it back some, fit it again until I am completely happy. 

Also, if you do go the dremel route remember at some point the disc will break. If you aren't wearing goggles it will undoubtedly go into your eye. If you are wearing goggles it will fly off some where else, if you are lucky it will hit something entertaining! Wear your goggles.


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## _hamilton (Aug 24, 2005)

Speedub.Nate said:


> #456 Reinforced Cut-Off Disc.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice info thanks.


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## Chewieez (Oct 10, 2004)

I use both the Park tool and a dremel.

But I do borrow the park tool from a buddy as I can't justify the $30.  

Now the dremel is just a fun tool to own, and I got a Black n Decker one at Home Depot for $35 plus a bunch of attachments.

I use the cutters to cut the cable and housing, then clean up the end with the dremel sanding tool. The pic that Nate posted with the cable ends shows what a nice end you can get with the dremel (the one on the right). 

Really helps the cables on a Avid Mech setup.


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## eman2 (May 3, 2004)

*the dremel for low volume work*

I ended up going with a dremel - the kit included the flex shaft as well -- I just felt I could do more with the dremel for around the house stuff. The cut off disc make nice cuts. Now if I worked in a bike shop and had to re-cable bikes all day then I would go with a nice pair of hand cutters.

One thing to note - when using the cut off disc on a cable, wrap the part of the cable to be cut with masking tape - this will prevent the cable from fraying - then slide it off and put the cable crimp on.

the next project - dremel out the rear derailleur cable stops.

dremel on
Ed


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## Speedub.Nate (Dec 31, 2003)

eman2 said:


> the next project - dremel out the rear derailleur cable stops.
> 
> dremel on
> Ed


Nice... now you're one step away from being hooked!


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## immtbman (Nov 22, 2005)

If we're talking only about housing here, dremel is my tool, 409 disc. Then a small drill bit in hand turned into the hole to clean it out. For cable...a proper cable cutters.


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