# Best Dremel bit for Aluminium



## G_Mozz (Sep 4, 2008)

Hi Guys,

I was wondering what people find is the best Dremel bit for grinding/shaping/carving aluminium. I never really found one that does an effective job.

What do you use in your Dremel?

Cheers


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## glowinthedark (Jul 8, 2008)

To cut away alot of material I tend to use those cutting disks, but they wear away very quickly. I have used the shaped grinding thing that came with my dremmel. It works better if you use some sort of lubricant (CRC/WD40 ...) but this tends to foul the grinder with very fine aluminium mush.


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## batvette (Dec 10, 2006)

The best Dremel bit is anything but a Dremel bit! 
About ten years ago when I was doing a lot of hobby stuff making things out of aluminum and they were the only thing you could get for high speed small tools, you'd go broke buyng their stuff, at least nowadays there are plenty of generic alternatives, some are pretty good. 
I think the green abrasive bits are the ones recommended for aluminum. Almost any abrasive bit will tend to "fill" with material, keep a wire brush handy to clean it frequently. As for the cutting disks, the only ones worth even loading onto a collet are the fiberglass reinforced ones, I have found generic ones pretty reasonably priced, forget Dremel brand, what are they a buck each? 
I found over time almost any job I was using the Dremel for had a larger tool with much more reasonably priced consumables available. For instance a 4" makita (or other brand) angle grinder with metal cutting or grinding disc makes quick work of anything. I also found a wonderful alternative for sanding- Makita makes a 1/4" "aircraft" drill with 5000 rpm operating speed, only 2 amps so you won't break your wrist if you catch an edge the wrong way. After buying that and a trip to Harbor Freight for a collet and some 3" discs, and some 1/4" grinding stones, my Dremel sits in its little primadonna case with its high priced toy bits where it belongs. 
***If you insist on using a Dremel or other high speed 1/8" tool, watch your bits for out of round/bent shaft bits. Nothing destroys the bearings faster than a wobbly bit at 25,000 rpm.***


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## tomsmoto (Oct 6, 2007)

all abrasives gum up like hell! use sandpaper scrolls.. you can buy them cheap everywhere. i think harbor freight used to sell bags of them for nearly nothing. they cut metal quickly.. if/when they gum up you tear it off and insert another scroll. 

the time saved over a stone type bit is significant. you can get sanding scrolls in both 1/8th and 1/4. a high speed 1/4 sanding scroll removes a lot of metal, quick.


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## esXso (Sep 23, 2008)

A scroll saw?


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## El34 (Jan 11, 2009)

It depends on what you want to do.
I use dremel tools all the time on aluminum.
I have a CNC machine, a lathe and other machine shop tools, but a dremel does certain task way faster and easier.

I would not try and carve a shape out of a piece of billet, but for other task, they work great.

These high speed cutters work great for removing material.









I use the fiber cut off disk all the time also.









here's some dremel tool pics

https://www.dremeleurope.com/dremelocs-uk/Category.jsp;jsessionid=8D5B0CFF56EAD0DC2470123FD0653784?&ccat_id=480&app_ccat_id=1147

https://www.dremeleurope.com/dremelocs-uk/Category.jsp;jsessionid=8D5B0CFF56EAD0DC2470123FD0653784?&ccat_id=504


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## deesta (Sep 7, 2008)

These are my weapons of choice when I can't use the CNC machine...

http://www.atigarryson.co.uk/Catalog/Bu_Catalog.asp

Steve


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## El34 (Jan 11, 2009)

I forgot to say that I have also chucked up a ball nose endmills in my dremel.

I have used a 1/32nd inch ball nose mills to drill tiny holes in circuit boards.
I have used 3/16th ball nose mills to remove material.

This is way faster than firing up a cnc machine just to do one small operation.


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## bikerjay (Sep 16, 2007)

There are only 3 dremel bits that i use. The first is admittedly very difficult to come by, a slightly used dental burr, the largest one I could get hold of. It dosnt clog and and will take off a frightening amount of metal in a single quick pass and also doesnt seem to over heat. Next is the dremel engraver bit its small and round very precise and did i mention small. Next is the already mentioned sandpaper scrolls.


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## yetibetty (Dec 24, 2007)

Not a lot works on aluminium as it just gets too hot or glogs, so I tent to use it to polish and if I have to remove bits of alu then these little engravers are great they work just like a micro mill.


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## cycleboy (Mar 10, 2008)

I used the ball end bits like Yetibetty posted for grinding out material in my back cover. The wall of the side where I put the power input plug was trapezoidal in cross section and I needed it to be rectangular (in other words of even wall thickness so the plug would mount flush). I probably needed to take out 3/16" of aluminum over an area 3/4" X 1/2" or so.

Obviously I couldn't use the 3 or 4" angle grinder as posted above inside of this:


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## yetibetty (Dec 24, 2007)

"trapezoidal" now that's a word. 

I had to Google it.


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## cycleboy (Mar 10, 2008)

No chit? It was just meandering around in the back of my head and came out when I needed it!


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## troutie-mtb (Sep 20, 2007)

Yep you cant beat a Dremel when removing 
these







from a housing


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

I used the ceramic tile cutter thingy attachment. It doesn't clog, unlike the tungsten carbide cutters.


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## HEY HEY ITS HENDO (Feb 23, 2008)

my favourit dremel bit is the diamond cutting disc
maybe it would clog up on ally,...
but for such stuff as cutting brake/gear cable inner or outer, ceramics, plastics, etc, you can`t whack it!!
abrasive on the edge and face too,
still as sharp as ever, .....highly recommended


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## Jim Z in VT (Sep 9, 2007)

Hendo, is that a Dremel brand cutting disc? I've never come across that one.

JZ


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## HEY HEY ITS HENDO (Feb 23, 2008)

Dremel do one but there are loads on flea bay....
about 20/25mm x 0.5mm
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5-x-22mm-Mini-Diamond-Cutting-Discs-Dremel-Tools-NEW_W0QQitemZ250428824210QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a4eb89a92&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177
.................................what a bargain!!


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## aaron04 (May 26, 2008)

I use the high speed cutters like E134 shows, they work excellent for fine cutting, I have one I have been using for a couple months and it's still cuts great. I use my band saw for cutting out general shapes then fine tune with the high speed cutters and finally sanding drums from Dremel.
These were cut and finished with my band saw and high speed cutter.


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## El34 (Jan 11, 2009)

Wow, cool looking Cam locks!
Nice work.


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