Dremmel uses

[michael evans]

My good lady has ordered me a dremmel model 4000 with flexi shaft ,i  can think of alot of uses for it but does anyone know wether it will cut off nails and old rusty screws?I only ask because i am replacing a porch floor and railings on a playhouse in our garden.And those little devils do not want too budge.The dremmel expensive here in the U.K.£99=$153,but i am pretty sure it will get lots of use some i cannot imagine yet.

[Jay Boutwell]

Michael,  There is cut off wheels for the dremel tool however they will be very show at cutting off things like nails and screws because fo the diameter of the screws and nails.  It will work however. 

I have a dremel and use it for doing enlays in wood and engraving in wood, stone, steel and glass.  I have found some dental burs that do marvelous things in carving and cuttin of hard surfaces.  They make excellent tools for doing minature work and even have an attachement that you can make it into a mini router.

My method or removing screws that are either messed up from attempts of removal using a screw driver bit is to center punch the center and drill the heads off.  I do the same with nails the a "cats paw" refuses to remove without doing some seriour damage to the wood.  I have removed several screws using an "easy out" trying this first and if not suscessful I resort to drilling out the screw.

I sounds like an adventure of its own but a challenge I would invite.  Have a great day.

[michael evans]

Thanks jay ,good to hear from you.The nails are 2"lost heads most i can cut off with my 4" grinder,just the ones in the corners really. Have a good week jay.
 
Jay Boutwell said:

Michael,  There is cut off wheels for the dremel tool however they will be very show at cutting off things like nails and screws because fo the diameter of the screws and nails.  It will work however. 

I have a dremel and use it for doing enlays in wood and engraving in wood, stone, steel and glass.  I have found some dental burs that do marvelous things in carving and cuttin of hard surfaces.  They make excellent tools for doing minature work and even have an attachement that you can make it into a mini router.

My method or removing screws that are either messed up from attempts of removal using a screw driver bit is to center punch the center and drill the heads off.  I do the same with nails the a "cats paw" refuses to remove without doing some seriour damage to the wood.  I have removed several screws using an "easy out" trying this first and if not suscessful I resort to drilling out the screw.

I sounds like an adventure of its own but a challenge I would invite.  Have a great day.

[Steve Hill]

Most i've had success with when cutting away an old deck was a sawzall. Cut right thru the nails or screws I couldn't remove witout doing any damage to the wood I salvaged. I haven't tried a dremel for that yet.

[Steve Hill]

Oh forgot...also have an AirCo ...just like a dremmel with a flexi shaft. It fits right on the dremmel too. It comes in handy with all the small attachments on small projects.

[michael evans]

Sounds like a useful bit of kit steve.I think a sawzall is what we call a reciprocating saw here steve.Basically a long blade about 1 1/2" wide and 10"long that fits in the end of a machine the size of a powered drill,and has a forward and back motion[if that makes sense].Have a good week steve.

[Jason Watkins]

What a I have one of the older models with the flex shaft. I really haven't used it much but I would like to try "power carving" with it. I have cut off nails and such, however, you have to keep in mind you are limited to half the width of your cutoff wheel, so it may not get into the corners as well as you'd like. I'd second the recommendation for the reciprocating saw, very handy for disassembling old pallets.

[Ken Darga]

Mick,

Removing the nails/screws,in the corners, can be accomplished by---

drilling small holes, adjacent one another in wood, around the perimeter of the fastener head---

(Use a drill stop, or the like, and drill thru to only the thickness of the top board).

remove the wood object,

followed by removing the fastener with a pry-bar, or 

cut it off flush using a reciprocating saw, using a metal cutting blade.

Some old rusted screws and nail heads, will just snap off with a slight twist, when prying-up the base lumber.

Followed by removing the remaining metal from the deck board, if you plan to recycle.

michael evans said:

>>>...The nails are 2"lost heads most i can cut off with my 4" grinder,just the ones in the corners really....br/> 

[Ken Darga]

When cutting metal objects, the ''metal'' cut-off wheels are the ones I use.

Most useful for cutting smaller sized objects---nails, screws, bolts, tubing, pipe, etc.

They do a great job of cutting metal.

For larger size objects, larger size 3-4'' dia cut-off wheels are available---

they can be used in a drill, angle grinder, die-grinder, or the like.

Also very useful is an air-operated die-grinder.

A angled die grinder is very useful to get into close quarters.

I Also find this angle drill, (Milw M12 angle drill), very useful when having to get into close quarters.

This tool can be used for driving as well as drilling.

[Ken Darga]

Mick,

The more you use the Dremel tool, the more uses you'll find to use it.

Akin to having a Kreg pocket hole jig, the more you use it, the more you'll find to build or repair  more stuff.

[michael evans]

How right you are ken thanks for the tips on nail and screw removal.Was expecting delivery of the dremmel today alas not.Still i managed to get the nails out without today ,and put down the new porch floor in marine ply .Have a good week.

Ken Darga said:

Mick,

The more you use the Dremel tool, the more uses you'll find to use it.

Akin to having a Kreg pocket hole jig, the more you use it, the more you'll find to build or repair  more stuff.

[George Santiago]

I wish my old lady order me at least a drill bit. None.

[Ken Darga]

George,

You could conduct some in-home training classes.

George Santiago said:

I wish my old lady order me at least a drill bit. None.