So I have a $140 Gift Card to Home Depot and it just so happens that I need to cut off my really old, beat exahaust so when my new header comes in I can put it on. Anyways I was looking online and it looks as though they have a cordless model now. Anyone have any experience with the batteries, etc? Are they worth it? I was thinking it might be nice to use at the track in case anything was to happen, but I am afraid to pay more money for a tool thats crappy.

Any opinions?

 

My girlfriend has one of the cordless ones, and while the battery life isn't bad, it does tend to run down quicker with heavier use. Plus, the kit she got only came with one battery, so if it runs out and you're not done, you'll be taking a break for an hour or two while it recharges. I used hers to do some work on my frozen rear lower shock bolts and after that I went and got myself one with a cord.

 

You can always get yourself a $40 inverter to run a corded Dremel tool off the car's battery when at the track. You get the portability and the power.

 

You don't really want to be using a Dremel to cut off an exhaust. That would be one slow process....

 

buy a 40 dollar saws all/reciprocating saw and 10 bucks oin blades. Will come in handy

Modified 2 Spoon axle backs so they don't look like *****'

 

I am not going thru the exhaust rather only cutting the rust bolts! This was just another reason for me to buy a dremel I think. Thats all!

 

Ah, cutting off bolts. Get an angle grinder.....you'll use that a lot too

this is what I use

 

I agree that a Dremel is probably not the right tool for this job...

But DO NOT get a cordless Dremel. Get the corded variable-speed version if you're going to get one. Cordless = not enough juice, and the wait-for-recharge problem. And a tool like a Dremel shouldn't even be sold in a single-speed version.

 

We used to use dremels to cut springs in our street stunna dayz. My dad had a bitchen cordless one, that worked pretty good, although time consuming, but we were more or less kids back then, and didn't have access to any chop/reciprocating/cutoff saws. The cordless dremel worked until I got to the fourth spring, and let the smoke out. I had to go buy my dad a new corded one after that.

 

yeah, i have a corded variable speed one, its good for just about anything u can put it to. its great for grinding off rusted bolts and smaller ****. but for an exhaust id use a sawsall, theyre unstoppable

 

get like a 70 dollar sawzall, and a 4" angle grinder

 

speaking of sawzall's... I used a regular old metal cutting blade which did the job but eventually broke as they tend to do with use.... but then when I went to get new blades I stumbled across this white blade at Home Depot that had a red cross on it it and was described for use in emergency cutting (i.e. fire rescue, etc.) well I used that blade and it cut through my old exhaust like butter I so badly wanted to go to a junk yard to see if I could cut a car open like a tin can with it

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Splat &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I agree that a Dremel is probably not the right tool for this job...

But DO NOT get a cordless Dremel. Get the corded variable-speed version if you're going to get one. Cordless = not enough juice, and the wait-for-recharge problem. And a tool like a Dremel shouldn't even be sold in a single-speed version.</TD></TR></TABLE>

My cordless Dremel is variable speed. Does the job fine, for what I use it for. No complaints. I'm not sure I would use it for the work your are describing, i.e. cutting off exhaust, etc. but simple chores, it works fine. And the portability is great.

 

I like the sawzall idea. I have a Ryobi 4 in 1 kit that I got from Home Despot that has an 18 volt sawzall, circular saw, drill, and flashlight for $150. Since I also like to make things and do home improvement type stuff (including helping out a carpenter on side jobs), this was a great deal. Ryobi isn't the best name brand, but I've had the kit for a couple of years now, and it's done what I asked it to so far. I just wish it cam with a third battery

 

nobody reads! He's not cutting the exhaust pipe with the dremel, he said that he's cutting the rusted bolts. I think it would be a PITA to get an angle grinder in there and a saws-all is a bit overkill for bolts.

I have a dremel and its great. Its on of those tools they you don't use too often, but when it's needed it's worth having around

 

There are a few different models of cordless Dremels available, some are better than others. I got one of the better ones. It's variable speed and has plenty of power. I realize that you are only talking about cutting bolts here, but I've used mine to cut exhaust pipe before (it got me out of a bind the night before a race). The angle isn't so great, so it's not a real straight cut, but it works. You just have to use the thin cutting disc, and once you get a slot cut, put the disc in the slot and push forward with the Dremel on full speed. It will rapidly eat up the cutting disc and make dust, but it can cut steel pretty quickly that way. There is a saw attachment that will give you straight cuts, but I don't know if it works on steel.

The only problem is that the battery does run down quickly with heavy use, so get more than one battery. I should mention that at that point, the Dremel is rather hot, so it probably needs to be cooled down anyway.

 

I have every rotary tool known to God. I have a air-powered rotary tool, an electric 1/4hp rotary tool, a corded dremel, and a battery-powered dremel, a 4" grinder.....

In general, Dremels are neat tools with POS bits that wear out fast. They are good for very fine, detailed work. I used to to the car-show thing and it was great for shaping plastic.

The battery powered one doesn't have the power or battery life to be useful for automotive applications. I can sell you mine if you insist on buying one (w/extra battery)

The grinder / sawzall combo isn't a bad idea.

 

Real men use air die grinders.