I have a new dremel and want to use it for cutting flex track (plus many other uses). I have read the concerns over shattering discs and would like the safest ones to buy. Any suggestions?
DISCUSSION UPDATE: covered all the topics in title
a narrower disk is going to more prone to shattering than a wider disk …
I have the Dremel quick lock wheels. They are thicker than other Asian brands but last longer. Like any grinding disc, proper care is needed. Discard the disc if cracked or the tool falls. Don’t take any chances. Exploding discs can be deadly.
Most of my track cutting is done with a pair of rail nippers. More consistent cuts and no dust and projectiles. The Xuron rail nippers are well worth the price.
Pete.
You’re correct being concerned Rick. Safety First is always a good idea. I am one of the composite disk victims.
Vinyl siding a cabin about 6 years ago I had one of those stone disks bind and explode on my 4 inch grinder. It shattered the bone almost taking my index finger off and broke my middle finger as well.
The clinic 15 minutes away wouldn’t even deal with me. They taped it up, gave me a prescription for Vicodin next door and sent me to Alexandria that was about an hour and 40 minutes away.
Those two fingers have never worked the same and I always know where my arthritis is.
I will no longer use the stone disks. You can usually tell by the fiberglass webbing on either side. Even a brand new one, if it catches or binds can explode and flies all over the place from those High RPM’s.
I’m sure the little Dremel wheels don’t do as much damage when it happens but who wants to find out what they will do.
An industrial diamond metal wheel disk is what you want. They’re the safest and do a good job. Maybe not as quick as the composite ones but I can live with that.
TF
do not force the wheel, in other words let the wheel do the work. If you force it the disk will expolde you do not want that.
And wear eye protection!!!
[8-|]
I too prefer the rail nippers. The Dremel tends to cut the rails at a bit of an angle if you aren’t careful. Using an extension drive on the Dremel helps some but you still have to be mindful of keeping the disc straight.
Old school…use two (2) disc’s together, not one. This has been mentioned many times over the yrs.
Take Care! [swg]
Frank
One of the problems with using a Dremel is that you cannot hold the wheel perpendicular to the track while cutting. (At least, I haven’t figured out how) So, you cut the rail at an angle and have a hard time avoiding side pressure on the disk. Yes, Xuron rail nippers are expensive, but worth it.
I have a pair of Xuron rail nippers and they have become a new preferred method for cutting rails as well. They didnt have those when I left off model railroading in the late 70’s. I found it interesting the directions say to cut N scale rails by the width and HO scale rails by the height or vice-versa as I don’t remember.
I do remember using a jig to stabilize the rails and a fine toothed razor saw to cut the rails back in the day. May have took a bit longer but it worked good, especially where bridge tracks came into play.
The industrial diamond cut off disks were not purchased to cut track while laying it. It’s just that I don’t like those insulated rail joiners even though they’re making them clear now instead of orange. I’m sure my naked eye is not good enough to notice them. But the last thing I want to see taking a track-side photo (with everything else looking realistic) is this 40 inch long hunk of clear plastic that don’t belong in the picture.
Doing the old school blocks, It’s my thoughts to use the diamond disks to cut the block seperations after the tracks laid so they’re unnoticeable. Then filling the joints with a flexible product and trimming the excess with a razor blade.
Some research was done for that product and have some around here somewhere. Unlike silicone that repels paint, this stuff is paintable for the rust colored rails.
TF
Thank you for the informative replies! I think I will spring for a Xuron rail cutter and rotary tool cutoff disks. There are times that I imagine it’s easier to pick up the Xuron tool and make a quick cut versus dig out the dremel, make attachments, etc… I do have the flex shaft attachment and will use it for cutting flex track. Appreciate the comments on safety and the recommendations for cutting disks.
Speaking of eye protection, I have very basic safety glasses. Will this one work or should I go for higher quality? Suggest what you think is best!
Thanks again!
[2c] Those type of goggles are ideal so long as they don’t fog up!
I’ve had an occasion while wearing more conventional safety glasses of having a small piece of sharp metal swarf bounce off my forehead, (it is said that I do have a thick head!!) then bounce off the inside of the safety specs into my eye!!![banghead]
Cheers, the Bear.[:)]
bummer Ja Bear, very unlucky bounce off the forehead… Fortunately, you can still see, good on man!
The safety glasses are supposed to be fog resistant but we’ll see! Hope so! Had old saftey goggles from chemistry lab back in the day, horrible for fogging up and definitely not impact resistant.
Hey TF, what product are you using to isolate your blocks? Sounds interesting, flexible and accepts paint! I had heard of cutting rail, inserting styrene and filing excess to achieve isolation. Would your flexible product be even easier to use than styrene?
LOL, I’m definitely old enough to qualify as old school, I’ll give it a try! Doubling up makes sense!
Rick
Rick.
If you go with doubling up the stone unreinforced wheels then I strongly suggest safety glasses and full face shield. Reinforced wheels still shatter too. It’s hard to contain something coming apart at 10,000 rpm. Leather gloves also.
Had a young mechanic in our shop cutting a bolt under a truck one morning. Using an air cutoff tool and 4 inch fiberglass reinforced disc. The shattered disc took out his juggler and throat. He died on the way to the hospital which was three miles away. I use mine as a last resort.
Pete.
Good evening Rich
Haven’t done the blocks yet but planning to use acrylic urethane elastomeric sealant after doing quite a bit of research on gap and seam filling products with the best adhesion and flexibility properties.
Good stuff and I really like their micro applicators.
https://www.dap.com/products-projects/product-categories/caulks-sealants/latex/extreme-stretch/
They both have the same properties But whichever one I decide on I’ll definitely be using a finish line micro applicator.
Lucite Polyseamseal is a super elastic product and nothing to sneeze at either. Been using that stuff for years and swear by it. It stretches like rubber and really tough to get off of anything if you decide to change something.
Probably any of the three products would work well and could be easily trimmed with a razor.
Pete, good heads up, I appreciate it. I’ve not done this before and need to be very careful. I want to use the dremel because I purchased it (in part) to use on the railroad. I’ve used many power tools before but nothing that can “explode” when it breaks. I’ve watched videos on cutting track with a dremel tool which helps but we’ll see. Definitely will use Xuron rail nippers.
Pete, thanks again for the caution!
Rick
Thanks for posting TF! Very interesting products, appear to be very useful for the task at hand! Post some pictures when you use it, definitely a product to consider and use!
Rick
I have never used a cut off wheel/disc in a Dremal tool for cutting track HO or N scale. Well I should not say “never”, I tried it once or twice back somewhere around 1972 just to try it. Since then I have used a razor saw which left clean cuts or side cutters and a little dressing up of the cut with a file, now in the past years the razor saw or rail nippers with a little dressing up of the cut.
IF USING RAIL NIPPERS, WEAR EYE PROTECION.