Turning small parts with a Dremel

[airscale]

Hi all

 

I am loving these "mini models" you're doing here Peter. It always astounds me how all these simple little bits can come together to produce something so complex and sharp.

I was wondering if you wouldn't mind posting a photo or even a quick tutorial on how you use your dremel to machine little details like handles etc at some stage?

I'm just about to embark on the new cockpit for my B-17 and I am leaning on your work heavily for inspiration here!

Cheers,

Craig

I'm looking forward to that one, too!

Kev

thanks for asking chaps - here goes...

 

So there are a number of applications where a material can be put in a dremel to be turned or machined into a new shape – if it fits in the chuck it is game, from wood to plastic to metal..

 

 

The basic rules are about using tools to influence the final shape, and to decide before you start where the best place to start is. You need to bear in mind you want to work the part and grip it in the dremel at the same time. For example the wooden handle above was turned from a cocktail stick but because it had a rounded top it was best to start at the top and work down to the narrowest part (which is the end being held in the dremel) so when it came to separating it from the stick itself it was a flat cut at the base that was the most appropriate. In the example in a minute the rules are reversed and the widest point is where it is held – each part will be different, but think about how best you will be able to grip it in the dremel and work it, and how best to separate it at the end..

..the tools then.. this is my basic kit… from left to right..

A foam sanding pad for final polishing
The dremel – mine is on a flexi-drive and most importantly has the quick release chuck – this is far more accurate than the collet and different size inserts that it comes with..
A bit of fine wet&dry paper
A coarse file for initial rough shaping
A Vallorbe ‘Knife' needle file – I use this for most shaping
A Pin Vise to hold parts for cutting



The knife file is important as it has a very thin file edge which allows for the micro work we need to do..



..and then what can be worked.. well anything that fits in the chuck – cocktail sticks, brass or aluminium or plastic rod or tube and screws, bolts etc. The bag of micro screws was sent to me by Uilliann (Brian) and is really useful too..



In this tutorial we are going to make the Throttle handle for a Spitfire Mk. XIV – seen here in a drawing from the Monforton book – a suitable bit of rod stock has been chosen that is bigger in every dimension to allow working..

..if this was going to have a mounting pin going through it like the wooden handle above, it would be best to drill through the material before we start working it..




..cut a section off with a cutting disc..



..neatness at this point is not required..




..I always finish cut edges like this no matter what I am making it gets a nice 90 degree face on tube, rod or whatever and just helps accurate assembly – here the face has been finished with the file and then spun against the foam pad..




..we need to reduce the diameter to that of the part, so out with the coarse file for some working – the speed should be around 15,000 RPM and you need to have the direction of rotation the dremel going against the cutting edges on the file, not dragging across them if you see what I mean..

 

more..

[airscale]

..for this part I have decided I am going to start with the narrow end as I need to create a pin that will fit into the handle housing – this is the most work in the part so is best to do this way rather than cut into the part near the jaws of the chuck..

 

 

 

..these PE parts I made are the handgrip part the handle mounts to – I am just opening the hole a little to fit the pin I just turned.. The tool is a Broach and since I got a set a month ago is a revelation in usefulness for opening holes out..

 

 

 

..and a test fit to see the two meet snugly..

 

 

 

..next to cut the taper so I measure the length of the taper from the plan and mark where it needs working..

 

 

 

..marked by spinning up and marking with a sharpie so I don't file in the wrong place..

 

 

 

..and after some filing the taper is developed..

 

 

 

..now the main shape is complete we need to separate it from the host rod – here I mount it in a pin vise and use a cutting disc to cut it off – leaving a good amount of waste to remove later..

 

 

 

..then the part goes back in the dremel to have the cut end finished and be taken down to the correct length..

 

 

 

..a spin up against the foam pad imparts a nice polished surface to either metal, wood or plastic, just go easy (or at lower RPM) so you don't melt / burn it..

 

 

 

..another incredibly valuable investment was in some carbide drills – these are just superb and make short work of anything..

Here we are just making the handle the throttle control assembly will mount to..

 

 

[airscale]

..a bit of light finishing to get rid of burrs and swarf..

 

 

 

..and the finished part..

 

 

 

 

I hope that was useful and inspires you to try it – post any questions you like

 

TTFN

Peter

[airscale]

some links

 

Knife File

 

Broaches

 

Carbide Drills (get the set of 10)

[LSP_Kevin]

Fantastic tutorial, Peter! Many thanks for posting it. I'm definitely going to try some of these techniques when I finally get back to the workbench.

 

Kev

[Bill_S]

Great material here, Peter! I do similar things in my drill press...

[Chek]

Peter, thanks for the tutorial and link to the tool supplier.

 

I haven't used it a great deal, but I bought a junior Unimat lathe/milling kit years ago, and have used it a few times when chucking in a drill and taking a file to it won't cut it (see what I did there??) Nice little ali-box framed setup with each face channelled for plastic clamps for tight assembly in your chosen configuration. Only let down by a cheap and rubbishy cheap toy type electric motor powering the belt drive.

 

But I never had anything like success when attempting things like longer pitot tubes either in brass, ali or mild steel, as I found even a freshly ground cutter tended to push the work away after a certain thinness was reached. So I wonder if you have any ideas to get around that.

 

I literally cannot imagine how people like those genii at Master produce a constant taper on really long items like their Javelin probes.

[Hardcore]

Nice. Suppose you forgot to mention the magnifying glass is one of the tools.

[ScottsGT]

Wow, and I thought I was slick chucking up some sprue in my cordless drill and turning it with sandpaper to make it smaller.

[Zero77]

Oh yes it was useful and inspiring ! And impressive, too. I never thought one can be such nice micro parts only with a dremel and a very few tools we all have on the desk.

 

Thanks a lot !

[dodgem37]

Most excellent, Peter.  That was great!  Thank you.

 

Sincerely,

Mark

[brahman104]

Excellent tutorial Peter. I really appreciate you taking the time to write this up. I'm still very impressed at your lathing skills, it seems this method might allow a bit better control on very fine work rather than a full scale lathe. I'm going to give it a try soon!

 

And buy some broaches.......

 

Cheers,

 

Craig

[airscale]

Peter, thanks for the tutorial and link to the tool supplier.

 

I haven't used it a great deal, but I bought a junior Unimat lathe/milling kit years ago, and have used it a few times when chucking in a drill and taking a file to it won't cut it (see what I did there??) Nice little ali-box framed setup with each face channelled for plastic clamps for tight assembly in your chosen configuration. Only let down by a cheap and rubbishy cheap toy type electric motor powering the belt drive.

 

But I never had anything like success when attempting things like longer pitot tubes either in brass, ali or mild steel, as I found even a freshly ground cutter tended to push the work away after a certain thinness was reached. So I wonder if you have any ideas to get around that.

 

I literally cannot imagine how people like those genii at Master produce a constant taper on really long items like their Javelin probes.

 

 

Hi Chek

 

I linked to this thread over on BM and a kindly member Rob G helped out with an answer about this - I quote:

 

"I popped over and had a look at the tutorial on LSP, and I note the query about turning long thin pieces. If you feel able, please let the poster know that a device known as a 'follower' or a 'follow rest' is used to support long, thin work, which is (very) basically a device that follows the cutting head and supports the lathed material from behind while the cutter does its job. There's a pile of info to be found via Google on the subject (lots of YouTube videos) - like many things, it's a lot deeper than it appears at first blush."

 

nice to learn more about it as I wondered how they work their magic too..

 

TTFN

Peter

[alaninaustria]

Great tutorial bro. I use a Taig lathe which is perfect for small items. It has taken me awhile to get the lathe tuned up - but the results are really worth it!

Cheers

Alan

 

Ps: I just made some new beech wood handles for my BBQ using the wood tools on my Taig - turned out a beauty!

[Lufty]

I have a question. Your Dremel that you use has a large 3 jawed chuck in the end? Mine has the standard micro chuck thingy. Did you modify that yourself or was it a bought part?

Many thanks in advance.

 

 

...Guy