Dremel plunge router attachment

General Discussion
1

Long time lurker and learner. First time poster.

Dremel makes a plugne router attachment for their tool Has anybody had any eperience using them for fin box installation. I have one and am trying to decide if it is worth the effort of trying it, or returning it and bitting the bullet for a real one.

It will by no means see anytype of high volume use, and I am not concerned with having the ideal tool. I just want assurance that it has enough juice and can knock out 3-5 boards a year without killing itself or any blanks.

2

i use the same thing made for the Craftsman rotary tool. works well enough.

3

I wouldn’t want to try to route through fiberglass with it, break alot of bits, posibly burn out motor

4

you’re joking, right?

the fiberglass cuts with ease. it’s the stringers that require a little more attention.

5

They work fine, just slow. You have to take care though. My Dremel and I have a very poor relationship usually. She never quite does what I ask. Pretty much the tool from hell…

6

Not joking, had a few bad experiences (cheap bits?), Just glad I wear safety glasses.

7

So as far as bits go do you use the standard dremel routing bit (don;t have the bit number in fromt of me) or go with some type of aftermarket bit. Power tools have never been my specialty.

Thank you all so far…

8
Quote:

Power tools have never been my specialty.

Hi there,

Thought I’d better throw in my 2c worth before you get yourself into any pain.

Firstly, I’ve not used my Dremel to install fin boxes in any of my boards, I use a Ryobi hand router. (Easy to use and powerful enough to get through stringers without much hassle

Secondly, I do have one of those evel Dremel tools :slight_smile:

My 2c worth is that from my experience, it is important that you use the right tool for the job. You mentioned that power tools are not your specialty - well if you don’t use the right power tool, it only gets worse.

If you think about when it is that you install a finbox, you have put alot of work into a board by the time you get to that point and the last thing you want to do is kill the board when installing the fin system. From my experience with my evil little Dremel, they have a mind of their own and like to skip off and do their own thing from time to time. I like to use it for the small fidly jobs that they are designed for but I don’t like to use it for jobs where I need precision.

I’ve never used it with the router attachment but when I picture myself trying to route through a stringer with a Dremel, I can picture slowness and pain. Routers when used properly get through a stringer fairly easily.

My Ryobi router cost me just under $100 in Aus which is ball park for what a base Dremel goes for over here as well. (without all the extras like bits and case etc.)

Just my opinion.

-Cam

9

we use it when needed

but there’s no beating a 1/2" bit on a 1/4" plunge router to get the job done in a couple of passes…

but it works with the plunge router attachment

we use it when you have to work with out a standard fin box jig and need to cut it out by hand…

sharp box cutter to set the edge and the dremel to clean inside the scribe line out

working the stringer is a little rough though

10

I’ve been using ther regular router bit and jig on balsa skins (4 oz. glass on one side) and it cuts very well. You will definitely want to go on a slow speed and use a guide. You cannot freehand, or perhaps I should say I cannot freehand. This is a test piece of something I was practicing with a pu glue.

11

hey yeah

i thought the dremel attachment was to much moolah

i noticed it it was threaded at the top of the dremel

so i just got some old plastic bits and made a router base with 5 min epoxy

I cut the female thread for the base freehand with a bur using the dremel

i adjust the height with the collet changeing the hight of the bur

its fine for fcs and boxes

i use it freehand

cuts through fibre glass and okay on the stringer

though a deeper bur then the one i use would be better

cost me nothing realy

its a bit slower but safe and i only do the odd board so its sweet

i also make up small sanding pads for it on eva foam with 5 min epoxy

good for sanding around glass ons and butcracks

12

…the best cheap way if you dont have a router is:

driller with a hole saw

mark the box in the board and then make the holes; then finish with xacto knife, file and sandpaper

13

Alohas all,

I do a similar thing when installing fcs,mark with a jig where im gonna make my holes then peirce through with a 1/16 twist bit in me cordless drill - cut through the little bridges with a scalple - peel of the patch - gouge out the foam then clean the mess with moto tool with sanding drum.

To get the stringer out the way for the centre plugs I use the moto tool with a small parallel bur, both hands and 50ft/lb airline to keep it clean (learnt to do this porting cylinderheads and 2 stroke ports).

AND WEAR GOGGLES!

AND DONT RUSH.

I guess if i did a fin box, due to there being slightly more room - id cut the glass off,carve out the foam then use the moto tool with a bur and a V type block to hold the moto vertical.Shaft of tool bit / stringer would act as a guide. You would then leave a ‘furrow’ at somewhere near the base of the hole in the stringer as a guide to some free hand.

Ive watched my freind , a glasser , route box slots…with a real router…

It scares the living sh*t outa me.

my 2euro’s