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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Tool for cutting metal in tight spaces

I doing some fiddly body work around the boot floor in the corners on my 1500.

For removing rusty metal out I'm using a Makita angle grinder that takes the 4.1/2 inch disks and for the tight spaces a Dremel with tiny and fragile cutting disks.

The Dremel works ok but I'm getting through a ridiculous amount of disks with it, I could do with something else.

What do people use? A die grinder with a 90 degree cutter might be better but I cant find an electric one.

Any recommendations or suggestions would be welcome. It needs to be electric powered rather than air though.

Thanks

Chris
C MADGE

I use a plasma cutter but that needs air as well as electricity.

If you are replacing the small panels in the corner under the lights then drilling the spot welds out from underneath might be the solution.
Chris at Octarine Services

Hi Chris,

You can get some more substantial cutting disks for the Dremel that are about 1mm thick. They are the purple ones that come with the Dremel, though I have struggled to find these on ebay. They served me fairly well where the grinder couldn't get to.

But as you know I have had to remove so much metal that drilling the spot welds and wielding the grinder has been the normal option.

Found these on ebay that might help you:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dremel-SC456-5-x-38mm-EZ-SpeedClic-Metal-Cutting-Wheels-Discs-Speed-Clic-S456/191743814612?epid=2254737784&hash=item2ca4d26bd4:g:CfAAAOSw3z5Z2n5n:rk:8:pf:0

Think you need one of these as well:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DREMEL-SC402-ROTARY-MULTI-TOOL-SPEEDCLIC-MANDREL-FOR-CUTTING-DISC-BUFF-ETC/360638413218?epid=2254763407&hash=item53f7b979a2:g:UyMAAOSwImlaneQh

Good luck and if you need any help the blog has a few pictures on the boot floor area.

James

James Paul

I have done a lot of removing rusty panels. For awkward corners I find one can make rapid progress with an ordinary wood chisel which cuts easily through the thin sheet steel on these cars and will even split spot welds. Use it with a hammer and hold the edge at an angle and it will slice through even sound metal very easily.
Don't use your best wood chisels though! And resharpen on a grinding wheel often.
GuyW

James - thanks, those look like a useful addition to my Dremel. I still need to see that door at some point, I'll be in touch via email.

C MADGE

You don't need a massive compressor to run a plasma cutter (for small sections of sheet steel and short duty cycles at least) - I use mine with the sort of portable compressor intended for air staplers etc, principally because it's reasonably quiet.

If you haven't tried one I recommend you do, the experience is a bit like mig welding in reverse and much nicer than wielding an angle grinder.

Caveats, they don't cut really rusty metal well, and you have to watch where the exhaust stream goes (i.e. not onto anything you value and not down your bootlace holes)




AdrianR

If you are looking for an electric die grinder spotted Lidl's have these from Thurs 29, might have a look myself !

https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/MiddleofLidl.htm?articleId=18382

R
richard b

From Richard's post I bought a router from Machinemart some years ago and the router body was removable from the router plate/plunge assembly to use as a die grinder. Last I checked Machinemart didn't do that model anymore but I did find it elsewhere so if you do any woodwork it could be useful for multiple uses, this sort of thing https://www.its.co.uk/pd/T4EKPK12-14-Shank-Router-and-12-Piece-Cutter-Set-Package-_TRET4EKPK12.htm

. Me all my other 5 die grinders are air powered and the preferred one especially for occasional head work are the extended ones so you have more leverage so the thing is less likely to walk away, see image for 3 of the 5, the others are a pencil one and a right angle one.


David Billington

Thanks for the suggestions.

Yep I i have an old wood chisel i use, and its quite effective at times.

The Lidl Die Grinder is £20 and comes with a 3 year guarantee. I'll be very impressed if it lasts for 3 years. At that price its worth a try.

I also have a router in my garage, I need to see if that could be used as a die grinder.......
C MADGE

I've been pretty impressed with their tools to date and a 9" grinder i've got has seen major pain and still working well - most have a German standard marked on them.

What I find poor are modern Dremels - pack up after the 1 year warranty !

Usually very good with returns as long as you keep the receipt.
richard b

My Dremel packed up last week. Nothing dramatic, it was running fine one minute and then just seemed to switch itself off. Nothing apparent inside, no signs of overheating on commutator or windings and brushes are fine. I suspect a simple component failure in the solid state circuit they use for speed control so it's a bit annoying. They aren't cheap either!
GuyW

I havent been impressed with my Dremel either, I had to repair the button/mechanism to lock the shaft so you can tighten the chuck when it wore out.

C MADGE

Guy, Mine failed exactly the same - something in the electronic speed controller - everything looked fine internally - stopped and would not restart.
My mate has had two go the same.

R.
richard b

I’ve just googled ‘Dremel stopped working’ and got a lot of results.
I haven’t had time to go through them all, but there seem to be a few ‘how to’ guides
Dave O'Neill 2

Hmm, I wonder. I rarely use mine on anything other than full speed so maybe I can bypass the suspect electronics and just wire it as a basic on/off switched device.

Post script: thanks Dave, I will check that out too.
GuyW

My Dremel I bought new about 1987 and is still going although it doesn't see a lot of use, mainly drilling holes in PCBs and a bit of small grinding when I can't be bothered to run the compressor up. It's only a single speed model so no electronics but I suspect it'll respond to an AC brushed motor speed controller if I plugged it into one. Looks to be made in the USA as well, I doubt that's the case these days. They were apparently taken over by Bosch in 1993 according to the wiki page. My neighbour has bought a new one recently so I'll keep an eye out for how long that lasts, it a new one with variable speed, the previous was not a Dremel but a knock off and just started to run badly so got replaced.
David Billington

Hi Chris,
I missed out on the compact "end on" air powered jigsaw which Lidls had a few months ago but similar ones are readily available. I do not have one but they look very useful and seem to be used by body shops.
Here is one in Screfix for £53 but others can be had on the net for <£20.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-ern642atl-air-body-saw/1226H?tc=EB9&ds_kid=92700022885045877&ds_rl=1241687&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1244066&ds_rl=1249796&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1249481&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI95C7nNr63gIVyud3Ch1RfQuHEAQYAiABEgKqbfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

cheers, John
j c macleod

Just been reading the reviews on cheaper ones and not very good so read up before buying. Can yo return to screwfix if you try it and it's no good?
John
j c macleod

Hi again,
this one looks good(but in USA)
https://www.eastwood.com/air-body-saw.html?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=annotation&utm_campaign=2018-07-25&utm_content=body%20saw
John
j c macleod

John,

IIRC Machinemart do that sort of saw.

I've always had good luck with Clarke air tools and other Clarke tools from Machinemart and on the odd occasion I've needed spares they have have them in stock at very reasonable prices IMO even many years down the line. I don't expect it'll always be the case but it has been so far. No connection just a happy customer.
David Billington

Hi again,
this Eastwood one looks good if you find it (USA)
https://www.eastwood.com/air-body-saw.html?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=annotation&utm_campaign=2018-07-25&utm_content=body%20saw
John
j c macleod

Hi

Depending on the access, you may find a hand tool such as the Monodex Cutter Nibbler or a drill powered Nibbler useful (and the latter paired with a dill right angle drive)

Hacksaw?

Cheers
Mike
M Wood

I havent had much luck with Screwfix Erbauer tools, they never seem to last, but Srewfix are pretty good with returns.


A reciprocating saw would be handy at times. I could have done with one for removing the seized wishbone pivot pins.
C MADGE

I wonder if a multitool with metal cutting blade would do the job. The blade probably wouldn't last long but at least you'd get to that awkward bit in the corner.
Bill Bretherton

Thanks to Richard B for his Lidl post, I spotted one of these
http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/MiddleofLidl.htm?articleId=18399

There was only one packet left this morning.
At last something to prop a door on when rehanging it rather than an assortment of bits of wood and anything else to hand :)


Jeremy MkIII

This thread was discussed between 28/11/2018 and 30/11/2018

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