Dremel is great for almost anything small. Just make sure that you have the correct attachments.
For fine work, put on your safety glasses, get very close, hold the tool with both hands, and be very slow and careful.
OK, how do I know whether I am holding a steel, and iron, or an aluminium plate? Is there a difference when you dremel? (I don't want to bend the plate to figure out if it's aluminium.)
Do the different attachments matter? My cheapo China-made dremel of course doesn't come with instructions. I have enough common sense to figure out that some of these heads are definitely not for cutting metal, but most of the rest look pretty similar and I have no idea what's best for a Plate Modification project.
To tell if you have aluminum or steel. Put an abrasive wheel on the dremel. Turn it on medium to high speed. Touch the metal with the EDGE of the wheel. If there are no sparks then its aluminum. If you get a little of very dull orange sparks then stainless. If you get bright orange/yellow sparks then carbon steel. If it is a factory plate I would be willing to be it is carbon steel. Wear safety glasses AND ear plugs. Both are MUCH cheaper than a visit to the ER.
factory plates are mostly carbon steel. however, carbon steel oxidizes like crazy, so you don't need melvang's magical spark inspection technique. if there's paint on it, it's carbon steel
consider aviation snips instead for sheet metal
another nice tool is the bessey super nibbler
darn. even harry epstein ran out of the USA made version :(consider aviation snips instead for sheet metal
another nice tool is the bessey super nibbler
According to Amazon reviews, the Bessey D24SB is made in China, and is prone to breakage, or simply not working. Apparently, they stopped making the D23 in Germany and moved production to PRC. :(
dremel and file are making practically no effect on the plate I'm trying on now..
dremel and file are making practically no effect on the plate I'm trying on now.I use cutting wheels out of diamond-coated metal. If you cut from the edge of the plate it is easier to see progress. It takes a great amount of time to cut through hardened steel and the cutting wheel and dremel may need to cool down now and again. I mean, Dremels weren't really made for large jobs in steel.
For fine work, put on your safety glasses, ...BTW, always use safety-glasses with a Dremel!
To tell if you have aluminum or steel. ... If there are no sparks then its aluminum.Or use a magnet ...
dremel and file are making practically no effect on the plate I'm trying on now.I use cutting wheels out of diamond-coated metal. If you cut from the edge of the plate it is easier to see progress. It takes a great amount of time to cut through hardened steel and the cutting wheel and dremel may need to cool down now and again. I mean, Dremels weren't really made for large jobs in steel.
It's proving a terrible headache. I think AGMurdercore was easily able to do his hand file mod because he was using a Razer plate (presumably flimsy and soft). This cooler master plate is incredibly hard. I am even thinking of not making it switch moddable anymore and just accepting it as it is, and soldering in my jailhouse blues instead. The problem is that CM's PCB is of significantly lower quality than the plate. I am genuinely not sure if it can survive a second desoldering/soldering cycle if I want to change the switches again in future.
As you guys are more experienced, do you have any experience or advice to offer regarding repeated soldering/desoldering of the CM QFR PCB (or any single sided PCB)?
Quote from: berserkfan link=topic=59352.msg1408449#msg1408449It's proving a terrible headache. I think AGMurdercore was easily able to do his hand file mod because he was using a Razer plate (presumably flimsy and soft). This cooler master plate is incredibly hard. I am even thinking of not making it switch moddable anymore and just accepting it as it is, and soldering in my jailhouse blues instead. The problem is that CM's PCB is of significantly lower quality than the plate. I am genuinely not sure if it can survive a second desoldering/soldering cycle if I want to change the switches again in future.
As you guys are more experienced, do you have any experience or advice to offer regarding repeated soldering/desoldering of the CM QFR PCB (or any single sided PCB)?
Did you try to use a mini chisel set to mod your plate?
I think you can start with this Asaki AK-369 chisel setShow Image(http://www.asaki.cn/Product/small_2011040641973877.jpg)
It is just about 4$
If you have a dedicated intention for cutting the plate with Dremel, I think you should consider to get the diamond cutting blade (1.5$ / blade)Show Image(http://i00.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/1854846306_1/2014-Hot-Sale-Saw-free-Shipping-Cheap-Brand-New-16mm-Diamond-Cutting-Disc-Set-10pc-Hobby.jpg_220x220.jpg)
If you have a plan for repeatedly soldering / desoldering on a CM QFR PCB, you should :
- Only use lead solder (63 / 37)
- Use a decent soldering iron and only set temperature max 330 oC
- Use a good soldering pump
In Singapore you can get a lot of good equipment like Goot soldering iron and soldering pump (Made in Japan) at Sim Lim Tower so I assume you can get everything done easily.
Quote from: berserkfan link=topic=59352.msg1408449#msg1408449It's proving a terrible headache. I think AGMurdercore was easily able to do his hand file mod because he was using a Razer plate (presumably flimsy and soft). This cooler master plate is incredibly hard. I am even thinking of not making it switch moddable anymore and just accepting it as it is, and soldering in my jailhouse blues instead. The problem is that CM's PCB is of significantly lower quality than the plate. I am genuinely not sure if it can survive a second desoldering/soldering cycle if I want to change the switches again in future.
As you guys are more experienced, do you have any experience or advice to offer regarding repeated soldering/desoldering of the CM QFR PCB (or any single sided PCB)?
Did you try to use a mini chisel set to mod your plate?
I think you can start with this Asaki AK-369 chisel setShow Image(http://www.asaki.cn/Product/small_2011040641973877.jpg)
It is just about 4$
If you have a dedicated intention for cutting the plate with Dremel, I think you should consider to get the diamond cutting blade (1.5$ / blade)Show Image(http://i00.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/1854846306_1/2014-Hot-Sale-Saw-free-Shipping-Cheap-Brand-New-16mm-Diamond-Cutting-Disc-Set-10pc-Hobby.jpg_220x220.jpg)
If you have a plan for repeatedly soldering / desoldering on a CM QFR PCB, you should :
- Only use lead solder (63 / 37)
- Use a decent soldering iron and only set temperature max 330 oC
- Use a good soldering pump
In Singapore you can get a lot of good equipment like Goot soldering iron and soldering pump (Made in Japan) at Sim Lim Tower so I assume you can get everything done easily.
Yeah, I was using a mini-chisel set. I don't know if I'm filing right at all. Doesn't seem to have any effect on the plate. It is truly hard.
Melvang,
I am happy to buy full sized tools, but they seem to come full sized. AKA are so big, how can they be relied on to cut something as small as a grove in a Cherry plate hole for a switch? I was looking at a file of the kind that AGMurdercore had, but I simply couldn’t get anything with that diameter locally. Minimum diameter I could find was 8mm which is way, way bigger than our requirements and will leave a big hole.
Looking at your McMastercarr.com options, I will keep the file you recommended in mind. But I think it’s going to be a tough fit inside that Cherry hole. You don’t recommend a round chainsaw file like AGMurdercore was using, do you? A round file of course seems more appropriate for making semi-circular switch moddable holes.
And are you sure about the push stroke? PUSH, meaning hold the file and push away from me? Does this work for the majority of files? I was PULLING on the files from my new set. Maybe it was my crap technique?
The guy at the hardware shop actually told me all his files could be pushed and pulled, but I am suspicious of his competence. In Singapore most of the hardware shop folks are barely educated (I’ve ranted about being directed to candles when I asked for solder wick).
Melvang,
I am happy to buy full sized tools, but they seem to come full sized. AKA are so big, how can they be relied on to cut something as small as a grove in a Cherry plate hole for a switch? I was looking at a file of the kind that AGMurdercore had, but I simply couldn’t get anything with that diameter locally. Minimum diameter I could find was 8mm which is way, way bigger than our requirements and will leave a big hole.
Looking at your McMastercarr.com options, I will keep the file you recommended in mind. But I think it’s going to be a tough fit inside that Cherry hole. You don’t recommend a round chainsaw file like AGMurdercore was using, do you? A round file of course seems more appropriate for making semi-circular switch moddable holes.
And are you sure about the push stroke? PUSH, meaning hold the file and push away from me? Does this work for the majority of files? I was PULLING on the files from my new set. Maybe it was my crap technique?
The guy at the hardware shop actually told me all his files could be pushed and pulled, but I am suspicious of his competence. In Singapore most of the hardware shop folks are barely educated (I’ve ranted about being directed to candles when I asked for solder wick).