Questions about modding with a dremel.

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NaveAdair

Weaksauce
Joined
Jul 13, 2008
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I finally got myself a dremel, and plan to take it to my RC-690. I'm still reading the manuals and learning how everything works, but I have one question: do you need to wear any kind of protection? Goggles, mask, etc.? What I read online, I see conflicting answers.

Also, is there anything else I should know?
 
I usually wear a cheap mask when working with my dremel, particularly when grinding/sanding things, as it generates a lot of dust. So much, in some cases, that you have to ensure that it doesn't get into the casing and muck up the motor's brushes.

Goggles are especially important when using cutting wheels/disks and the sanding drums. The drums have a tendency to snap much like one would rip an empty toilet paper roll from its holster. The cutting wheels will occasionally shatter and send sharp fragments all over the place, particularly if you're pressing too hard or using it at an angle that creates a lot of torsional force.

I'd recommend safety equipment, but I tend to default to preventative measures in most situations that could be potentially harmful to me. :p They're not especially powerful or dangerous tools (relative to other power tools, at least), but use common sense. Masks and goggles can be had for less than a dollar each, and even if the goggles won't be very highly rated, they should be more than enough for working with a Dremel.

Enjoy your new tool. They're very versatile and useful in a handful of situations, regardless of whether you're a hobbyist.
 
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I always wear goggles, although I'm too lazy to clean one of my Dad's mask (he uses it for construction) and ATM I have no income to buy anything.
 
You always use goggles at a minimum when working with power tools.

If you're doing something that will generate dust then you need to have a breathing mask on as well.
 
if you are cutting metal I definitely suggest goggles. If you are grinding/sanding you should wear a breathing mask and goggles. It never hurts to be too cautious, I mean I personally like the ability to see out of BOTH eyes. Don't you?

Also just a tip when cutting a case, put masking tape over the area you want to cut and draw your outline on that. It keeps some pieces from flying and its a good template to cut on.
 
I suggest goggles for EVERYTHING. They dont obscure vision usually and protect your eyes from everything. I scratched my cornea last year because I was lazy.. never again will I do that, most painful thing ever.

+1 to the masking take (painters take works the best, easy removal)
 
Yep goggle for everything. When you cut with a dremel , I cut a little short - then file, sand or round to get the proper opening i'm looking for.
 
You'd be insane to do it without goggles. I attempted it one time, and a white-hot piece of steel hit my eyelid (thank god not my eye!) and left a burn mark. Never again.

Now I wear goggles, and a surgical mask. You also really don't want to inhale the carbide dust that comes off the cutting blade. I also HIGHLY recommend a good pair of fitted leather work gloves. Newly Dremeled steel is VERY sharp, and the Dremel can certainly bite you pretty good too.
 
Shadowspawn said:
You always use goggles at a minimum when working with power tools.

If you're doing something that will generate dust then you need to have a breathing mask on as well.
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Well said.

It would be a mistake to use Dremel without protecting your eyes.
 
I wear a mask, goggles and earplugs :D

Also, let the tool do the work and don't use too much pressure or you'll have tons of disk shrapnel.
 
I wear goggles when I shower. That shampoo can get in your eyes and burn :).

Seriously though, the rpm's on that dremel get up there and spew shards of metal that sting if they hit you.
 
NaveAdair said:
do you need to wear any kind of protection? Goggles, mask, etc.? What I read online, I see conflicting answers.
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It's a free country, but it would be stupid not to. Regardless of how careful you are, cutting disks especially will break and fly everywhere. I use a full-face shield while using my Dremel. Much more convenient since I also wear glasses. Like this one - http://www.kaizenbonsai.com/shop/images/faceshield.jpg

Breathing protection.. not so much. Unless you're cutting stuff that is particularly likely to become airborne (like styrofoam - terrible idea to cut with a dremel anyway..)
 
Definitely wear goggles. There is always the very real possibility a piece of metal from the computer case, or a small peice from the dremmel cutting disk, will fly up and get you right in the eye. A mask is not a bad idea either.
 
When I was modding my side panel I shattered one of the heavy duty cutting discs @ 30 thousand (or so) RPM... I started to replace it with a new disc and my right ear started burning pretty bad... I went and looked in the mirror and seen that the top of my ear was cut open pretty good. I would have never thought that a shattered disc could hit me just right to inflict that amount of damage but out of all the times I've used that tool, that time it did. So you always want to wear protection when dealing with power tools... it's much better to be safe than sorry.
 
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