# Alternatives to Dremel - mainly car work



## Rakti (Nov 11, 2019)

I've been reading up on Dremels and similar Multi-tools. From what I can gather, they're more suited to hobbies than serious use on cars, but maybe I'm wrong and only once you own one do you understand their many uses?

*My immediate need is to cut a bolt holding the fuel flap on* (one removed, the other only loosened - see separate thread on here) and maybe as an addition to power drill accesories e.g. wire brushes (I may buy a Twist Knot Wheel Brush as well) for rust removal inside the wheel arches.

Also, after seeing the flexible shaft attachment available for Dremels, I wondered if there's anything similar that could be attached to a power drill which you could then mount a cutting disc in.

Also, does anyone know of a website that explains (maybe with videos) all the things these multi-tools can do?


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## DTB (Dec 20, 2017)

Rotary tools are fantastic bits of kit and are incredibly versatile but a user expects them to perform like an angle grinder it's not going to work very well. I have a proxxon rotary tool and I've used it for all manner of things over the years - polishing, grinding, cutting, drilling, and general cleaning up of metal. You get pillar drill stands attachments and stuff too. 

To be honest I haven't used it around the car that much. I have polished up some exhaust tips which were in a bad way, and it's super handy for tidying up parts of the engine bay such as cam covers and I have used it to cut a bolt. There are plenty of videos on youtube if you just search for Proxxon Rotary Tool.

I'm not saying they're any better or worse than Dremel because I've only ever owned the Proxxon, but rotary tools are handy things to own.


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## Harry_p (Mar 18, 2015)

I do virtually everything to our cars, and have built up a decent tool set, but must admit I can probably count the number of times I've used a dremel on a car on one hand.

Most used tools are a decent cordless drill, electric impact wrench and an angle grinder.

I guess it depends on the work you're planning on doing, but a dremel type tool is only really useful for the tiny details where full size power tools can't get to.


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## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

12v Milwaukee tool gets great reviews got it at good price end of last year, yet to give it a try though


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## Crackfox (Mar 17, 2019)

I've got a Clark ine and I use it loads. Used a white wheel last week to clean up some aluminium parts in the engine bay. I would like to upgrade to a dremel one day, just for certain attachments, as I do a fair bit of woodworking. 

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## Rakti (Nov 11, 2019)

Harry_p said:


> I do virtually everything to our cars, and have built up a decent tool set, but must admit I can probably count the number of times I've used a dremel on a car on one hand.
> 
> Most used tools are a decent cordless drill, electric impact wrench and an angle grinder.
> 
> I guess it depends on the work you're planning on doing, but a dremel type tool is only really useful for the tiny details where full size power tools can't get to.


Harry,
What would you use to cut an 8mm (head size) bolt inside the wheel arch? It's the top bolt. Here's a picture;










Bear in mind that the fuel pipe, although disconnected, restricts space and that plastic tubular thing that forms part of the plastic fuel flap (what is it for?) also gets in the way.

It's not easy to see the bolt in that picture, so here's the bottom bolt (I've got the nut off that).


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## Rakti (Nov 11, 2019)

Crackfox said:


> I've got a Clark ine and I use it loads. Used a white wheel last week to clean up some aluminium parts in the engine bay. I would like to upgrade to a dremel one day, just for certain attachments, as I do a fair bit of woodworking.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk


Crackfox,
I saw this last night

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/crt40-40pce-rotary-tool-kit/

and thought it looked cracking value for money. Even comes with a stand.

This also looks good

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cmft250-multi-function-tool/

but no flexible shaft attachment and I don't know whether I'd get it in the restricted space of the wheel arch. I'd prefer that one if it did go in because I'm sure it would be more useful for DIY jobs.

Is yours anything like these?


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## Rakti (Nov 11, 2019)

These multi-tools seem to be split between rotary and oscillating.

I expect for just cutting a bolt, rotary would be best but for DIY in tight spaces or against skirting boards, oscillating might be best.

Lidl have a 12V cordless rotary for £17 on sale next Sunday. I wasn't looking at cordless though.


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## Harry_p (Mar 18, 2015)

Looks like a situation where a rotary tool with a cutting disk would be handy. I expect even if you could get a decent socket on it it would most likely snap the stud.

I think a lot of the cheaper multitools are exactly the same, I have a guild one from Argos which looks exactly like the Clarke one, which looks the same as one Toolstation sell.

The flexible shaft is handy, I last used mine to cut a slot into the top of an 8mm bolt that had rounded and had no space to get grips on it.


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## Crackfox (Mar 17, 2019)

Rakti said:


> Crackfox,
> 
> I saw this last night
> 
> ...


I have the same as the top one. If you get one, then get some decent quality fibre cutting discs. I use dremel ones. The clerk ones are thin and just break.

The second link is entirely different, I have a Bosch one and would struggle to get in many spaces under the to do ant good.

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## Rakti (Nov 11, 2019)

Harry_p said:


> Looks like a situation where a rotary tool with a cutting disk would be handy. *I expect even if you could get a decent socket on it it would most likely snap the stud*.
> 
> I think a lot of the cheaper multitools are exactly the same, I have a guild one from Argos which looks exactly like the Clarke one, which looks the same as one Toolstation sell.
> 
> The flexible shaft is handy, I last used mine to cut a slot into the top of an 8mm bolt that had rounded and had no space to get grips on it.


No problem getting a socket on the nut. In fact I've already released it. Unfortunately, the bolt goes into a recess in the plastic fuel flap casing (see my 2004 Clio thread) which has cracked and now the bolt just spins when I try to undo the nut further and can't find a way to hold it sufficiently against the torque needed to undo the nut.


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## Rakti (Nov 11, 2019)

Crackfox said:


> I have the same as the top one. If you get one, then get some decent quality fibre cutting discs. I use dremel ones. The clerk ones are thin and just break.
> 
> The second link is entirely different, I have a Bosch one and would struggle to get in many spaces under the to do ant good.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk


So some, but not all Dremel accessories will fit the Clarke CRT40?


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## Harry_p (Mar 18, 2015)

Most of the spindle type accessories should fit fine, but there are other Dremel specific accessories such as guides to use it as a mini router which attach to the body itself and won't fit other generic brand units.


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## Crackfox (Mar 17, 2019)

Harry_p said:


> Most of the spindle type accessories should fit fine, but there are other Dremel specific accessories such as guides to use it as a mini router which attach to the body itself and won't fit other generic brand units.


Yeah this. The router being the reason I want to upgrade.

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