cutting into skins

[kentb]

Originally Posted by Rick6a

Mark,

Thanks for the excellent tip. Personally, having never considered nor used a hand nibbler...sometimes you just know instinctively a real tool winner when you see one. I'll be picking up my copy real soon. Thanks again.

I used my nibbler on my panel and for my wing skin light. It works great. The panel was a little thick but for fine cuts it was the right tool. I also used a jigsaw with a fine blade on the panel for the ruff cuts.

Kent

[brian]

The nibbler made this defroster cutout easy:
Mark

Hey, that is some nice, clean work, Mark!
brian

[Lars]

Originally Posted by Mark Burns

I have a regular variable speed "corded" dremel. I've used it very little on the RV project. Not real sure why. I think it's because it's noisy and it usually throws all the dust right in your face. More times than not for me I just can't hold it in a position that will allow me to see what I'm doing and not get sandblasted in the face. Maybe I need some schooling.

I prefer to drill the corners with a unibit and then use a nibbler.
The nibbler reminds me of the old Pac Man game. If you don't have one, get one. Usually they are less than $20.

Mark

You just cost me 20 bucks. Yet another tool I need

[osxuser]

To me, the pencil die-grinder is just a Pnematic dremel tool.... takes all the same attachments.

[Michael Burbidge]

What kind of round file did you use to smooth the corners for the duckworks light cutout?

[rbibb]

For cutting out holes in aluminum sheet one option I used was a router.

It had to be a situation where I could clamp thing properly but a small router (laminate trimmer type) with a carbide blade does great work on thin aluminum sheet. For straight lines if you can clamp a piece of bar or angle stock as a guide the laminate trimmer blade will cut a great straight line.

I've even made templates from thin plywood or masonite sheet to cut other shapes.

I read once that this was the basic technique used to cut the window openings in the Lockheed Constellation.

As with other methods eye protection is mandatory. Use the goggle type eye protectors as the chips really fly and will find there ways behind any type of safety glasses that are not enclosed on the side.

It won't work in a lot of situations but where it will it produces a nice an edge as if you CNC milled it. Which, come to think of it, you did, the C being your noggin.

[C-GRVT]

I suggest that you go to a hardware store and pick up a few round files with different radii, and use the one that most closely matches the final radius you want, so, for the landing light cutouts, a file with a fairly large radius.

Another tool not mentioned that is great for cutting aluminum sheet in some situations is a coping saw with a diamond blade - cuts fast and with great control.
Bill Brooks
Ottawa, Canada
RV-6A finishing kit

[az_gila]

Originally Posted by Sam Buchanan

There are at least two types of cutoff wheels available for the Dremel. The thinnest ones are indeed very fragile and grenade with little provocation. There is another fiber-reinforced disk that is much more durable and the kerf is only a little larger. But these disks can tolerate more abuse and are much more practical to use. Both are used with the same mandrel.

And has been stated---Wear Eye Protection!

...should have a House of Balsa cut off wheel. It's kerf is the same as the fragile Dremel wheels and the 2 inch diameter makes it easier to use - less need to tilt your Dremel tool body to clear the surrounding surface. It's also pretty close to indestructible.



http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXM409&P=0

AFAIK Dremel does not make a large diameter cut off disk...

[ChiefPilot]

If you're not doing the cutting on the airframe, a mill works quite well...