What kind of tool for Grinding/sculpting metal

[Toscane]

As the title suggests, I'm looking for some sort of power tool for grinding, sculpting metal. It has to be small enough to fit tight spaces and allow me to precisely grind off the desired area to achieve the final result I'm after.

Here is a photo that I thought might help to explain what I need better than words. Let's say I need to remove the red section, angle grinders are too big and brutal for that, jigsaw is a no go too.

So what kind of power tool I need for this kind of job? I found something called straight grinder but I'm not sure if that is the proper tool for this particular job. Here is the link to the product I'm talking about, at Bosch website.

Bosch GGS 27 C Professional

Any ideas?

 

[pedrobedro]

That's where a plasma cutter would be useful. If it's not too thick you could use a nibbler, drill a hole somewhere in the cut out to start the cut. Axminster have one here I have a similar drill mounted one which will cut 16g steel sheet quite easily. There must be something similar in Istanbul. Bosch do a self powered one called the GNA 2.0

 

[Toscane]

Thank you for replying Pedro.

It's 1.2 mm right now but I might also use 2.0 mm, it's the maximum limit of thickness I am using.

I've found Bosch GNA 2.0 on-line, it's available in Istanbul however it's not exactly what I'm after. If I understand it correctly, these nibbler tools are used for cutting only, precise cutting actually. What I'm looking for is some tool to grind cut off. Hmm...

I just confused myself. :S

I mean the red section on the picture on my previous post, I want to cut it out by grinding. I want to start grinding on the lower edge of the metal and gradually grind it to the shape I want. Like those drill-like tools dentists use, well not exactly like that but it grinds. I don't need the piece I cut out, it can turn to dust.

For instance I want to cut out an egg shape out of sheet metal, I used my jigsaw but screwed up on the angles, they're not smooth flowing and there are some rough angles. I want to start grinding those precisely to the shape I want.

Lol, I can't express my thoughts.

 

[chunkolini]

Toscane
You are looking for a thingummybob.
This just the tool I have been looking for for years, a grinder that will reach into nooks and crannies.
Something that might work? can be found on the axminster tool website www.axminster.co.uk. It is officially for wood carving called an arbortech mini carver, basically an extension to go the end of an angle grinder cant send a link at the moment.

Also have a look at the Proxon long neck angle grinder I keep almost buying one of these.

Anybody else found a proper thingummybob like this?

Chunko'.

 

[Drains]

Jeeze, don't use an arbortech! It'll be carnage! Deffo not for steel.

That Chunko, he just can't help himself... Here - d'you get the dvd yet?... ah, yes!

 

[runnach]

How about a Dremil, there are numerous types of small cutting stones/discs to fine sander type discs.......

 

[hotrodder]

Yeah, loads of accessories for dremels for delicate work, pricey for how long stones etc last compared with the larger 1/4" die grinder tooling- dremels and the like are 1/8" collets. They don't have much guts though, can be a good thing for tiny delicate stuff but larger stuff takes forever. A real die grinder (like that bosch)... much faster but easier to make a mess of things.

For shapes like the one in the OP i often make use of holesaws to get the radii and then cut to the holes with jigsaw/snips/leccy shear etc

 

[Toscane]

@Chunko: I found that mini carver but it's disc/cutter diameter is too big and looks very hard to control for delicate work. What I need is far more smaller grinder.

@Drains: Hello!

@runnach: Could dremel can be used/handle on 2.00 mm steel? I thought they're basically for plastic and wood because they're categorized under hobby products.

@hotrodder: The "die grinder" you're talking about, are you referring to this?

If so why does it easier to make a mess, powerful, hard to control, not precise?

I can't use round saws then finish off with the jigsaw because it shouldn't be a perfect circle. Shapes are going to be amorphous so I need something to manually grind the metal sheet to the shape I want.

Do you guys think this Bosch might work or should I lean towards dremel route, like this one:

P.S. I might also use the product I am going to buy (Dremel or Die grinder) to grind the welds flat to the sheet metal too because I can't afford this tool and grinder at the same time.

 

[hotrodder]

Yep, that bosch and similar things commonly referred to as die grinders or straight grinders. Think of the dremel sized versions as a miniture/hobby version- less powerful = slower going and the smaller tooling is both more fragile and less long lived than the bosch sized equivilant

Both can be as precise as any hand tool but this sort of tool can kick and chatter if you catch the burr/stone etc. Working in close quarters like enlarging/reshaping a small hole for example can make you jump if you slip- tool touches the opposite side of the hole, kicks and hits the other etc etc. The more powerful one will obviously make a bigger mess faster if you let this happen

I guess you need to define delicate. Cutting/shaping 2mm steel with a dremel... slow, tedious, get through a lot of stones/cutting discs etc. On the other hand the collet diameter (diameter of tool holder) is half that of the bosch- it will get into places that the larger grinder won't and is easier to control for delicate work. I have both types, if i had to choose it'd be the larger type.

If you have an air compressor then the larger 1/4" die grinders become a lot cheaper...

 

[the snooper]

i would go for the die grinder you can get powerfull electric ones but would also use a plasma cutter to remove most of what you dont need cheaper then buying loads of cutters

 

[pedrobedro]

You could use the die grinder but instead of a stone use something like a carbide burr for the fine detailing after you remove most of the material. There are different profiles so you should find something to suit your job.

 

[Toscane]

Yep, that bosch and similar things commonly referred to as die grinders or straight grinders. Think of the dremel sized versions as a miniture/hobby version- less powerful = slower going and the smaller tooling is both more fragile and less long lived than the bosch sized equivilant

Both can be as precise as any hand tool but this sort of tool can kick and chatter if you catch the burr/stone etc. Working in close quarters like enlarging/reshaping a small hole for example can make you jump if you slip- tool touches the opposite side of the hole, kicks and hits the other etc etc. The more powerful one will obviously make a bigger mess faster if you let this happen

I guess you need to define delicate. Cutting/shaping 2mm steel with a dremel... slow, tedious, get through a lot of stones/cutting discs etc. On the other hand the collet diameter (diameter of tool holder) is half that of the bosch- it will get into places that the larger grinder won't and is easier to control for delicate work. I have both types, if i had to choose it'd be the larger type.

If you have an air compressor then the larger 1/4" die grinders become a lot cheaper...

I understand what you mean by a 'mess' now, thank you for the heads up.

By delicate, I'm looking for something between bastard/round file and small angle grinder. Bastard and round file is what I'm using now but it is taking too darn long. Gets the job done but I find myself thinking about the meaning of life in the process so... Angle grinder on the other hand, small ones, is too big with its 115mm disc and impossible to use. Something round, 2 mm diameter would be great and I believe, die grinder is the answer.

I'm leaning towards that Bosch, going to check it out this weekend at the store to see what kind of heads it has available in here. Pedro gave a link to some incredible parts, I hope they have those in Turkey.

I also would like to thank you for your detailed posts.

i would go for the die grinder you can get powerfull electric ones but would also use a plasma cutter to remove most of what you dont need cheaper then buying loads of cutters

Unfortunately I don't have a plasma cutter, only a simple inverter.

...but thanks, probably going to get that Bosch die grinder.

You could use the die grinder but instead of a stone use something like a carbide burr for the fine detailing after you remove most of the material. There are different profiles so you should find something to suit your job.

Those look so badass!

I hope that they have those out here in Turkey. It makes so much sense and exactly what I'm after. Although I can live with a die grinder that has the same diameter stones with those carbide burrs. I will look around this weekend.

As I said, it's probably going to be that Bosch die grinder. I will keep you guys updated.

Thank you very much everyone!

Oh and if anyone has any other idea, just shoot.

 

[chap]

I sometimes work/sculpt aluminium with a die grinder. For ali i use a very "open" carbide burr (rasp), for steel use a finer burr.. more like a med/corse file.
They are air powered tools i use. Can get a die grinder for around 45euro.

6mm collet/shank size for faster stock removal, 3mm for fine de-buring/small areas
go to pg22
£39.95ea for a 6mm die grinder/micro die grinder.. the exact ones i have at work!

 

[Toscane]

First of all, I would like to thank you folks for the help.

I bought an AEG die grinder, it's pretty and build quality seems like pretty good, cost me around 97 GBP. It's easy to use with adjustable speed but controlling the tool is a little tricky; as hotrodder said, if it catches there is a massive amount of kick and jump but thank god off switch is one thumb press away. That is the other good thing I liked on this AEG when I was comparing them in the store to Makita and Hitachi; never checked the Dewalt, way too pricey. On/off button is very well designed, there is absolutely no way one can accidentally start this thing but it's very easy to turn it off. So easy that sometimes before I can press the button to turn it off when the tip catches the metal and start jumping around inside the hole, the kick from the machine makes the button pressed on my palm and it's off.

I also e-mailed some company in UK about a specific carbide burr kit but the shipping quote was outrageous so I went to check local retailers and found some store with carbide burrs, bought 2 and also got a one stone tip. The price of one burr almost equals to 10 stone tips.

I tried all 3 and realized why carbide burrs cost that much; stone disintegrates rapidly. Faster than this forgets what the time is a minute ago.

Burrs are very nice but they make this unpleasant noise when they touch metal, I start hearing ringing noise after 10 minutes of grinding and I hear my voice in a funny way. Stone tip makes more bearable sound, less high pitched.

After all I'm happy with the purchase and this tool is exactly the what I was looking for.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[Tigman]

if the noise is that bad get some ear protection !

 

[BillJ]

if the noise is that bad get some ear protection !

He'll never hear that, Tigman.

TOSCANE! GET SOME EAR PROTECTION!!!

Seriously, though - ringing in the ears and distorted hearing isn't good. A cheap pair of ear protectors will be a good investment.

 

[Tigman]

ay?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Have you considered a flexible drive to attach to the die grinder. I have one for my dremel and it makes handling the tool SO much easier.

Becomes like controlling a pen as opposed to a bigger machine which chatters all over the place in certain applications.

 

[peterd51]

Hi,

that arbotech looks like an interesting project to make...

chain driven? Or could be done with a shaft and two sets of bevel gears.

Then attach a partly used grinding disk, say 2" diameter, to get into places that the body of the grinder can't go.

With suitable guards it should be safe enough?

Regards
Peter

 

[English Lad]

If it was me I would put a hole saw through and then some cuts with a bandsaw to remove the large chunk. You could then either use a file or a die grinder. If you have compressed air in your workshop they are quite cheap. Well cheaper than electric.