yet another ? about porting tools

[mtngun]

I'm starting to play around with woods porting for the first time (darned CAD disease ! ! !). I'd like some recommendations about porting tools, bearing in mind that I will only be using the tools occasionally. I do not need nor can I afford pro-quality tools.

Here's what I've been considering so far:

-- dremel. A lot of people use them, I'm sure a dremel would do the job, but I'm guessing they are low on power ? They also appear to be a little bulky. The better dremels with lots of attachments are not cheap.

-- 1/4" pneumatic mini-die grinder. Should have plenty of power, not too bulky. Does it matter whether it has rear exhaust or for front exhaust ? Are these 1/4" mini die grinders too powerful and difficult to control for chainsaw porting ?

-- 1/8" pneumatic pencil grinder. Slim design looks user-friendly, but do they have enough power ?

Any other recommendations ? Anything I should stay away from ?

 

[pioneerguy600]

I like the 1/4" air die grinder ,it has the power and speed that I like and need, the Dremel is just too slow cutting for me. I like the double cut burr bits as they cut fast and smooth for the intake,exhaust and blending of the lower transfers. I use smaller dremel sized bits for working the upper transfers on a flex shaft. Some time in the near future there will be an 90* offset grinder in my toolbox for working the upper transfers.
Pioneerguy600

 

[mtngun]

I like the 1/4" air die grinder

Does it matter whether the exhaust is front or rear ?

 

[Trigger Man]

Does it matter whether the exhaust is front or rear ?

I hope you mean the grinder.lol

 

[Diesel Pro]

Discharge air will be cold. It will also blow chips around. Rear exhaust is what I prefer. As for speed/power air pressure can help regulate this a bit. Depending how deep you need to reach consider a long reach unit. Notice how long the reach is on my Snap-On unit versus the cheap simple one in the attached pic.

I have the tools and almost have the guts, just need some more know how to give me the nudge to DIY...

 

[THALL10326]

I'm starting to play around with woods porting for the first time (darned CAD disease ! ! !). I'd like some recommendations about porting tools, bearing in mind that I will only be using the tools occasionally. I do not need nor can I afford pro-quality tools.

Here's what I've been considering so far:

-- dremel. A lot of people use them, I'm sure a dremel would do the job, but I'm guessing they are low on power ? They also appear to be a little bulky. The better dremels with lots of attachments are not cheap.

-- 1/4" pneumatic mini-die grinder. Should have plenty of power, not too bulky. Does it matter whether it has rear exhaust or for front exhaust ? Are these 1/4" mini die grinders too powerful and difficult to control for chainsaw porting ?

-- 1/8" pneumatic pencil grinder. Slim design looks user-friendly, but do they have enough power ?

Any other recommendations ? Anything I should stay away from ?

Here's an option you might like for cutting ports and using it in tight areas. It turns some wild rpms. You can get these from Snapon, cost around 140.00.

 

[mtngun]

Pencil grinders are definitely on my radar screen. Seems like they would be much easier to control -- and that's pretty important for a newbie. I dunno how they are powerwise. If I got one, it would be a cheap imitation import, not the $140 snap-on.

 

[bonden]

This is my favorite tool for porting .just some old dental equipment i got from my father.

some of my bits

 

[Metals406]

Pencil grinders are definitely on my radar screen. Seems like they would be much easier to control -- and that's pretty important for a newbie. I dunno how they are powerwise. If I got one, it would be a cheap imitation import, not the $140 snap-on.

I got a used ARO pencil grinder on evilBay for $40.00. . . New they're over $400.00.

 

[THALL10326]

Pencil grinders are definitely on my radar screen. Seems like they would be much easier to control -- and that's pretty important for a newbie. I dunno how they are powerwise. If I got one, it would be a cheap imitation import, not the $140 snap-on.

They are indeed easy to handle and easy to use. They turn around 70,000 rpms. Running that fast you don't need a bunch of power for fast cutting. I actually use alittle honing oil when cutting, it zips.

140.00 really isn't that high for a pencil grinder compared to some out there. That thing is actually one of the cheaper tools from Snapon. Its not a Snapon brand, they just sell it. Its called a Bluepoint.

 

[ronT2]

A while ago I bought a Foredom kit to replace an aging Dumore grinder that I’ve had for years. I like the 1/8” stuff better for these little saw motors. I use the H.28 hand piece which is a pencil design for almost everything. I also have the H.44T (1/8” & 1/4”) that I use for coarser work.

For reasonably priced carbide burrs check out this site.


Tom, that looks like a nice little grinder. Is it pneumatic with the exhaust running back through that clear corrugated tube?

Here's an option you might like for cutting ports and using it in tight areas. It turns some wild rpms. You can get these from Snapon, cost around 140.00.

 

[THALL10326]

A while ago I bought a Foredom kit to replace an aging Dumore grinder that I’ve had for years. I like the 1/8” stuff better for these little saw motors. I use the H.28 hand piece which is a pencil design for almost everything. I also have the H.44T (1/8” & 1/4”) that I use for coarser work.

For reasonably priced carbide burrs check out this site.


Tom, that looks like a nice little grinder. Is it pneumatic with the exhaust running back through that clear corrugated tube?

Sure is on both counts. Paul1 from this site turned me onto those. I bought one and really like it. You can regulate the speed on it too. Works real nice. They offer another one thats a angle head, it too will fit in some very tight areas..

 

[cpr]

How many cfms needed to run those little pencil grinders?

 

[tdi-rick]

If you have an air supply, the pencil die grinder works really well, I have a Taiwanese model similar to Tom's but mines a pretty anodised red. :biggrinbounce2:

If you have the money, a Foredom with the angle head, or a CC Specialty tool is ideal, in an ideal world with money no object.

 

[mtngun]

If you have an air supply, the pencil die grinder works really well, I have a Taiwanese model similar to Tom's but mines a pretty anodised red.

Thanks, guys, that's the kind of info I was looking for.

I'm leaning toward a pencil grinder, since it looks to be easier to control than a die grinder. Now it is a question of choosing which import pencil grinder to buy. They all look the same on the outside, but there is a spread in price from $20 - $30 for HF and no-name, to $40 - $60 for brands like "Neiko" and "Astro." They look the same, so I'm not sure what the difference is. Might be a China vs. Taiwan thing.

 

[THALL10326]

If you have an air supply, the pencil die grinder works really well, I have a Taiwanese model similar to Tom's but mines a pretty anodised red. :biggrinbounce2:

If you have the money, a Foredom with the angle head, or a CC Specialty tool is ideal, in an ideal world with money no object.

Pfffffffft, blue is my favorite color,:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

Yes I understand Foredom's are the very best. If I did alot of grinding I'd get one but my grinding goes no farther than the house here.

 

[Metals406]

Thanks, guys, that's the kind of info I was looking for.

I'm leaning toward a pencil grinder, since it looks to be easier to control than a die grinder. Now it is a question of choosing which import pencil grinder to buy. They all look the same on the outside, but there is a spread in price from $20 - $30 for HF and no-name, to $40 - $60 for brands like "Neiko" and "Astro." They look the same, so I'm not sure what the difference is. Might be a China vs. Taiwan thing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Dotco-Pencil-Gr...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item35a6b9834e

 

[THALL10326]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Dotco-Pencil-Gr...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item35a6b9834e

Wow, good find. MT better grab that while the getting is good!!!

 

[Metals406]

http://cgi.ebay.com/CORNWELL-TOOLS-...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item53df808318

 

[Metals406]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Dynabrade-Penci...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3359ef9e04