Grinding tool for steel?

Kurt if you had a high speed pneumatic grinder I would suggest a 1/4 inch tree, ball and straight cut bits. With that said we need to look at reality, if all you have is a dremel tool you can do it with a carbide tool like this http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Accessories/Pages/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=9910

With the dremel it will cut just fine but you need take it easy, light soft cuts, you try and hog it out you will load the bit and snap it, to gasket match with these tools Kurt I would give yourself all day and take your time and not get in a hurry. If time is a problem I would run down to a local shop and have them do it , it should take them about an hour. You might also shoot Zippy a email and see if he can help He is over in Ferndale and should be able to help.

Sorry I am not closer to help, the fact is this is a dieing art and there is a little more to it then just grinding things out. If you choose to do this your self Kurt take it slow because the equipment you would be using will snap really easy, I would pick up about 4 bits since you have never done this.

John





Edited by johnf36 - January/15/12 at 2:54am

A die grinder, the Dremel being a small die grinder, should work.  I get bits ship[ped to me in the internet but Tacoma Screw might have them as well as Fastenal.  Harbor Freight has die grinders.  One of mine came from them.  Inexpensive and should hold up for that small job.  If you were on this side of the pond you could use mine, but not sure what bits I still have left...

Wear safety glasses!  The standard die grinders really throw small sharp chips.






Edited by SMOG - January/15/12 at 6:35am

Think electric die grinder from Harbor Freight...  I have been using burr bits, conical and barrel bits for my millwaukee electric die grinder for years.  You just have to hang on tight and be careful with the thing.  I was making working models of cannons in the 40mm range.







Edited by SMOG - January/15/12 at 12:28pm

Your welcome Kurt, sorry I am not closer we could get this done real quick. A tip you might get some spray on blue, that way you can lay the gasket/ template on spray it scribe it and then remove the gasket and it will be easy to see were you are grinding to.

I have a 20gallon air tank with a 4CFM @ 60PSI pump. (or so it says). 

Thanks guys. I picked up an angle die grinder and a couple bits at McLendon. A little more costly than Harbor Freight but a lot closer and more convenient. 

Good idea for the intake side. I didn't think about that. 

I have the head off and I am using the tool with the grinder set to 90hp, which is the specified pressure for the die grinder. It is working pretty good, but on the rounded edges I am getting a lot of chatter. 

All done. I figured out the right balance between speed and pressure and cutting angle. I used the tip (not the very end) to get into the corners. 

Oh, I forgot. All of this test driving was with wife and kids in the car. The performance should feel even better when I lose the extra weight. :-)