Cutoff tool?

[mudpick]

Can someone recommend a cutoff tool? I'm just beginning a mini-tub on my 68 Camaro and am in need of a good cutoff tool for the job. Thanks!

[Ralph LoGrasso]

I used a 4" metabo grinder for my mini-tub job. Highly recommended grinder, pricey, but one of the best IMHO. I also used a Bosch Jig Saw, Sawz-all, hammer, dolley, air chisel, 110 mig and a bunch of other tools. A 4" grinder with a cut-off wheel works wonders, though. A plasma cutter would do even better..

[mikey]

Pnuematic die grinders work great also plus you can also put all different styles of carbide bits in them for various small grinding jobs.

[Jim Nilsen]

Rotozip makes a set that is like a die grinder and and can add an attachment that will make it an angle grinder. The rpms are good along with being variable speed and the amp ratings are better than most angle grinders. The way it will feel in your hand when using it is more comfortable. You can also use it for so many other things that the $175 cost for them is more than worth it. I truly love mine and have never used my other angle grinder since. The handle is just soooo much more comfortable. Plus you get the see thru sanding disc setup that makes fabbing stuff up a breeze. The variable speed is something you won't get on any other angle grinder.
The model I have is the REVOLUTION and it even has led lights that really work to light up what you are doing. I believe I saw a new super dooper set that they just came out with a couple of months ago.

Jim Nilsen

[VenturaII]

I bought a Matco that will reverse. You can throw the sparks away from you when needed. 4" Grinders work well also, but I tend to use a lot of cutoff wheels. I like the 3m 1/32 4" cutoff wheels. They last a long time.

[CAMAROBOY69]

I just use my grinder and buy the 4" cutting disks. They are very cheap and last a long time. I think they are about $1.75 each.

[Damn True]

Rotozip makes a set that is like a die grinder and and can add an attachment that will make it an angle grinder. The rpms are good along with being variable speed and the amp ratings are better than most angle grinders. The way it will feel in your hand when using it is more comfortable. You can also use it for so many other things that the $175 cost for them is more than worth it. I truly love mine and have never used my other angle grinder since. The handle is just soooo much more comfortable. Plus you get the see thru sanding disc setup that makes fabbing stuff up a breeze. The variable speed is something you won't get on any other angle grinder.
The model I have is the REVOLUTION and it even has led lights that really work to light up what you are doing. I believe I saw a new super dooper set that they just came out with a couple of months ago.

Jim Nilsen

Dredging this one back up.

Jim,

Would you prefer your rotozip over a pneumatic die grinder / cutoff tool?

[Jim Nilsen]

Absolutely, 5amps of power, lots quieter when the compressor isn't running too, won't bog down as the air cycles at the low point, if you have the hand held cable drive it will get into harder to reach places, has adjustable rpms in 5,000 rpm increments to 30,000, has a light to see, can be used as a router,angle grinder,sander/polisher and more with the attachments, and most of all it will use 60% or less than the amount of electricity that your compressor will.

If your compressor draws 15 amps or more to start up and 10 amps when running you are using 2 to 3 times the electricity to operate a tool that doesn't care what spins it. The amount of time lost waiting for the compressor to come back up to pressure if you have a smaller one will even cost you more cause you are not working with the tool while you are using power. It cost 4 cent per cubic foot of air at 90 psi at 10cents per kilowatt hour. You can actually buy the Rototzip in a couple of months of hard use just from the savings alone from electricity savings.

I have worked in shops that have unlimited 100+psi air supplies and the die grinder still won't out do the electric tools you can buy that do the same.

Once you try it you will like it. Years ago when porting my heads I was using a friends compressor and die grainder to do the job to start, it was noisier ,I waited for it to come back up to power and it just kept bogging down. I went out and bought a Bosch electric die grinder for $125 and it was wonderful. The Bosch only had 3.5 amps of power and only one rpm of 25,000. The electric die grinder is also what you will see in most pictures of a pro porting heads. They will put the bigger die grinders on a tool balance because of the weight, with the remote cable for the Rotozip it weighs almost nothing and is easier to manuever and holds the same tools. It can also be turned into the most comfortable angle grinder/sander/polisher that you will ever hold, with variable speeds, try that with your die grinder!!

I could go on and on but I think that is enough to hopefully get the point across.

You can probably get a chance this xmas season to go to one of the box stores anf try one out on display.

One last thing to remember about Rotozips is how many different models and kits they have. I bought the Revolution with all of the stuff in the kit but th remote cable wich cost around 25$. The smaller models will not make you happy but the more powerful models will make you smile.

Air is used in most shops over electricity because of the safety factor of not having power cords that can shock the operators and the other hazards that happen when fork lifts and other machinery attck them and ruin them. Air is also sometimes more convienient to find an outlet in some shops.

[Damn True]

Thanks Jim. I knew I could count on you for a detailed and reasoned response.











Dear Santa,

Rotozip Revolution & remote cable. Make it happen fat man!

True

[Jim Nilsen]

One more thing that is really nice about the Rotozip stuff is the see thru sanding and grinding disc, you can actually see the surface you are working on and control the shape as you go instead of pulling away and looking to see where you are !!!!!

[MrQuick]

I keep expecting this guy to pop out of a Jim costume! LOL





Billy Mays says BUY IT NOW!!!!

I have one of the attachments for my Dremel. Love it, no pilot hole needed either.

[Jim Nilsen]

That's Billy A Maze isn't it.lol

[Damn True]

Jim,

Apparently Rotozip has dropped the "Revolution" product name and gone with alphanumeric model designations.

Can you look here:
http://www.rotozip.com/SiteLanding_Page.htm

...and figure out which model is the closest match?

[amx2334]

If your compressor draws 15 amps or more to start up and 10 amps when running you are using 2 to 3 times the electricity to operate a tool that doesn't care what spins it. The amount of time lost waiting for the compressor to come back up to pressure if you have a smaller one will even cost you more cause you are not working with the tool while you are using power. It cost 4 cent per cubic foot of air at 90 psi at 10cents per kilowatt hour. You can actually buy the Rototzip in a couple of months of hard use just from the savings alone from electricity savings.

it's worse.die grinders and cutoff tools are air hogs.my 5hp compressor doesn't keep up. figure 100% duty cycle on the compressor and you get a couple beer breaks..
so to run a die grinder you need at least a 5hp compressor. 5hp at 230v = about 20 amps. 20 x 230= 4600watts.
rotozip 5 amps @ 120v = 600w.
4600/600=7.66 times more energy
of course all the heat generated by the compressor helps heat the shop at this time of year.

[Damn True]

it's worse.die grinders and cutoff tools are air hogs.my 5hp compressor doesn't keep up. figure 100% duty cycle on the compressor and you get a couple beer breaks..
so to run a die grinder you need at least a 5hp compressor. 5hp at 230v = about 20 amps. 20 x 230= 4600watts.
rotozip 5 amps @ 120v = 600w.
4600/600=7.66 times more energy
of course all the heat generated by the compressor helps heat the shop at this time of year.

Hrmmm an eco-LOGICAL approach to tool selection.

I dig it.

Not out of some sense of "green duty" as I think the whole premise of anthropomorphic global warming is a bunch of hooey. I just hate writing big checks to the power company.

[amx2334]

my "green duty" is trying to save myself some green.

[MarkM66]

I like the control and speed adjustibility of any air cut off tool.

I have to make long cut or cutting something thick, I use angle grinder.

Air sheer works great on sheetmetal.

[69keith]

What the hell is a rotozip? Is that those those things they cut drywall with? LOL

[Damn True]

Jim.....you been around lately?

[Jim Nilsen]

Hi True, I haven't looked at model numbers lately and they keep changing all of the time . The best rule of thumb with Rotozip is to get a kit that has what you want. My kit came with the grinder attachment and all of the regular router stuff and a circle cutting guide allong with the nice case. I then bought the handheld cable extension for $30.

The amp rating will be right on the box or the tool itself and when you get to 5.0 A or more you have the one you will be happy with for power.

The see through sander/grinder is still my favorite use for it , getting the variable speed is also very nice.

Yes they are one of those drywall tools too but the cheaper models really suck !

Goodluck on the new model of choice, the RZ20 looks a lot like mine