Folks,

I got fired up to do some porting and went after the venerable old Dremel with flex shaft...which it turns out is no longer made. Dremel told me they only make the 400 now which is like a flashlight compared to a beer can in size...no guts.

I priced the Metabo ge700 die grinder at $260 and the flex shaft a $275 with 1/4 inch collet. Ouch.

Looked at Harbor Freight...one for $49 but no shaft.

Whatcha all using??

Thanks
rock
64d100

I can get the flex shaft down here for you. I have plenty of tool store owners in my buddies list and they overstock all the time. I just got 2 or 3 wood chisel sharpeners by eclipse england, they're NOS and 25 years old I "comb" their tools shops once a month or so... pricing is from fair to excellent most of the time. Last dremel flex shaft I got was US$ 25 IIRC.

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Juan Ignacio Caino

Please use e-mail button istead of PM'ing. I do log in sometimes but I'll be answering quicker thru e-mail.

This????

http://www.dremel.com/en-us/attachments ... 59&I=66226

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

I have a "cheapo" discount store air powered die grinder, 1/4 collet.
I have used the crap out of tool with zero problems, I am good about keeping it oiled.
My only complant is that this is an unmuffled air tool, basically it is noisy and you need to wear ear (and eye) protection.

Any die grinder will do the job but plan to spend money on good carbide "burrs", those make all the difference.
DD

Um, not to be a smart@$$, but why won't a Dremel work? I've got an XPR400 (or something like that) with the flex shaft and all that good stuff, and with carbide burrs, it will eat through a block or head like nothing. I'd be afraid to use anything that removed material faster than it does.

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Used to own:
'82 Dodge D150
Erson 270 Cam, O/S valves, mild port work, ~9.5:1 compression

Currently fighting with an '85 VW Cabriolet

My other passion

The last time i "ported" a set of heads it was a set of '452's for my 383. I used my DENTIST DRILL HORROR MOVIElooking dremel like tool from WWII that i got from my grandpa. It takes dremel sized bits or 1/4" die grinder bits. Its basicly a .25 or 1/4 horse motor hooked to a snake with a wand at the end that holds the chuck. It has 2 speeds. On and Off.

Not enough torque on a Dremel. YOu can make it work, but it will take forever, and it gets hot, hot, hot. The Harbor Freight cheapo die grinder Doug mentioned is only about $25. Pick up a good carbide cutter and go to town. That's the way to go. Just stop before you hit water.
Sam

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Thanks very much for the answers, guys!

I don't have air capability so the motive force for the porter I use must be an electric motor. The one Ed pasted in the link for (THANKS!!) is the 400 I mentioned and while it is the beefiest one made by Dremel, notice it only takes 1/8" shafts in the chuck. I have always used 1/4 inch shafted tools thus from lack of using the smaller ones, I want to use 1/4' shaft carbide tools.....unless the small shafted tools will do the job.

So Cstryker's comment is very useful, it seems he is finding the smaller shaft tools grind just fine...right? I usually run a grinder 4 or 5 hours at a stretch, so the only other issue would be the heating issue...so Cstryker, does the EP400 do fine for hours at a stretch, or is doing a slant head done so fast with it that it doesn't overheat?

Thanks to all
rock

I'd use 1/4". The 1/8" carbide tools break too easily.

And good bits make a world of difference.

Get a compressor, air power is the only way to go.........

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes