So, I have a Dremel 4300 rotary tool, and I use it to cut most thicker wires and stuff, but I wanted to get something like a face shield to protect the rest of my face in case the cutting blade breaks. I checked amazon and didn’t find much, and then I went to Home Depot’s site and their only face shield is not sold in stores and out of stock online... What face shields do you guys recommend? Also, for cutting wooden parts like firewalls can I just use the router attachment and a router bit on the Dremel? I think that’s what it’s for...
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A few questions about dremel tools
- Thread starter Ketchup
- Start date
Face shields will be sold out for a while because of the things presently happening in the news.
The protection is to keep debris from a bursting disk out of your eyes. I have felt safe enough using just a pair of safety glasses because the cut off wheel on a Dremel is pretty small. The important thing is that they don't leave wide openings around your eyes for stuff to get in.
Using bigger grinders with a face shield, I still wear safety glasses because debris bounces up under the shield. But they are nice to keep my skin from getting directly blasted with abrasive sparks.
I haven't used the Dremel router attachment. For straight cuts on thin plywood, you might want to use something that works more like a saw. Router bits don't work very well freehand, and the shaped Dremel cutting burrs are more for intricate carving.
The protection is to keep debris from a bursting disk out of your eyes. I have felt safe enough using just a pair of safety glasses because the cut off wheel on a Dremel is pretty small. The important thing is that they don't leave wide openings around your eyes for stuff to get in.
Using bigger grinders with a face shield, I still wear safety glasses because debris bounces up under the shield. But they are nice to keep my skin from getting directly blasted with abrasive sparks.
I haven't used the Dremel router attachment. For straight cuts on thin plywood, you might want to use something that works more like a saw. Router bits don't work very well freehand, and the shaped Dremel cutting burrs are more for intricate carving.
Dremel cut-off discs are pretty light. They spin fast, but unless you're working right up in your face I don't think a shattering wheel would have enough energy to break the skin. Safety glasses are a requirement for sure, and try to work so your face isn't in the line of fire if a wheel does shatter.
Face shields, PERIOD, are going to be tough to find right now due to the COVID-19 outbreak. People are looking for ANY sort of protection, even if it's meager.
You can try to make your own face shield if you have a 3D printer, but some of the raw materials are tough to get your hands on.
As for potentially breaking the skin, well...Why do dentists wear face shields when working on someone's teeth and doing drilling? Stuff gets thrown up from it, and it can get all over your skin or potentially hurt. I used to cut out pieces of emu and ostrich eggs with a Dremel tool for a friend of the family - she would decorate them and sell them as "faux Faberge eggs" - they were really intricate works of art, and she made a good living selling them. Well, I had several pieces of egg get thrown up into my face, and on occasion, I'd end up with a scratch or two - and that was with an eggshell.
With high enough velocity and pressure, anything can cut you. A broken Dremel cutoff wheel might or might not have enough force to cut you - but ultimately, do you want to take the chance? I'd honestly say it's better to be safe than sorry.
You can try to make your own face shield if you have a 3D printer, but some of the raw materials are tough to get your hands on.
As for potentially breaking the skin, well...Why do dentists wear face shields when working on someone's teeth and doing drilling? Stuff gets thrown up from it, and it can get all over your skin or potentially hurt. I used to cut out pieces of emu and ostrich eggs with a Dremel tool for a friend of the family - she would decorate them and sell them as "faux Faberge eggs" - they were really intricate works of art, and she made a good living selling them. Well, I had several pieces of egg get thrown up into my face, and on occasion, I'd end up with a scratch or two - and that was with an eggshell.
With high enough velocity and pressure, anything can cut you. A broken Dremel cutoff wheel might or might not have enough force to cut you - but ultimately, do you want to take the chance? I'd honestly say it's better to be safe than sorry.
I just use safety glasses. I do keep my face out of the line of fire.
I have had a broken cutoff wheal hit my hands, which are much closer to the action. Never had any problems.
There are 2 thickness of cutoff wheals, I use the very thin & fragile, regular cutoff wheals, not the heavy duty ones. The regular ones are easy to break but don’t carry much momentum. If you broke a heavy duty one, they would carry far more momentum.
I have had a broken cutoff wheal hit my hands, which are much closer to the action. Never had any problems.
There are 2 thickness of cutoff wheals, I use the very thin & fragile, regular cutoff wheals, not the heavy duty ones. The regular ones are easy to break but don’t carry much momentum. If you broke a heavy duty one, they would carry far more momentum.
Ok... so face shield or just safety glasses for now. I will be getting a face shield at some point, but I need to make a cut and I would prefer to do it soon. Also, as I said earlier there is a Dremel attachment that is basically a shield, and it goes around the blade enough to cover me from any shattered pieces. Would that work?
I've never had a tool with the shield you're referring to, but if it doesn't get in the way of what you're doing use it. Definitely wear safety glasses. I've never found it necessary, but if you want a face shield, get one; it's your body and you know what level of safety you'll feel comfortable with.
With one exception that I know of, just about all face shields are the same; a band around the head and a sheet of plastic attached to it. I've yet to find one that was more or less comfortable than any other.
The one visor style that is different is linked below, but out of stock. I have no experience with it, but Adam Savage likes it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PYZSMII/?tag=lstir-20
With one exception that I know of, just about all face shields are the same; a band around the head and a sheet of plastic attached to it. I've yet to find one that was more or less comfortable than any other.
The one visor style that is different is linked below, but out of stock. I have no experience with it, but Adam Savage likes it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PYZSMII/?tag=lstir-20
The router attachment is almost as good as a rotozip, just lighter duty and slower feeds. You could bolt it to a 3d printer for diy CNC
DIY face shield: piece of 1/32 clear plexiglass/acryllic about 12 x 18 with a piece of pool noodle across one edge attached to ones forehead with shoelace around your head. Could use duct tape, but that's painful to remove
DIY face shield: piece of 1/32 clear plexiglass/acryllic about 12 x 18 with a piece of pool noodle across one edge attached to ones forehead with shoelace around your head. Could use duct tape, but that's painful to remove
Thanks for all the tips
In the last couple years since starting to use my dremel, I have come to the same conclusion that the cutoff wheels are quite small and not hugely harmful. These days I will just wear safety glasses and maybe a jacket as protection.
Also, in the last two years I have discovered the wood cutting disks that dremel makes, so I am no longer using a router bit for cutting firewalls (I tried using it once and it was quite scary since I had no clue what I was doing lol)
In the last couple years since starting to use my dremel, I have come to the same conclusion that the cutoff wheels are quite small and not hugely harmful. These days I will just wear safety glasses and maybe a jacket as protection.
Also, in the last two years I have discovered the wood cutting disks that dremel makes, so I am no longer using a router bit for cutting firewalls (I tried using it once and it was quite scary since I had no clue what I was doing lol)
