"fettler"?!?!

[daveac]

Hi,

Approaching the bodywork phase soon and want to get any tools ordered that I may need.  As far as I can make out I just basically need drills and files (which I've already got) for working with GRP.  And a load of wet n dry!

The only thing I was thinking about was something for opening up and shaping funny holes like for the exhaust brackets and bonnet catches.  Mark Evans used what he called a "fettling" tool on a racing car is born which looks ideal but I can't find one anywhere - certainly not by that name.  Any suggestions?

Cheers

Dave

[Blatman]

A Dremel and a butt load of sanding drums. Job done.

Wear eye protection and a dust mask or you'll have [insert colour] snot for a week.

Fortunately, my car is already snot green...

[Johnson]

As Blatters said I used a Dremel as its easier to control and sometimes a carbide burr on the air drill if I have to remove a lot of material.

Just take your time.

Heres a pic of my exhaust cutout all done with a drill and a dremel.

[Bean]

Neat job, looking good Steve

[Hammy]

I'd vote for the dremel too, wonderful item ( I have the battery one) - did my bonnet cutout with it - it is fine enough to not splitter the g/f edges  and is controllable but still quick enough to not take all day.  I drilled holes away from the finished edge ( to avoid chips) , opened up with the dremel then cut along the required edge with the thin cutting brittle discs to rough it out and smooth off with the sanding discs.

Finished things off with various grades of wet n dry wrapped around dowel or flat wood sections  then polished up the edges with cutting paste/polish.

BTW wot excatly is a "butt load of sanding drums" ?  I keep mine all  in the dremel box

[carpetstu]

A vote for the Dremel here too!

One of the best tools I have ever brought!

[daveac]

Cheers.  I've already got one actually - just wasn't sure if this might turn out to be the first job it couldn't do!

Loving the curly-wurly manifold hole too!

[Barry Ashcroft]

If you have a lot to remove use an angle grinder first then finish off with a dremel

[John Loudon - Sponsorship Liaison]

I've always found a Dremmel a waste of time and takes far too long. I prefer to chain drill and then file or angle grind to suit but wear gloves as your hands will itch afterwards. Or of course the good old jigsaw  

[pistonbroke]

dremmels are for girlies , get the angle grinder out  

5" pad with 80 grit disk  , job done in no time  

[pete g]

black and decker power file is what you need.  

[Matt Seabrook]

dremmels are for girlies , get the angle grinder out  

5" pad with 80 grit disk  , job done in no time  

Piffle 5inch grinder is for girls. What you need is a 12 inch petrol grinder and a gas axe.

Ill get my coat  

[pistonbroke]

Thats silly  

what about a chain saw  

[Oddlimbs]

Not to be outdone by Steve's lovely "curly-wurly manifold hole", here's mine:

Cut using a holesaw & Permagrit coping saw blade from Carbon Mods, I also used various other Permagrit tools for various other jobs, one of the most useful being a sanding block.  Holesaws actually cut very good holes, as long as they're in good condition.

And now, for your amusement, here's the exhaust hole partially completed!!    

[Johnson]

Haha show off      

Thanks for the pics and advice earlier Martin much appreciated as usual