cutting plastic pieces out

**jdiazj1** · 03-24-2006, 12:05 PM

hello, i own a lincoln navigator and i wanted to put a motorized screen on my dash but i only have a 1 1/2 din opening in my dash and was planning on using one din for a motorized unit and the 1/2 for the slim dvd drive. As for sound, i decided to go to the aftermarket radio. i dont feel like rewiring all of my speakers cause my truck has a premium sound with a factory speaker. I bought a dremel for my cutting needs and after cutting out pieces of plastic out with it, i saw that the dremel cutting circles were melting the plastic. i really didnt care about that cause im putting the computer in the center console and the holes that i made were not visible unless i take the whole console out but my next quest is this. Since I have no more room for a radio, i decided that i am going to do like this guy did

notice how in the center console he has the radio on there. in order for me do be able to this, i need to be very precise and NEAT. so i wanted to know how can i use my dremel to cut out the din size hole without making the plastic melt? I want to be as neat and accurate as possible since this part is going to be visible. any suggestions? thanks

**scott_fx** · 03-24-2006, 12:09 PM

i heard of one person dripping candle was on his cut line and that helped lubricate and keep the temps down a bit.. maybe you could try that? or cut it shy of your cut line and then file or sand it down... OR send it to a laser cutter and have them cut it for you.

**Bugbyte** · 03-24-2006, 02:06 PM

Is that ABS plastic? If you were cutting plexiglass, you would see a lot of melting. ABS can be cut more easily with less melting. I'd do as scott_fx suggests and cut it shy, then file it down a bit.

**jdiazj1** · 03-24-2006, 02:22 PM

thanks for the quick replies

well, after doing alot of research, i figure i could use a drywall bit and use that for cutting at a very slow speed and cutting shy of the line and i guess i could use the sander on the dremel to get close to the line and finish it off with a file. how bout this, might this work

its an attachment for the dremel to convert to a jigsaw. i dont know, maybe ill just do how i said it.

any other suggestions?

**cabj21** · 03-24-2006, 03:59 PM

hey use this

or

not this

**jdiazj1** · 03-24-2006, 04:34 PM

about the third one, I already went through like 4 of them cutting out plastic for the 'case' and i hated that it would disintegrate and leave dust everywhere and it also how fragile it was. I gave up on those. I was thinking of maybe getting some of those but didnt know how good they are. why do u recommend them? Personal experience?

**Bugbyte** · 03-24-2006, 05:08 PM

Cutting at a very slow speed will also work. I've used a dedicated jigsaw to cut plastic. Oddly enough, a coarser set of teeth seems to work better. You just have to watch out for cracking the plastic.

**albysure** · 03-24-2006, 05:23 PM

i used to cut plastic all the time with a dremel. if you hold the dremel facing up and cut towards you, the melted plastic will stay towards the inside of the cut and not on the piece you want. so, if you are cutting out a shape keep the dremel on the side on your left and the plastic will stay with the piece you want to cut out.

**scott_fx** · 03-24-2006, 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by jdiazj1

i guess i could use the sander on the dremel to get close to the line and finish it off with a file. how bout this, might this work

no no no no no no

dont use a rotary sanding bit unles you want a wavy line. use a sanding block and do it the old fashion way...the wider the block the straighter the line. I'm betting pretty good at cutting straight with a dremel and i wont dare touch the piece with a sanding bit.

**cabj21** · 03-26-2006, 10:35 AM

lol

Well first before anything you need to trace a line on were the opening will be. Then with the dremel you cut it about 1/4 away from the line, so that if you do any mistakes you cloud sand it with the dremel. About the cutting the plastic, do it in segments don’t go all the way through because of the melting plastic will grab the cutting disk and that’s why it keeps braking. Before the next pass remove all the melted plastic. I suggested to use the other disk because it has less surface for the plastic to grab and it will also keep the disk cooler and it will not melt the plastic us much.