Dremeling plastic holster

[emilianoksa]

I want to take plastic off parts of the inside of a couple of polymer pistol holsters.

May seem like a silly question but I have never dremeled plastic before. I'm thinking a stone attachment might quickly clog up with plastic, and that a silicone paper wheel would be better.

I know it's a case of go slow and carefully or I'll take off too much.

Or should I just do it manually?

 

[Tackle]

Dremels fine, & there are various metal cutting/grinding tips that won't clog, & then finish the fine sanding with a stone or emery fitting.

BUT

Why are you grinding/cutting ?, for example, if you were trying to get a hi-capa to fit a 1911 holster, you'll have more success dipping it briefly in boiling water & then holster the pistol to gradually stretch it ?

 

[Stevo4345]

I've always just used a metal router/milling attachment on plastic and gone slow and steady. The friction will heat up and melt the plastic if you're heavy handed but it cuts through like a hot knife through butter. Never tried a stone as like you I figured it would clag up too quick.

 

[Adolf Hamster]

Stone cutting wheels are ok, they flick dust all over the show and have a nasty habit of shattering, so eyepro is the order of the day (as it always should be with power tools)

Molten plastic can be trimmed off with a good sharp knife on the edges.

In terms of grinding im not sure, but i'd probably start with the burrs as stevo reccommends, otherwise i'd probably be looking at going old school and getting the files out.

 

[emilianoksa]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Cromulon1994]

Also use it on the lowest setting no matter how tempting to turn it up, or it'll melt rapidly and run away with you

 

[Zarrin]

If i had a penny for every time I had to dremel the inside of a plastic holster....                       well I'd have about 3 pence I suppose ?

 

[Iceni]

I would avoid mains powered dremels if you can. They tend to be a bit too fast for plastic and burn it. I spent a long time looking for the perfect rotary tool for plastic and went through loads of models, and for the most part, was disappointed with the results. My other hobby is Airfix style kits and I use my rotary tool far more than I should! I also use the same tool at work for making machine guards from acrylic where you have to match the guard to the machine contours.

You can get some decent lower-powered 12-18v models that you can stop with your fingers if you really wanted to. Much better for plastic as they will cut and grind without needing to be as careful. Far more controllable than 240v mains ones, and far better balanced than the battery ones that aren't much good for anything. The 12v ones are also very quiet.

If you have money to burn I highly recommend the Proxxon 28 515 kits. It retails for just over £70 so it's one of the more expensive kits, but the design of the collets and the attention to run out that proxxon put into those units mean they are very friendly to use and have no wobble or chatter provided the bits are decent quality.

They also do a router and pillar drill attachment for all the proxxon rotary tools that actually works properly.

https://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/28515.php
https://www.axminster.co.uk/proxxon-micromot-60-e-starter-set-105598

If the proxxon is out of budget then the rotacraft 12-18v RC18 kit is also pretty decent the power supplies for them are a little weak (tend to crack if dropped), and the collets are not even close to the proxxon. Closer to how a dremel vibrates. They work well enough and don't burn plastic on the lowest speed settings.
 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ROTARY-TOOL-KIT-60-PIECE-VARIABLE-SPEED-12V-MINI-HOBBY-SANDER-DRILL-TOOL-CASE-/202733989257

The best of the 240v ones are the single-speed models, that are controlled externally with a sewing machine foot pedal. The ones with a speed controller on the tool are pretty much all too powerful.

For actually grinding plastic there are loads of bits that work well. Sanding drums, Diamond burrs, Carbide burrs, Sanding wheels and my favourite of all is silicone/abrasive polishing pads. Those pads are not cheap but I've yet to find anything that is as effective whilst still remaining gentle.

https://www.axminster.co.uk/proxxon-flexible-silicon-polishing-wheels-477212


 

The Proxxon accessory list is pretty huge, but some of the highlights are:
Universal holder: https://www.axminster.co.uk/proxxon-uhz-universal-holder-475557

Drill press: https://www.axminster.co.uk/proxxon-micromot-mb-200-drill-stand-502021

Router base: https://www.axminster.co.uk/proxxon-router-base-ofv-505907
Keyless chuck: https://www.axminster.co.uk/proxxon-micromot-keyless-chuck-100804

 

[E21A]

I've always just used a metal router/milling attachment on plastic and gone slow and steady. The friction will heat up and melt the plastic if you're heavy handed but it cuts through like a hot knife through butter. Never tried a stone as like you I figured it would clag up too quick.

Can confirm these are excellent for plastic. Use them a lot. 

 

[emilianoksa]

I would avoid mains powered dremels if you can. They tend to be a bit too fast for plastic and burn it. I spent a long time looking for the perfect rotary tool for plastic and went through loads of models, and for the most part, was disappointed with the results. My other hobby is Airfix style kits and I use my rotary tool far more than I should! I also use the same tool at work for making machine guards from acrylic where you have to match the guard to the machine contours.

You can get some decent lower-powered 12-18v models that you can stop with your fingers if you really wanted to. Much better for plastic as they will cut and grind without needing to be as careful. Far more controllable than 240v mains ones, and far better balanced than the battery ones that aren't much good for anything. The 12v ones are also very quiet.

If you have money to burn I highly recommend the Proxxon 28 515 kits. It retails for just over £70 so it's one of the more expensive kits, but the design of the collets and the attention to run out that proxxon put into those units mean they are very friendly to use and have no wobble or chatter provided the bits are decent quality.

They also do a router and pillar drill attachment for all the proxxon rotary tools that actually works properly.

https://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/28515.php
https://www.axminster.co.uk/proxxon-micromot-60-e-starter-set-105598

If the proxxon is out of budget then the rotacraft 12-18v RC18 kit is also pretty decent the power supplies for them are a little weak (tend to crack if dropped), and the collets are not even close to the proxxon. Closer to how a dremel vibrates. They work well enough and don't burn plastic on the lowest speed settings.
 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ROTARY-TOOL-KIT-60-PIECE-VARIABLE-SPEED-12V-MINI-HOBBY-SANDER-DRILL-TOOL-CASE-/202733989257

The best of the 240v ones are the single-speed models, that are controlled externally with a sewing machine foot pedal. The ones with a speed controller on the tool are pretty much all too powerful.

For actually grinding plastic there are loads of bits that work well. Sanding drums, Diamond burrs, Carbide burrs, Sanding wheels and my favourite of all is silicone/abrasive polishing pads. Those pads are not cheap but I've yet to find anything that is as effective whilst still remaining gentle.

https://www.axminster.co.uk/proxxon-flexible-silicon-polishing-wheels-477212


 

The Proxxon accessory list is pretty huge, but some of the highlights are:
Universal holder: https://www.axminster.co.uk/proxxon-uhz-universal-holder-475557

Drill press: https://www.axminster.co.uk/proxxon-micromot-mb-200-drill-stand-502021

Router base: https://www.axminster.co.uk/proxxon-router-base-ofv-505907
Keyless chuck: https://www.axminster.co.uk/proxxon-micromot-keyless-chuck-100804

Thank you very much for taking the time to write all that as well as providing links.