Question about Dremel tools.

[daddo]

Below is a pic of my project. I need to make 10 of these.
 I need a way to finish shaping them, then polish them to look at least- nice.

  The angle grinder is of course to big. Forget the bench grinder. The belt grinder won't get into the sides and insets. A file takes too long and is too rough.

  Would the Dremel be the tool for this? For some reason I can't see the little sanding things it comes with lasting more than a few seconds, and buying 100 of them to throw away doesn't seem productive. Does Dremel make good grade carbide or HSS grinding bits for shaping metals?  Not too keen on spending a lot for something I'll use once a year or so.

  Or should I just buddy up to the (takes forever) file?

[stav]

If you have a compressor, you can get an air rotary tool that functions similar to a Dremel that should have the bits you need.

[Mr Eddie]

Below is a pic of my project. I need to make 10 of these.
 I need a way to finish shaping them, then polish them to look at least- nice.

  The angle grinder is of course to big. Forget the bench grinder. The belt grinder won't get into the sides and insets. A file takes too long and is too rough.

  Would the Dremel be the tool for this? For some reason I can't see the little sanding things it comes with lasting more than a few seconds, and buying 100 of them to throw away doesn't seem productive. Does Dremel make good grade carbide or HSS grinding bits for shaping metals?  Not too keen on spending a lot for something I'll use once a year or so.

  Or should I just buddy up to the (takes forever) file?

Couldn't you buy those from McMaster-Carr or another supply house?

Lonnie

[CLETUS]

They are called Thumb screws.

HTH

[rlnguy]

If you can braze or silver solder the parts together, it would be much easier to clean up.

[daddo]

I thought of the brazing, but it would give me a different color.
They need the big wing for leverage and are 3/8" bolt.
 
 Sometimes you just want to make stuff instead of buying.  And at 70 bucks + shipping, that gets into the cost of things. I don't want to tell anyone I paid 75 bucks for 10 screws.
  I'd rather tell them I spent umpteen man hours and 100 bucks on welding, elect, grinding, shaping and fitting instead.

[stav]

If you're going for the manly option, then the obvious answer is a metal lathe and a milling machine.  Buy some large round stock and machine it down. 

[Willyou]

I checked a couple of thumb screw sellers and they are a bit on the pricey side. I agree with the above, if you use silver solder you will get a neater job requiring less clean-up. To your question, yes, a Dremel tool would work better than what you have. You can get a wide variety of grinding stones and polishing wheels for it.

[Admiral]

Dremels are lightweight tools. You might be better off going to a Harbor Freight and getting an air tool grinder and some bits. A bench grinder, used judiciously with a vice grip, may also help with finishing off with a file. A good mill file will also make short work of this if its sharp.

[barryvabeach]

Not sure how big the wing is, but my guess is that the original was made by cutting out a piece of metal and welding it to the bolt, then hitting it with a 4 1/2 inch  angle grinder.  If it were me,  I would try that approach  -  though you would want to make up a jig to hold the bolt in place while you grind it.  Brazing would work, but the photo looks like additional metal was added   -  could have been stick or mig, then ground off.