using dremel to route joystick recesses?

[big daddy]

the bottom of my cp already has some blocks glued/screwed into it to use to "lock" my cp top down to the cp base.  Because of that I don't have room to use a regular router to route on my squares in the bottom of the cp in order to recess the joysticks.  Someone suggested chiseling out the area I need (it's mdf), but I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that.

Can I use a dremel + router bit + dremel depth-guage to route out this space?  It looks like it'd work, but I'm not sure about the power of those dremels and the router bit is really small.  Will this thing be adequate to route out the areas I need to recess?  I'm needing to recess about 1/4 inch (in 3/4 inch MDF)

[_Iz-]

It might work. Try it on a piece of scrap first. When you do the actual piece, make sure you start in the center and work your way out to the outer edges of your recess.

[neuromancer]

I've used a dremel in the optional router base to cut grooves in aluminum -- MDF should be a snap.

The trick is no to try to take the entire depth in one cut. For the aluminum I used about 1/64 of an inch at a time. For MDF maybe around 1/8". I don't know. The nice thing about joystick recesses is they don't need to be perfect.

Bob

[_Iz-]

I've used a dremel in the optional router base to cut grooves in aluminum -- MDF should be a snap.

The trick is no to try to take the entire depth in one cut. For the aluminum I used about 1/64 of an inch at a time. For MDF maybe around 1/8". I don't know. The nice thing about joystick recesses is they don't need to be perfect.

Bob

Unless the dremel base is significantly larger than the joystick recess you'd need to make the entire depth of the cutout in one pass or you don't have a continuous surface to rest the dremel on for the successive passes.

[TOK]

I just use a dremel to route out a spots in my 3/4" MDF panel for the joystick bolts/top plates to flush mount. It worked great. My overall depth was 5mm, I did it 2.5mm at a time with the dremel adaptor and drywall bit.

[neuromancer]

Unless the dremel base is significantly larger than the joystick recess you'd need to make the entire depth of the cutout in one pass or you don't have a continuous surface to rest the dremel on for the successive passes.

You can leave some of the material intact to support the base, and knock it out with a chisel later.

Like you can make a grid, and route out the insides of the squares, but leave the grid showing. The base is pretty wide though.

Bob

[dmish82]

I attempted to cut out the first joystick recess with a dremel...man oh man was that a mistake. the problem is that with a dremel, it's too hard to get the recess level b/c you have to make so many passes. I ended up using a router afterwards as I had room to, and it worked like a charm. I would remove the blocks that are in the way as you can always re-glue them/screw them in. It will be worth the time and effort and agony saved from trying to use a dremel.

[deoblo85]

I've never had much luck with a dremel in less it was drywall! but they do make a router for corners that will problably do the trick but thats just me

[big daddy]

thanks for the tips.  I ended up heeding the warnings and just removed the mounting blocks and used a regular router.  Worked great!  thanks again.