Dremel-less Slotting

[Andy Thatcher]

There are times when I am just not certain where to post what.

Yep this is one of those times so apologies to the mods.

I have been struggling to justify spending $100 on a Dremel just to slot my carto's. Hey I will buy a ProVari or two at the drop of a hat but the only use I have for a Dremel is to slot carto's and I can't quite swallow the cost for some reason.

Anyway I spent a bit of time at Home Depot yesterday and bought Dremel parts 401 and 420 for just over $13. Cutting disks and spindle. There is a kit for around $22 that features a quick change option.

The advantage of the Dremel. It runs at a higher revolutions per minute than a drill therefore faster at cutting. Now patience I have, to an extent, and I have a small Ryobi cordless drill and a vice.

So have old carto will slot. First attempt woeful. Second awful, third a little better, fourth getting there. Remember the patience I have statement earlier ? Well at this point I got bored but I had proven the concept.

Do I need to say take all safety precautions ? It is a drill and something designed to cut metal so fingers won't be a problem so please be careful.

 

[c.chalie]

a 1/8" or 1/4" saddle valve from lowes or home depot $8 i think, or just use a hack saw

 

[Andy Thatcher]

I have found for my vaping that slots seem to be more conducive to wicking, certain other people have had different experiences but that is mine to date.

Tried a hacksaw but ended up with a hacked carto. I have more control with the drill than hacksaw.

 

[markfm]

If it is just that the saddle valve holes are too small, in the PIF area I posted on a DIY carto punch, very cost effective, easy to use, decent size holes.

 

[c.chalie]

the saddle valve i bought at first 1/4" seemed to be too large and always flooded my cart.

 

[carlton]

If you're only going to use the tool for slotting cartos, you can get a 'rotary tool', dremel knock off, from Harbor Freight for $25. I don't recommend their tools for real work, but slotting cartos, no problem.

 

[markfm]

Flooding, at least for me, came from going too deep rather than having a decent surface area on the hole in the wall.

A dremel does work nicely -- I slotted for months, happy with the results.

The DIY punch I posted uses a $5 hub (think of it as a super-wide washer, with a screw hole in the side of it), with a 1/4-20 sheet metal screw to do the piercing. The screw flares out quickly enough that you get a pretty wide hole without going deep into the carto filler.

 

[tj99959]

You can get a little dermal kit at Harbor Freight for 8 bucks, but the reality is that the carto doesn't care how you wack a hole in it. A hammer and nail works if you don't have anything else.

 

[c.chalie]

If you're only going to use the tool for slotting cartos, you can get a 'rotary tool', dremel knock off, from Harbor Freight for $25. I don't recommend their tools for real work, but slotting cartos, no problem.

on sale for $9.99

 

[Andy Thatcher]

My concern with saddle valves, nails and screws in compromising the centre tube.

Slotting doesn't or shouldn't be intrusive to the internal construction of the carto.

 

[Butters78]

Hell I just want to know the easiest and most effective way. I am extremely clumsy so I hate using tools honestly. With that hammer and nail I'd end up cutting myself somehow lol. I dont own a drill no need for one honestly

I iust hate paying 2.50 for a prepunched carto when I can pay 6-7 bucks and do it myself for 5.

 

[markfm]

The carto punch doesn't penetrate deeply. You only turn the screw two turns to make the hole. It's 1/4-20 threading, so 2/20 = 1/10", and the carto wall thickness is part of that 1/10".

The hub is just slightly larger diameter than the carto, so the carto won't deform, and with the accurately machined screw hole there's no chance the screw will hit anywhere other than on center. Slide the carto in, tighten the screw until it just touches the wall (you'll feel the resistance), then two full turns. Back the screw out and it's done. I use a cheapie flat wrench from a some-assembly required piece of exercise equipment, pop in two holes per carto (180 degrees apart). No chance of stabbing myself, don't have to muck about with adjusting the nuts on the saddle valve.

 

[carlton]

Ha! Crazy deal. It's almost as cheap as a saddle valve and lots more fun.

on sale for $9.99

 

[Butters78]

The carto punch doesn't penetrate deeply. You only turn the screw two turns to make the hole. It's 1/4-20 threading, so 2/20 = 1/10", and the carto wall thickness is part of that 1/10".

You only have to turn the screw to use yours? I can handle that

 

[markfm]

Yes, just be able to turn a screw (I loathed the thin handle on a saddle valve).

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/pay-forward-pif/272989-diy-carto-punch.html

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/notcigs/278125-marks-easy-carto-punch-fusions-awesome.html shows the black screw on the left, and the hub (with screw hole in it) on the right. I use fusion cartos, but it'll work fine with any standard-diameter carto. Try on an old one, and you'll quickly know how much of the carto to leave sticking out of the end of the hub (with the fusion and M1A1 tank, I just slide the carto in until the carto flange hits the hub, but most other tanks you would leave just a little carto exposed, since they have thicker endcaps).

 

[Butters78]

Great info Mark I'll bookmark the thread and give it a go. I have a local mom and pops hardware store here that has just about everything they might have the items I need. I use 3.0 boge in my tanks I'm sure It'll work nicely for that

I'm not a rich man and paying for prepunched cartos at a premium really doesnt make sense to me at all.

 

[swedishfish]

Yes, just be able to turn a screw (I loathed the thin handle on a saddle valve).

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/pay-forward-pif/272989-diy-carto-punch.html

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/notcigs/278125-marks-easy-carto-punch-fusions-awesome.html shows the black screw on the left, and the hub (with screw hole in it) on the right. I use fusion cartos, but it'll work fine with any standard-diameter carto. Try on an old one, and you'll quickly know how much of the carto to leave sticking out of the end of the hub (with the fusion and M1A1 tank, I just slide the carto in until the carto flange hits the hub, but most other tanks you would leave just a little carto exposed, since they have thicker endcaps).

I love that Mark!

I do love my Dremel though. I use it for everything.

 

[Butters78]

I use a mom and pops mini sub and liquinator currently.

 

[markfm]

The hub from drillspot, at $4.95 and free shipping, is definitely the right part to get. I tried set screw collars and other things.

The screw is just a 1/4-20 car mirror mounting screw. masterofdamph found a mirror mounting kit at homedepot, $2.50, which has 4 of the screws, he's going to check for what the actual product was.

Swedishfish, I hear you on the dremel working well I was very happy with it, only looked for an alternative because many people didn't have them available. The little punch is handy -- no mess, no power, nothing to clean up, very fast.

 

[Butters78]

Mark has anyone tried standard boge's in it?