I now have a router table atttachment for my Dremel tool.
Not having a bandsaw I was wondering if I might use a RotoZip spiral blade in my Dremel to aid in shaping a stack of ribs?

Robert

What do you hold onto?

A table mounted Dremel with the rib stack pushed past the stationary tool is safest
Should be OK with taking pains to keep the Roto-Zip from taking off thru the rib stack.

It might work if you have a template to guide the bit; that is a plywood rib at final shape which you can run the Dremel around to shape the ribs.
You'll need a router guide bushing to run against the edge of the template.

What you are attempting is done all the time in full scale builds to get identical parts.

Of course I mean to use a pair of templates. I have a cabinet shop not too far from here where I can get pretty large scraps of 1/8 3/16 and 1/4 lite ply (not that good for templates but for fuse formers and fuse sides for sailplanes) and also Formica! Formica makes good template material.
A sandwich of balsa blanks between 2 formica templates would be ideal.

AS for the guide bushing I need to be educated. I understand how it works but not how to mount it exactly. I have seen them mounted on some router bits but not on something tall like a RotoZip bit.
A RotoZip bit can be agressive even on Formica. I think they even make a Formica bit which I would not use except to possibly make my templates.
Obviously I have a lot of details to learn.

Robert

It only takes 5-6 minutes to shape a stack of 8-10 ribs sandwiched between 2 formica templates using a combination of razor plane, sanding blocks and files. If you want to buy a new tool or practice a new technique, don't let me discourage you. But hand works is as good as machining for this process.

Tom

Tom you are right of course and that is how I did it in the past.

You do understand that now that I have a new toy I now need to justify it? Heh!

Robert

If you run the template against the smooth shank just below the start of the spiral part, the stack of balsa blanks will be formed just fine. I use a template of aircraft grade ply for the template and spot CA the blanks together and to the template. These CA spots are placed where I wil cut the lightening holes/wire holes in the ribs. This cutting is done by using a brass tube that has been modified into a hand-held hole saw by sharpening the end and notching. Whatever you do, be carefull. The roto-zip bits can and will eat your fingers if you are not very carefull!

Safe Flying!

Quote by blikseme300:
"Whatever you do, be carefull. The roto-zip bits can and will eat your fingers if you are not very carefull!"

Ain't that the truth! Just as a bandsaw or table saw would though I would call them safer than a circular saw or chainsaw. Either one of these 2 can kick back on you in less than a heartbeat and tear up quite a bit of flesh before you can react if you were to hit a nail or even a good hard knot when the wood all around is soft. I have had kickbacks with both of these machines before and let me tell you it will put the fear of safety goggles, leather gloves and all manner of safety devices in your mind from then on!
I have never had a bad accident with any power tool because I tend to practice safety around them.
That includes propellers as well. Only been bit once by a Golden Bee with a 5/3 3 blade nylon. That was back in the 1970s. I will not let it happen again.

Just because I have a new powertool does not mean that I have little to no experience with power tools. This one is simply one I have not had and wanted to learn some new ways of doing things I had previously done with hand tools...

Robert

are there any bits with pilot bearings to ride on the templates? you used to get bits that trimmed formica that had a bearing on top some smaller bits had a round portion of the bit that was not shaped to do any cutting and it was intended to ride on a template.