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View Full Version : Life RotoZip or Dremel?


Frankie
06-18-2012, 04:33 PM
After unsuccessful attempts to get rid of water damage on some hardwood floor planks I decided to put my brand new RotoZip RZ20-4500 to good use and replace the damaged portions. It lasted exactly 28 cuts before it died. :banghead: It won't come on any more. Is RotoZip a shitty product or is it my particular one that had a flaw? Should I have bought a Dremel instead? Do you have personal experience with either tool?

(BTW, it was actually purchased as a Norooz present about 15 months ago. I just had never needed to take it out of the box until yesterday. So it's probably past warranty. :()

Bwana
06-18-2012, 04:44 PM
Quit screwing around and invest in one of these.

http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00ZsqalDWBZQcv/Providing-Big-Power-Stihl-Chainsaw-BLT-MS070.jpg

notorious
06-18-2012, 04:47 PM
Are you replacing the planks?

In that case a small circular saw and chisels should do the job.

This is the saw I use when I don't want to kick up a lot of dust and only have to replace a few boards.



http://s.shld.net/is/image/Sears/00910872000?hei=400&wid=400&op_sharpen=1&qlt=90,0&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0

It's on sale, too.

http://www.craftsman.com/craftsman-10872-3-in-mini-circular-saw/p-00910872000P?currentProductTitle=craftsman%2d10872%2d3%2din%2dmini%2dcircular%2dsaw&partNumber=00910872000P&storeId=10155&isSEOCanonURL=true&PRODUCT_TITLE_BRAND=craftsman%2d10872%2d3%2din%2dmini%2dcircular%2dsaw&catalogId=12602&catgroupId=00910872000P&pageInd=product&i_cntr=1340059557155

notorious
06-18-2012, 04:49 PM
Be careful, though. I melted the first one that I bought due to overuse and no cool-down. LMAO

loochy
06-18-2012, 05:11 PM
Whatever you decide to get, get a quality brand that you know will hold up. You don't want it to break apart in mid air or something. That would be scary!

Phobia
06-18-2012, 05:16 PM
You know what they say about "right tool for the job"? Neither a Rotozip nor a Dremel is the right tool for that job. In fact, the marketing picture that depicts a rotozip cutting a long line of ceramic tile is pretty much crap too.

mlyonsd
06-18-2012, 05:22 PM
I received a dremel as a Christmas gift 5 or 6 years ago. It's still in the box. Somewhere. In the shop.

Bugeater
06-18-2012, 05:32 PM
Dremel is ok for certain odds and ends, I've never found anything that the RotoZip does well.

rad
06-18-2012, 05:42 PM
Dremel is ok for certain odds and ends, I've never found anything that the RotoZip does well.

I used mine to cut out the hole for my sink in a countertop. Worked good for that. Only used 3 blades, too.

notorious
06-18-2012, 06:20 PM
Dremel is good for sheetrock. That is nearly it.


Seriously, you could rip out wood planks with just a chisel, hammer, and flatbar if you are patient and careful. That's exactly how I used to do it. Just don't crack the next board's groove.

jspchief
06-18-2012, 07:27 PM
Try blowing the rotozip out with compressed air. You may just have sawdust in the switch.

Then get a saw to do the job you're trying to do.

Frankie
06-18-2012, 09:21 PM
You know what they say about "right tool for the job"? Neither a Rotozip nor a Dremel is the right tool for that job. In fact, the marketing picture that depicts a rotozip cutting a long line of ceramic tile is pretty much crap too.

What's better than them for precise cuts? Any suggestion?


Seriously, you could rip out wood planks with just a chisel, hammer, and flatbar if you are patient and careful. That's exactly how I used to do it. Just don't crack the next board's groove.
What you are suggesting is good for ripping out planks at their entire length (which is what I may have to do now). I was however taking out shorter portions just where the water stains had occurred. I needed something to do precise cuts without damaging the neighboring planks.

Try blowing the rotozip out with compressed air. You may just have sawdust in the switch.

I did. It didn't work. The thing has just died. The kit is priced at $238 online. You would think I should get more than 28 cuts from it!

HonestChieffan
06-18-2012, 09:24 PM
You know what they say about "right tool for the job"? Neither a Rotozip nor a Dremel is the right tool for that job. In fact, the marketing picture that depicts a rotozip cutting a long line of ceramic tile is pretty much crap too.


Nitwits don't care.

Phobia
06-18-2012, 09:40 PM
What's better than them for precise cuts? Any suggestion?

Fein Multimaster is your best bet but you can pick up a knockoff version of it cheaper. I think Ridgid, Milwaukee, Rockwell, and Dremell all make versions of that tool now that their patent has expired.

Phobia
06-18-2012, 09:49 PM
Seriously though - for the price you're dropping on tools this project could have been done by a pro, faster and better. I don't know people don't believe that. I mean, the entire floor wouldn't be cheaper but if you had a pro come in and patch in the damaged planks he'd be in and out in < half a day. You're going to spend at least twice that amount of time and more money buying specialty tools you'll never use again.

Dave Lane
06-18-2012, 10:40 PM
And I've never understood the desire to not have some character in the floor. Marks and wear are very cool to me. The So Joco desire for uniform wood is lost on me. Just take a picture and glue it to the floor, or as its known in the trade Pergo.

Phobia
06-18-2012, 10:43 PM
And I've never understood the desire to not have some character in the floor. Marks and wear are very cool to me. The So Joco desire for uniform wood is lost on me. Just take a picture and glue it to the floor, or as its known in the trade Pergo.

I agree but water damaged wood is the worse kind of "character" in oak. Also agree with Pergo. Can't stand laminate floor. I talk every single client out of it even though it's easy money.

notorious
06-19-2012, 06:54 AM
What you are suggesting is good for ripping out planks at their entire length (which is what I may have to do now). I was however taking out shorter portions just where the water stains had occurred. I needed something to do precise cuts without damaging the neighboring planks.




I nearly always replace full length, but if I need to cut it short I mark a 90 with my large square and use my Fein Supercut to make a straight cut. The blades are curved at the edges to allow me to cut out the tounge of the board without cutting the surface above it.


Never make a board under 15-16" long if dealing with #2 wood. If the wood is select grade, they are usually longer planks, so you need to rip out a longer length so that you don't create a pattern of short pieces in the middle of long pieces.

Bwana
06-19-2012, 07:10 AM
I nearly always replace full length, but if I need to cut it short I mark a 90 with my large square and use my Fein Supercut to make a straight cut. The blades are curved at the edges to allow me to cut out the tounge of the board without cutting the surface above it.


Never make a board under 15-16" long if dealing with #2 wood. If the wood is select grade, they are usually longer planks, so you need to rip out a longer length so that you don't create a pattern of short pieces in the middle of long pieces.


After listening to you, Phil and some others in this thead, when it comes time to redo my wood floors, I'm calling a pro.

notorious
06-19-2012, 07:12 AM
After listening to you, Phil and some others in this thead, when it comes time to redo my wood floors, I'm calling a pro.

Just make sure that they are legit, or you will end up paying twice. I have fixed a lot of hack work in my day because the customer went for the cheapest bid instead of an established pro.

Bwana
06-19-2012, 07:19 AM
Just make sure that they are legit, or you will end up paying twice. I have fixed a lot of hack work in my day because the customer went for the cheapest bid instead of an established pro.

Oh I hear you bud. After what I went through on a wood fence in the backyard years ago, I always get several references, before any big job.

I don't mind paying more to have the job done right, but I hate fly by night, Mickey Mouse outfits, that knock out crap work. Like you said, a person always ends up doing it twice under those conditions, which is never a good thing.

Frankie
06-19-2012, 11:01 AM
Fein Multimaster is your best bet but you can pick up a knockoff version of it cheaper. I think Ridgid, Milwaukee, Rockwell, and Dremell all make versions of that tool now that their patent has expired.

Thanks. I'll check into those.

Seriously though - for the price you're dropping on tools this project could have been done by a pro, faster and better. I don't know people don't believe that. I mean, the entire floor wouldn't be cheaper but if you had a pro come in and patch in the damaged planks he'd be in and out in < half a day. You're going to spend at least twice that amount of time and more money buying specialty tools you'll never use again.
It's just me. I like to do it myself. I built a whole addition to my house starting 8 months after my near fatal heart attack. I just like to build. Call me crazy. My wife seems both proud and frustrated by it. :D

Frankie
06-19-2012, 11:04 AM
And I've never understood the desire to not have some character in the floor. Marks and wear are very cool to me. The So Joco desire for uniform wood is lost on me. Just take a picture and glue it to the floor, or as its known in the trade Pergo.

I'm starting to agree with the "character" thing. Believe me, I'm leaving a lot of "character" on this floor now that the floor sander did not take everything to bare wood. But these stains are beyond character. They look like 'pee-maps.'

Frankie
06-19-2012, 11:37 AM
After listening to you, Phil and some others in this thead, when it comes time to redo my wood floors, I'm calling a pro.

"Listening?!" Has CP gone talkie?

:)

Steron
06-19-2012, 11:39 AM
I've have both. I had to replace the RotoZip once due to the bit locking mechanism breaking. Haven't had to replace the Dremel.