porting tools, electric or air?
 

what is better and why?

I've only used air myself, but I noticed the Exit13B used a dremel with a flexshaft to do his bp. Does a dremel have enough power? Does it overheat? It seems like with the flexshaft it would be a lot more comfortable, quieter, and easier to control the speed.


What about bits?
Does the dremel take die grinder bits? Anyone know a good, cheap source for bits? Not cheap bits because those suck, but high quality bits for less than retail.

Running an air die grinder was the excuse I was going to use to buy a big ass compressor:D Not that I need an excuse, but I like to justify these things:rolleyes:

-Dom

Dremels use Dremel-sized bits - the chuck is MUCH smaller than a standard die grinder's.

Figure this out - I had no problem doing my iron housings with a Dremel (sleazy 1-speed handheld jobbie) but it didn't have the power/speed to cut my exhaust ports, so I roughed them out with the air die grinder and did the finish work/polishing with the Dremel.

I have always been happy with the dremel for porting. peejay is right about the exhaust ports, simply because of the amount of material that needs to be removed. I never had problems with lack of power, but I finally broke the safety clutch in my 13 year old dremel in the middle of my last job. I replaced it with some fuel line, and RTV! I wasted a lot of money on expensive bits for the dremel, but it seems that stones are really the best for the job! For the aluminum, keep the speed down of the bits will clog CONSTANTLY. Make sure you get a multi-speed to help with this. The continuously variable speed ones are not necessary, since you will either set it all the way on or in the middle! The tungsten carbide bits do some nice damage to the aluminum, but are very easy to clog. The flexshaft is really the way to go, but it absorbs less vibration than the mass of the full dremel in your hand. After a few hours of grinding, you will find your hands 'buzzing' !! I really prefer the dremel to air though. Air grinders get COLD and produce lots of moisture unless you have a nice dryer on the line -- my seperator seems to suck at this. Just my preference though. Maybe if I bought a better air grinder than the $9.99 one at Walmart? :)