I need something that can cut down into a surface a fixed amount. Like a circular saw but tiny and precise. I’ve got a piece of 10mm ply on top of something else and I need to cut a piece from it without removing the whole lot.

There ‘s a tiny dremel saw attachment but I don’t know if it has a depth stop. There is also the router jig for it but that wont go up to an internal edge.

Ideas? Does that make sense?

Multi tool?

A multi cutter like the Bosche GOP SCE may do the trick. Has millimetres marked on the push blade so you can see how deep you are cutting.

Not knowing how precise you need to cut, but if you bought (say) a 22mm circular saw for a Dremel, and it had (say) a 2mm spindle, your max depth of cut could only be 10mm.

Problem is that I need to go right up to a wall. A hand tool would be preferable actually.. despite the thread title 🙂

Although.. hmm.. does the dremel saw have different sized blades?

?

Multi cutter is the tool for the job.
Fein ones are on offer at toolstop

Fein and things like Fein multicutters (Bosch do them in Blue and Green and corded and cordless varieties) would do the job, especially if its a reasonably short length of cut. The plunge blade is marked with increments rather having a stop though, so its a steady hand / eye thing

The blade vibrates almost imperceptibly to cut and is and is very safe to use – it’ll cut wood and steel but not meat and fingers – its the same kind of saw the gets used for removing plaster casts. Different attachments can be used for sanding and grout removal too so a good general fixing/renovating/bodging diy buy.

Otherwise an angle grinder and a thin blade (such as the ones for stainless steel) and some care would work too.

If you surf the shopping channels theres are dinky-bladed plunge cutting saw that pops up there, but not sure how close to an edge they cut.

If its a longer cut then the festool and maffel type saws can cut very close to an edge (but not flush) and can plunge and have a depth stop, and will cut a very straight, clean line (unlike the multi cutter which can hack things up a bit) but thats in the hire rather than buy price range

Those multi cutters look ace but not sure I can justify the expense..

hire one ?

Stanley knife with a new blade and a steel rule?

If its only a short cut then repeated strokes would do it.

Or a chisel + drill out the middle with depth stop. Forstner bits are good for removing material.

Can you not drill a series of small holes next to one another 10mm deep in the shape you require then use a stanley blade to break the bridges between each hole.

Cost= 1small drill bit+patience.

This worked out well in the end, £12. A bit of faff in places, due to access, but the did the job when coupled with a bit of force.