Dremel Tool?

I'm thinking of getting one of these, and these two models:
7800VB
395VX
are available in my local store. Very expensive at $120 USD for either model.

Can someone tell me more about them? What accessories and bits are useful, what are the largest diameter bits it will fit?

-YC

YC,
Have you considered a flexible shaft machine as well? Something like a FOREDOM ? I have been using these for years and really like the control you get with a foot peddle for varible speed and the motors have more horses than the hand held Dremels.

- Don

BTW, I posted a similar responce already to this but it got lost??!?

Don,

I have read about them in another thread a while back, but the price and un-availability in Australia means that I can't get it. But the Foredom does look very tempting. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Those two models of Dremel are double the price of prices on the net!

-YC

Ditto that- If you can afford it, get a Foredom flexible shaft machine. If you are going to do any serious craftswork it is worth it's weight in gold. Much more controllable than a Dremel, and it can do more.

It isn't quite as portable though, that is the only downside.

You can get a much cheaper "clone" flex shaft from Enco or Grizzly- They work OK in general but lack the power of a similarly rated Foredom, plus their hand pieces are under-engineered and heat up if you run them for more than a couple of minutes at a time.

I don't know about availability "Down-Under" though.

Any Dremel is better than nothing though. Adjustable speed is nice to have; You can use a felt wheel to polish plastics (flashlight lenses etc.)if you are really careful on the lowest speed but a single speed or high speed setting will melt it in a half second.

I don't like the cordless ones though. They may be handy for quick jobs away from an outlet, but are wimpy and won't do for anything but very light duty.. (the 9.6V may be OK, I've only used the 4.8 and 7.2V ones.)

Black and Decker (which I normally hate) also has a pretty decent dremel like tool, and about 30% lower price than the equivalent Dremel.

As far as bits- I probably have a thousand of them from felt buffs to standard aluminum oxide and silicon carbide, High speed steel to metal carbide and diamond. I don't use the AlOx or other "stone" grinders very often, but they are nice to have around, and you can shape them do do special tasks which is nice.

The replacable sanding bands work great for a lot of things, but wear out so fast that you spend a fortune on them--- I finally invested $25.00 for a set of six diamond (in metal) bands that fit the expandable rubber arbors and have done enough work with them to have used up $50.00 of the paper bands and they are still like new.

Oh, I almost forgot: I probably use more cutoff wheels than anything else. Super handy for all kinds of metal work.... I even use them to sharpen or re-form taps and dies. The real thin silicon carbide ones are better and cleaner to use than the standard Dremel brand emery/AlOx ones if you can find them.

And the rubberized abrasive wheels and points (Craytex is most common brand) are great for removing grind marks, pre- polish, and a lot of other stuff.

I have a 395. I bought it to do minor gunsmithing with, and it works well for that. I believe it takes up to a 1/8" bit. Most of the time I use a straight tungsten carbibe cutter - straight meaning it's not tapered, but the cutting flutes are spiral shaped. I also use different shaped silicon carbide cutters, too. The TC cutters are nice because they don't dull, and for some reason don't seem to clog as much when cutting plastic.

I've used a "zip" rotary tool bit in it to cut plywood with, and while this works, it's comes very close to burning out the motor. There's a reason that regular rotary tools for construction work are about 4 times bigger. I have a flex shaft, too, but honestly the tool itself is almost as small as the head of the flex shaft, so I rarely use it. A wire brush is handy, as are the little polishing wheels.

Whatever you do, wear glasses or safety glasses with this thing. If anything flies off, it'll be going pretty fast.

[ QUOTE ]
.... I have a flex shaft, too, but honestly the tool itself is almost as small as the head of the flex shaft, so I rarely use it....
Whatever you do, wear glasses or safety glasses with this thing. If anything flies off, it'll be going pretty fast.


[/ QUOTE ]

Good point about the safety glasses. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

As far as the hand-piece being big- I have handpieces for mine that are about the size of a fountain pen. I use them for delicate, precise work, but mostly I use the standard #30 chuck handpiece which is less than 1/2 the size of the average Dremel.

Of course this is all a moot point to Yclo who doesn't want to spend a lot of money. I've probably spent $500 on special handpieces alone over the last 15 years.

I have a #396, and a Flex Shaft .

A drill-press for it comes in handy a lot too. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Re: Dremel Tool? Pfingst?

another flexshaft company, more dental and jewelry oriented - they have a riveter handpiece which could come in handy..

http://pfingstco.com/about.htm

Re: Dremel Tool? Pfingst?

It depends on what you want to use it for.

My experiences with dremels is restricted to the user base of computer case modifiers. It has been known that the cutting disks/wheels wear out rather quick and could cost quite a small fortune if used for these purposes.

Re: Dremel Tool? Pfingst?

[ QUOTE ]
another flexshaft company, more dental and jewelry oriented - they have a riveter handpiece which could come in handy..

http://pfingstco.com/about.htm

[/ QUOTE ]

I've bought a couple of their products- They are cheaper than Foredom, but unless they have changed in the last couple of years, they use bushings instead of bearings in the handpieces. Me no like.

Foredom has hammer handpieces too. Fairly expensive, but sometimes they are the only tool for the job. I use mine rarely, but when I do, There is no other way that I can think of that would do the job.

Re: Dremel Tool? Pfingst?

I have a Proxxon tool - they are more common and cheaper than the Dremel tools here in Japan. I've also seen some in Australia. Huge variety of add-ons available..

Graham

Re: Dremel Tool? In OZ

Hi,

Just purchased a Dremel style tool last night from Bunnings in Melbourne for $59 - with desk stand and flex shaft and 40 accessories.

They have the real dremel, and 2 other clones.

Worth checking out !

Abe.

Re: Dremel Tool? In OZ

Thanks you guys for all the input, I'll have a look-see around somemore.

Abe,

$59? What was the name of that tool? There were some other cheaper ones but they were quite a bit smaller and did not seem to have as much power as the Dremel tool.

-YC

Re: Dremel Tool? In OZ

When I was back in Brisbane over Christmas I saw that Bunnings had a Dremel kit with flexible shaft (I think) and various accessories for around A$150 (or something like that - definitely under $200)

BigW had a Ryobi kit with flexible shaft for about $60 or so - I was interested in that one, but when I saw it in the shop I wasn't very impressed. I don't think it was variable speed, seemed a very basic unit.

With power tools, you really get what you pay for. I think its better to pay a bit extra and get something good quality. Especially where high speed spinning devices are concerned!

I was considering moving to a genuine Dremel from my Proxxon, but after doing some research came to the conclusion that the difference in quality (if any) wasn't worth it. The Dremel is a nicer colour though..

Graham

Re: Dremel Tool? Pfingst? bushings or bearings?

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
(original post; TedtheLed) another flexshaft company, more dental and jewelry oriented - they have a riveter handpiece which could come in handy..

http://pfingstco.com/about.htm

[/ QUOTE ]
(original post; Silviron)
I've bought a couple of their products- They are cheaper than Foredom, but unless they have changed in the last couple of years, they use bushings instead of bearings in the handpieces. Me no like.

Foredom has hammer handpieces too. Fairly expensive, but sometimes they are the only tool for the job. I use mine rarely, but when I do, There is no other way that I can think of that would do the job.

[/ QUOTE ]

Seems you were misinformed Silv. Here's an email I got from Pfingst in reply to the question of whether they use bushings or bearings in their handpieces.
I had assumed Pfingst was a more expensive (and therefore possibly superior) machine since I saw it being used by Leica camera repairmen.
How do these prices compare to the Foredom?

email from Pfingst;
----------
Ted:
the only handpiece's that use bushings (oillite bearings) are the 55 &
55D, which work well for slow speed intermittent use.
Price's:
55 hp $35.00
55D hp $37.00
88 hp 39.00
88D HP 47.00
330 HP 58.00
440 HP39.00
AC HP 180.00
ABD HP 195.00

HOPE THIS HELP'S
Karl
C.S. (PFINGST)
----------- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif

It's too bad that the Foredom isn't available in OZ. I've been using the same one for 20 years and have been quite satisfied.

Ted: I was basing my statement by owning and disassembling handpieces that I bought directly from them.

As I mentioned above, mine are old (10 years or more) and they might have changed since then (which apparently they did).

I don't have the info handy but from what I sort of remember the Pfingst prices you posted above are a little cheaper than the equivalent Foredom.