Dremel - your thoughts plse!

The Minister for Everything has decided she wants a Dremel in the house :cheerleader:

It would never have worked if I'd said I'd wanted one for general home maintenance (and for working on my Viffer :wink: ) but because she's busy with her jewelry making and God knows what else and "needs" some of the utility attachments it's apparently suddenly okay to spend the $s!! :dry:

Anyway, to my question, who likes what configuration? Cordless or not? 300 series or 400 series? Any other Dremel advice welcome! :happy:

Thx in advance ladies and gents!

[image: View Post]TexOz, on 29 October 2010 - 03:38 AM, said:

The Minister for Everything has decided she wants a Dremel in the house :cheerleader:

It would never have worked if I'd said I'd wanted one for general home maintenance (and for working on my Viffer :wink: ) but because she's busy with her jewelry making and God knows what else and "needs" some of the utility attachments it's apparently suddenly okay to spend the $s!! :dry:

Anyway, to my question, who likes what configuration? Cordless or not? 300 series or 400 series? Any other Dremel advice welcome! :happy:

Thx in advance ladies and gents!



I had lots of Dremels over the years. Get the variable speed one. The best attachment I have gotten for mine was the shaft extender, it's flexable and is about 2 feet long, makes it easier to work with. I also have the Cordless one which is good for short jobs but lacks the power of the corded variety, it runs out of juice quickly. If yo look at Harbor Freight they have lots of attachments for Dremels, I think I paid about $6 for a case full of various size stones and cut off wheels. You can spend a lot on those if you but name brand.
Mike

[image: View Post]wasmeneh, on 29 October 2010 - 04:16 AM, said:

I had lots of Dremels over the years. Get the variable speed one. The best attachment I have gotten for mine was the shaft extender, it's flexable and is about 2 feet long, makes it easier to work with. I also have the Cordless one which is good for short jobs but lacks the power of the corded variety, it runs out of juice quickly. If yo look at Harbor Freight they have lots of attachments for Dremels, I think I paid about $6 for a case full of various size stones and cut off wheels. You can spend a lot on those if you but name brand.
Mike


:fing02: Pretty much everything he said. I don't have expirence with the cordless version, but can agree with the variable speed and shaft extention being your best options. I'll have to check out Harbor Freight for the attachments, of course you probably don't have that in Oz.

My Dad bought me a corded Vari speed kit about 16 years ago - to this day I use it quite frequently. Great little tool!

Unless they have improved over the years, stay away from the cordless. Mine never had enough grunt for what I was doing and it ran out of juice early. Buy reinforced cut off wheels. The thin ones break way too easily.

I too have a 15+ year old corded variable speed and it still works great! Just remember the most important thing when using the Dremel is to wear your safety glasses and keep the sparks from the grinding wheel away from nearby flamable materials LOL !!


Rollin

I've got a corded one in the garage and 2 cordless ones I use for shapping custom molded ear plugs. If you plan to use it regularly at a desk or work bench, the corded one is probably your best option. I use the cordless ones at shows where I don't have power available. One pretty much lasts me all day, even at busy shows, then I recharge at night. Of course I'm not using them to grind away metal or anything either. The corded one is also lighter for extended periods of use.

[image: View Post]hondalover, on 29 October 2010 - 05:19 AM, said:

[image: View Post]wasmeneh, on 29 October 2010 - 04:16 AM, said:

I had lots of Dremels over the years. Get the variable speed one. The best attachment I have gotten for mine was the shaft extender, it's flexable and is about 2 feet long, makes it easier to work with. I also have the Cordless one which is good for short jobs but lacks the power of the corded variety, it runs out of juice quickly. If yo look at Harbor Freight they have lots of attachments for Dremels, I think I paid about $6 for a case full of various size stones and cut off wheels. You can spend a lot on those if you but name brand.
Mike


:fing02: Pretty much everything he said. I don't have expirence with the cordless version, but can agree with the variable speed and shaft extention being your best options. I'll have to check out Harbor Freight for the attachments, of course you probably don't have that in Oz.



:+1: corded w/ the flexi shaft. You can't go wrong w/ that.

Whatever you decide to buy, get two on the QT. Keep one for yourself in a drawer in the garage. Otherwise, you'll always be using "her" Dremel and if it breaks or gets lost it will be "your" fault. My wife isn't like that, but I understand they are out there.

I recently bought a corded one to cut holes in the sheet rock. Works great and enough power to go all day.
Also used it to cut some sheet metal in my truck. No problem.

I am generally not a fan of cordless things unless replacement rechargeable batteries last and can be purchased relatively cheap.
Latest lithium DeWalts are an exception. Freakin awesome.

Have 3 corded ones with variable speed so I don't have to change the bits out. One keeps a cut-off wheel, one has a grinding tool, and the other a cutting bit. One of the most used tool I own excluding the sockets, and screw drivers... and a hammer every now and then! Tried a cordless one and returned it... like someone else said, no power for heavy grinding jobs.

I recently picked up an angle grinder and a bench grinder, and I find I use them for a lot of things I used to use the dremel for. But when you need a dremel, there's nothing else like it.

Go big or go home!

Be careful ...............you can melt a windscreen with one of these.

As others have said, don't go cordless unless it is an additional tool...my main tool (Black and Decker version) finally died, and my cordless dremel is no replacement.

I have bench grinder, angle grinder (and getting at least 1 more to avoid changing wheels), band saw...all help reduce the dremel need, but as said before, when you need a dremel nothing replaces it.

+1... Corded / vari / extention.

http://www.google.co...ed=0CEgQ8wIwAw#

http://compare.ebay....mTypes&var=sbar

My two Dremels with the flex-shaft work great. I've also got a much bigger die grinder with a foot-switch which is very handy but they're also pricey. If you have a decent air compressor you might also consider an air powered die-grinder.

[image: View Post]Knife, on 29 October 2010 - 08:47 AM, said:

Whatever you decide to buy, get two on the QT. Keep one for yourself in a drawer in the garage. Otherwise, you'll always be using "her" Dremel and if it breaks or gets lost it will be "your" fault. My wife isn't like that, but I understand they are out there.

:happy: :happy: :happy:

My thx to everyone for their words - some excellent advice as per normal!

The oldest of my Dremels is 24 years old this year and is still going strong. I have a two others and a couple of small cordless ones as well. What I really want is to add a bench based Foredom Tool to the collection, they are expensive but built solid.

A big +1 to all the "go corded" comments. :fing02:

My first and only Dremel was a cordless one and I hate it. I tolerate it now because I don't use it much, but if I had to do all over again - definitely would get the corded one.

[image: View Post]elizilla, on 29 October 2010 - 11:31 AM, said:

But when you need a dremel, there's nothing else like it.


That might as well be their company slogan. :fing02:

Here's my trusty sidekick!
[image: Posted Image]

For those who may find the Dremel tool under sized for the job; Or work for longer periods of time with.powered rotary hand tools; you may want to look at www.foredom.net They are industrial grade machines with foot controlled speed, offering a lot more torque. Hence Dremel and somewhat larger burrs, drums, stones, etc. All of them on the end of a flexible drive shaft. You'd love it for porting multi-cylinder heads. Polishing nooks and crannies. R~

Since I bought my Dremel a couple of months ago, I use it a lot. I bought the 300 corded model. GREAT tool. Used it today to make a hole in the black plastic under my left grip to fit a switch for my Symtec grip heaters.

I've got one of the cheapy clone "rotary tools" which Bunnings (Aussie hardware store) sells for about $40. It's awesome - and even came with the flexi shaft and a table clamp to hold the Dremel on a hook while you work with the flexi shaft. A nice piece of kit.

[image: View Post]hondalover, on 29 October 2010 - 05:19 AM, said:

[image: View Post]wasmeneh, on 29 October 2010 - 04:16 AM, said:

I had lots of Dremels over the years. Get the variable speed one. The best attachment I have gotten for mine was the shaft extender, it's flexable and is about 2 feet long, makes it easier to work with. I also have the Cordless one which is good for short jobs but lacks the power of the corded variety, it runs out of juice quickly. If yo look at Harbor Freight they have lots of attachments for Dremels, I think I paid about $6 for a case full of various size stones and cut off wheels. You can spend a lot on those if you but name brand.
Mike


:fing02: Pretty much everything he said. I don't have expirence with the cordless version, but can agree with the variable speed and shaft extention being your best options. I'll have to check out Harbor Freight for the attachments, of course you probably don't have that in Oz.



I have a sears craftsmen brand. It is probably ten years old and works perfect.

Ditto on the other statements.

I think it's my wifes favorite tool and gets used a lot.

You didn't say what kind of jewelry. If it involves wet grinding or drilling, a cordless has the advantage of not being plugged into the wall - I've used one in a tray of water. An extension shaft will help keep a cord model away from the water, but the cordless is still safer.

Glenn

Edited: My personal Dremel is a plug-in, though, and Elizilla is right. If you need a Dremel, there's no substitute.

[image: View Post]TexOz, on 29 October 2010 - 03:38 AM, said:

... but because she's busy with her jewelry making and God knows what else and "needs" some of the utility attachments it's apparently suddenly okay to spend the $s!! :dry:

I have an actual Dremel and a Kawasaki multi tool (It's kwak green and came with a toolbox full of attachments 250 I think it was) Both are corded and they both work great, no functional differences between them really...the funny thing is the Kawasaki version was $29.00...the real Dremel was about $150.00.

[image: View Post]TexOz, on 29 October 2010 - 03:38 AM, said:

The Minister for Everything has decided she wants a Dremel in the house :cheerleader:

It would never have worked if I'd said I'd wanted one for general home maintenance (and for working on my Viffer :wink: ) but because she's busy with her jewelry making and God knows what else and "needs" some of the utility attachments it's apparently suddenly okay to spend the $s!! :dry:

Anyway, to my question, who likes what configuration? Cordless or not? 300 series or 400 series? Any other Dremel advice welcome! :happy:

Thx in advance ladies and gents!


Dremel 400 Series is an invaluable for cutting precisely and in small confined areas
Kevin in Atlanta
PS I like the mower blade attachment

i have this one http://www.canadiant...t.jsp?locale=en

Dremel 400 Series Rotary Tool Kit
2.0A

Variable speed: 5,000 to 35,000 rpm

High-performance rotary tool kit

Features three attachments and 55 accessories in their own integrated storage area

get a kit that has a lot of the stuff you would end up buying anyways.

Terry, I've had a Li cordless Dremel for eight years and it's still going strong, yes it does run out of grunt sometimes but usually I find that it's because I'm asking too much of it. I have a couple of 4" angle grinders, a bench grinder and a few corded and cordless drills that fill the gap.

Great tool! Someone mentioned getting reinforced cut-off wheels, I just fit two at a time and find that I rarely break them when I do this.

Haven't got a flexi extension but it's on the 'to buy' list.

The quick change chuck is a must.


I'd hit of flee markets or garage sales. I bought an older all black model 8 or so years ago and it still works like new and the bushes aren't even half worn. I can't justify the new models price unless you can get a good deal or a bunch of accessories with it.

[image: View Post]rangerscott69, on 04 December 2010 - 08:51 PM, said:

The quick change chuck is a must.


I'd hit of flee markets or garage sales. I bought an older all black model 8 or so years ago and it still works like new and the bushes aren't even half worn. I can't justify the new models price unless you can get a good deal or a bunch of accessories with it.

http://compare.ebay....mTypes&var=sbar