Thread: anything better then a dremel?

Proxxon - your welcome.

Originally Posted by .RC.

Are there any small rotary tools out there better then a Dremel...

My third Dremel has just decided to let the magic smoke out and now it just runs slow and sparks, no the brushes are good...... These things are pathetic.. I do not use them that hard but they die so quickly.... My first one lasted a fair while... My second one about two months (but I lost the receipt of purchase ) and now it's replacement has died after a couple of years...

They are crap.... Need something better...

I've only had one Dremel tool... It lasted 14 months and the motor shed the commutator. So I took the motor out of my old no name Chinese one that the speed control had blown up in. Much to my suprise the motors were virtually identical. I had to use a modified spring to couple the input and output shafts together !
That still works after three years.

Whilst on holiday in Italy recently I picked up a 12 volt version for 10 Euro from Lidl. It runs from either the supplied transformer or a 12 volt DC power source. Great for working on my van.

BaronJ

Originally Posted by jhovel

I agree with the previous posts wholeheartedly. I use and really like the micro air grinder. But I also got a small (Makita type) edge trimmer and have used the flexible shaft that came with my Dermel kit. That provides about the se speed as the Dremel but with power to spare.

Cheers,
Joe

Joe,

Thanks for the tip about using the Makita trimmer to drive a Dremel flexible shaft. I use one of these with a 1/4" collet as the cutter drive on the Blanchard lathe, where it receives very little use at the moment. I also have a dead Chinese Dremel copy with all the accessories, so will give your suggestion a try if I can find a 3 mm/ 1/8" collet for it - sounds like an excellent idea.

Regards,

Frank.

Frank,
I couldn't easily find a 1/8" collet and so made a parallel sleeve to suit and cut one side of it through. Worked well for the past several years...

Cheers,
Joe

I bought one on EvilBay this morning. Not the flash 4 bearing unit but I will see how this goes. I have been meaning to make up a tool post holder for the dremel for ages but it always seemed too hard to do and never enough time. It will be easy with this one. The dremel actually belongs to SWMBO although she has never used it. I would prefer not to break it tho cos I will still cop it! I have used an item with a 1/4 inch collet which was called a spiral saw, made by GMC. It is actually a small router but could not be called that because the router base which can be exchanged for other bits such as circle cutting guide, hand guide etc is pretty basic and lacks accuracy. It has a 500w motor tho and beats the pants off the dremel for power. Only 1 speed.

Dean

Originally Posted by jhovel

Frank,
I couldn't easily find a 1/8" collet and so made a parallel sleeve to suit and cut one side of it through. Worked well for the past several years...

Cheers,
Joe

Joe,

Thanks for that - I'll do the same.

Frank.