There are times when drilling small holes (under 1/16") using a hand-held pin vice gets tiring. I would like to purchase a chuck for my Dremel tool that can hold tiny drill bits. I assume there is one out there. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Thanks.
Modeling the D&H in 1984: http://dandhcoloniemain.blogspot.com/
It fits more models than they list, it fits my 8050, which has a lower speed than most models. I have not tried the tiniest of my microdrills in it, and suspect they would break. I think I ordered mine off Amazon.
https://www.dremel.com/en_US/products/-/show-product/accessories/4486-dremel-chuck
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
If you really want to put those bits in a dremel they go down to 1/32 and probably smaller if you look arround.
https://www.dremel.com/en_US/products/-/show-product/accessories/4485-quick-change-collet-nut-set
There is a reason for the pin vice and that's control. Most micro bits put into a Dremel will either break or you can easily drill too deep.
Gary
Thanks everyone!
RR_MelI use the same one as Henry and it will go down to a #80 drill,
Does it really go down to #80? Specs indicate down to 1/32, which is a #67. If it actually holds a #80 securely, I might get one.
Someone else mentioned collets. Yes these will go down to #80, and you can probably find ones that do smaller. My issue with them is that they are a 4-part jaw, instead of 3-jaw. Makes it very difficult to center the smaller bits properly. And it you can visibly see the end of the bit whipping around when you spin the holder, a broken bit is almost guaranteed.
It seems to me that Dremel has become a generic term for small motor tool.
Mine is a Crafstman, sold by Sears (oops) and my box of accessories is Jobmate, sold by Canadian Tire (in Canada).
Check at Lowes, Home Depot etc.
Dave
davidmurrayIt seems to me that Dremel has become a generic term for small motor tool.
Probably true. The chuck I linked to replaces the original chuck by screwing on. There is no reason to suspect different manufacturers use the same thread pitch to attach their chucks. It's not even clear that a Dremel chuck fits all their own Dremel models
This is what I think is by far the best solution...
.
I buy all my miniature drill bits with 1/8" shanks. I can change from size-to-size in seconds. Makes model building life a pleasurable breeze.
I suggest you look at this as a possible solution. No need for small collets, no need to change collets.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I bought a cheapo pin vise on eBay which came with bits from 61 to 80 but it wouldn’t hold them. But my old cordless Dremel MiniMite model 750 came with a collet small enough to hold any of them. I use it to drill holes to apply grab irons and MU hoses to Athearn blue box locomotives and Walthers passenger cars. It is 1/32.
https://www.dremel.com/en_US/products/-/show-product/accessories/483-1-32-collet
I don't break bits because I am drilling into plastic which is pretty soft and I use a push pin as a scratch awl to make a dent where the hole will be drilled. Also my cordless Dremel can go pretty slow especially when the battery is getting low.
RR_Mel Maxman Because I do a lot of scratch building I have a pretty good selection of chucks. Most are ¼” hex shaft to fit my lower RPM drills. ......The long shaft in the micro chuck is a .02" steel rod for drilling basswood, flexible and doesn't break. I have a three round shaft set of chucks (eBay) but I rarely use them. I made an adapter for my Dremel Drill Press to hold a low RPM Black & Decker 4 volt drill/screwdriver with a ¼” hex chuck for drilling precision holes.
As I read the replies to this post, I was thinking the same thing, Wayne. For freehand drilling, a battery-operated electric screwdriver is just the ticket. However, I bought one of MM's "High Torque 1/4" Drills," along with a variable speed power supply, 'way back when, to work in places where I'd normally have to use a pin vise, impossible to use a full sized power drill. (I usually spot the hole's location with a scriber, start it with a pin vise, and finish the hole with the handy-dandy mini power drill.) I recently bought the matching drill press for really fine drilling work. BTW, with the 2-speed drive and the speed control, I've drilled dozens of holes for grab irons in in O scale styrene freight cars. I love it!
Deano
OT DeanFor freehand drilling, a battery-operated electric screwdriver is just the ticket.
This is my favorite tool for drilling. I believe it is the least expensive Moto-Tool that Dremel manufactures. It is only 4.8 volts. It has two speeds, slow and slower. It is also very low torque.
What makes it "too cheap" for other applications makes it perfect for drilling very small holes. It will bind up before it snaps most drill bits, and it you are just a little careful, it turns slow unough not to melt plastic. It will drill into soft "white metal" with only moderate difficulty.
I love it. This is my third one. They only last a couple of years with my heavy use.
Hello all,
Check out Micro Mark- -they have several versions and one that closes to zero!
Universal Chuck
Micro Drill Chuck
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
The bad thing is those tiny drills are very fragile and chucking them into a dremel is a recipe for breaking them. You have MUCH more control if you chuck them into a pin vise and be careful.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
riogrande5761The bad thing is those tiny drills are very fragile and chucking them into a dremel is a recipe for breaking them.
I use a Harbor Freight Tools variable speed rotary tool mounted in a Dremel Workstation with a Micro Mark Quick-Jaw Vice.
With this setup everything is kept in alignment; no side loading the bit which causes breakage.
As has been said, "Let the bit do the work." Applying too much pressure, even with this rig, can snap a bit or cause the bit to wander.
I always use pilot holes no matter the material being drilled. With small holes I use a center punch.
Be patient and take small bites. When drilling metal always use a cutting lubricant- -I use 3-in-One with great results.
Believe you me I have snapped my share of drill bits up to and including 1/2-inch ones!
On a different forum, I complained about breaking my #78, 79, and 80 drill bits, and someone suggested I buy this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Tamiya-74041-Craft-Tools-Electric-Handy-Drill-Japan-/141738945159?hash=item21004caa87:g:AA4AAOSw1ZBUrgV1
Apparently one can modify a Dremel collet to work with them.
I use a pin vise for tiny drill bits.
If the collet is not tight enough, I put the base of the tiny drill bit in tiny insulation stripped from tiny wire. Then, I tighten the collet. The tiny drill bit does not slip when I do that.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
I'm with Gerry on tiny drills, experience has show me pin vice is best.