Dremel Tools

[Anonymous]

Hey everyone, I have a question regarding Dremel tools.

I hear them mentioned everywhere in the hobby press, but I haven't ever bit the bullet and purchased one...However I was looking at them online and was wondering what I need in a motor tool? The new XPS Dremel seems really cool, but at $80 it's more than I was wanting to spend. Any thoughts would be appriciated.

[orsonroy]

Dremel is a brand name. I've owned motor tools made by Dremel, Ryobi, and Black & Decker. They'll all do the same things about as well as one another, and they'll all use the same accessory cutter/sander/shaper heads. The only things the other manufacturers don't offer that Dremel does are the fancy add-ons like the drill press and the router head adapter. If you think you'll be using these accessories, go ahead and buy a Dremel. Otherwise, go less expensive and buy either the B&D (which offers some useful accessories like a flex shaft) or the Ryobi (which doesn't).

[Anonymous]

if you don't know if you need one then obviously you don't need one. I don't have a chain saw, a table saw, a dtich digger - because I don't need one! I do have a Dremel (actually 4) because I've used them to cut diesel chassis made from metal, ground out metal areas on models, cut track, etc. So I need one and use one. Your modeling may be different. Small hand saws work in many occasions, you may not need a powered tool.

Bob Boudreau

[SpaceMouse]

I got one of the battery powered Dremels so I could grind gun sights at the range. Never used it for that, but I have not found an application it couldn't handle.

[challenger3802]

I''ve got one of the own brand models, great for cutting track cleanly. I guess it can do other stuff but I doubt I'll use all the accessories included. And it cost under £15, compared with the over £60 for a Dremel.

Ian

[gvdobler]

I've had a Dremel for 30 some years. I wore one out and sent it to Dremel for a rebuild and they sent me a new one.

You'll never regret owning one.

George

[Anonymous]

I have one of the Black & Decker cordless equivelents which is great for cutting rail and cleaning wheels (rotary cutting disk and wire brush respectively). It's also good at removing huge chunks of plastic while kitbashing, though you do have to be careful - that cutting disk will go straight through plastic in seconds, regardless of whether you want it to or not!

[FJ and G]

For $9.99 at Harbor Freight you can get a Dremel-like rotary tool with 60 neat accessories that do what dremel does. Speed is set at around 17,000 rps, however and doesn't vary.

Still, if you can't afford dremel this is for you. I have a dremel but bought the set for its accessories, many of which cost $3 a piece if purchased separately.

[Anonymous]

I have three Dremel's one I purchased way back when and the second with variable speed which is great, (I won that one at an NMRA convention), and my wife gave me one of the cordless ones. I have used the cordless one for many uses and it has two speeds 5,000 and 10,000 rpm and it does most everything I need.

Rick

[Anonymous]

tHERE IS A ROTARY TOOL THAT I bought at Walmart a week ago. It was only $7 It just does not have many Speed variations. I also bought a Dremel too a while ago but having two rotary tools is all good to me. The $7 one has 60 accessories to it too.

Here is a picture of what it is

[IRONROOSTER]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jesionowski

I have three Dremel's one I purchased way back when and the second with variable speed which is great, (I won that one at an NMRA convention), and my wife gave me one of the cordless ones. I have used the cordless one for many uses and it has two speeds 5,000 and 10,000 rpm and it does most everything I need.

Rick

I, also, have 3 of them. The first one bought many years ago, then one that came with a flexible shaft attachment which that I leave always attached, and lastly the 10.8v battery model. They are all good. The battery model is really handy for working around the layout. I have the drill press attachement for the first one - don't use it often, but when I need it, it's great.

My recommendation is get the battery one.

Enjoy
Paul

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys...I've never had a need for one to this point, but thats because I've never built a layout! [;)] Now that I'm beginning to finish my layout room, my interest has sparked in one of these tools. I looked at Sears (where I have a gift certificate) and they carry 3 or 4 Craftsman brand tools and only the new XPS Dremel. Prices ranged for $30-$80. None however were battery powered...is the variable speed motor what I want? If so that limits my choices, which would be a good thing!

[Anonymous]

I have four Dremels, the variable speed has the flex shaft on it. The flex shaft never comes off. If I want to use a cutter with out the flex shaft I just get one of the others.

Bob

[Anonymous]

I have had a Dremel for a long long time and I love the thing, they are well worth the money

FAdkins
Route Rock

[cefinkjr]

I got a Dremel Model 800 Cordless Rotary Tool (the official model name) for Christmas and absolutely love it. Its rechargeable 10.8 volt lithium ion battery is incredibly light for the amount of power it puts out. I've used several other Dremels and would highly recommend this one. You can rationalize its cost by pointing out to your wife (or yourself) that it is extremely useful for lots of projects and is only incidentally a model railroad tool. Heck; they don't even mention model railroading in their advertising.

I had a Dremel for about 30 years before this one. It lost an argument with the garage floor so I replaced it. It still worked but the idea of the cooling fan turning at several thousand RPM less than an inch from my fingers kind of turned me off.

Chuck

[tomwatkins]

I've got two of them, and they are among my most useful tools. I don't use them everyday, but I can't imagine cutting rail gaps or hogging out a diesel chassis to make room for a big speaker and decoder with anything else. I recommend the variable speed models strongly. One other thing, Always wear eye protection! The cutting discs will shatter on you sometimes and the sharpnel will fly. Safety glasses or goggles are cheap insurance.
Have Fun,
Tom Watkins

[Jetrock]

About those $9.99 Harbor Freight moto-tools: They do the "same thing as a Dremel" in the same way that a paper grocery bag does "the same thing" as a suitcase: it'll do if you can't afford better, but not as well or as reliably.

I used my Dremel for assorted household repair, gunsmithing, leatherwork and assorted household grinding and cutting before I got back into model railroading. Since getting back into the hobby, it is definitely a frequently used tool--if I hadn't found a lightweight drill press at a garage sale I would have gotten the drill press attachment by now!

[Anonymous]

I don't quite agree with the statement that " If you don't know if you need one,then you don't need one." I think a rotary tool is one of the most useful tools for model railroading. I would recommend a variable speed model and also get a chuck for it. The collets in assorted sizes are too hard to keep up with and you have to match up the shaft size of the attachment bit with the collet. A chuck will hold all attachment sizes up to about 1/4". The variable speed helps match the tool up with the material. Plastics need lower speeds to keep from melting. Metals generally take higher speeds to cut and grind. I have a Dremel brand that has lasted 8 years. I can not speak for any of the others. I would say this would be a wise investment if you are building a layout and intend to stay in the hobby long.

[Anonymous]

I have two dremels and have NEVER regretted it. Not only will you use the crap out of it on a model railroad, it can be used on virtually every other repair/craft/fix you can think of. Dremel is very reliable and has superb customer service!

[PistolPete]

Dremels are great. Your can do almost anything, except hammer with them. I am looking at getting a cordless one for ease in use around the layout. I bought it for railroading but have really used it more around the house.

[cisco1]

Couldn't get along without my Dremels. Keep one with a flexshaft above the bench and a second for use out on the layout. Both are variable speed models. No regrets![:D][tup]

[Anonymous]

wes454
I may be wrong, but I think the craftsman brand rotary tools are made by dremel.

[Anonymous]

We (the wife and I) went to Wal-Mart last night and after reading and making a post yesterday I walked over to the hardware section and low and behold they had a Dremel, with a short flex shaft and bits for only $59.95 ( those damn prices, why not call it $60.00?) I think that this would be a good first time buy.

I use mine all over the house ie: when the house first settled and the door wouldn't latch - just work on the opening with the dremel. I can't imagine how to get along with out one.

Bob

[Anonymous]

Thanks again guys! This is what I wanted to hear! I may wait a little while to see if one goes on sale somewhere, but I think I'll definaty be picking one up!

dkelly, I noticed that there was a Craftsman tool that looked EXACTLY like the Dremel XPS. They didn't have any other Dremel models to compare with the Craftsman ones, but I would have to say that the at least the top end Craftsman tool is made by Dremel.

[tpatrick]

What was that??!!! You can't hammer with a Dremel?? Now you tell me!![:(]

[Bikerdad]

The Craftsman rotary tools have been made by Dremel, Black and Decker, and Ryobi, over the course of time. Who is making it currently I don't know, although the country of origin may give you a hint. IIRC, the Dremel XRP is Made in Mexico, don't know about the B&D or Ryobis.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Jetrock

--if I hadn't found a lightweight drill press at a garage sale I would have gotten the drill press attachment by now!

I have the drill press and I'm not too impressed with it. The problem is that under any kind of real load, such as drilling metal, the frame that holds the motor tends to flex to the left. If the job requires precision drilling, forget it, or go VERY slowly. If an error of a 1-2 hundredths is good enough, go for it. For precision drilling, I go with the 1/2" drill press.

[ben10ben]

I have a two-speed thats about 4 years old, and I've used the heck out of it in that amount of time. I'm really hoping for a variable speed sometime this year, as I've since had a few projects that required much more precise control of speed than I can get out of the two speed model.

Mine has seen work polishing metals, cutting track, removing rust, cutting screws, and plenty of other things that I never thought I could use it for, but have since. I've never really seen any of the other rotary tools advertised, and, as such, have only used Dremel accesories, although they are a tad bit expensive($5 for 20 heavy-duty cut-off wheels the last time I bought some, and $3 for a steel wire brush). Mine has not given me one bit of trouble, and, as I said, I've used it quite a bit.

Although the battery ones may work well, the higher speeds of a corded one are essential if you ever need to cut steel or other such metals, which I quite freqently have to when working with track and engines. Lower speeds will get the job done, but take a whole lot longer. The tool also has more of a tendency to catch, bind, or jump when turning at lower speeds doing these jobs, which, if accuracy is needed, can really throw off your work.