The Dremel (or clone ) Owners Club

[derekmac]

That doesn't prevent you from taking a pic lol JR

I'm about 1000 miles from it right now in Maine so is that good enough for you for now JR?

Sent from the Millennium Falcon via AG-2G quad laser cannons

You're a little early for the Maine meetup Terry.


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[MadPlumbarian]

That doesn't prevent you from taking a pic lol JR

I'm about 1000 miles from it right now in Maine so is that good enough for you for now JR?

Sent from the Millennium Falcon via AG-2G quad laser cannons

hmmm, I'll have to think of it! JR

[stealth007s]

There's a Maine meetup?¿?


Sent from Terry's Texting Tool

[lowtech]

I let my son borrow my corded Dremel for a guitar restoration and he brought it back telling me, "you know this thing only works when you squeeze it?" It did work fine before I let him use it


Sent from the Millennium Falcon via AG-2G quad laser cannons

I know a little about tool metamorphosis myself... My Dremel clone came back to me making strange noises in it´s bearings and smelling of burnt insulation and plastic. Apparaently, it did so before I lend it out. 

I now own a Dremel which does not leave my shop and i repaired the clone with new brusches and bearings as a borrowing tool.

[Sparky415]

I let my son borrow my corded Dremel for a guitar restoration and he brought it back telling me, "you know this thing only works when you squeeze it?" It did work fine before I let him use it


Sent from the Millennium Falcon via AG-2G quad laser cannons

I know a little about tool metamorphosis myself... My Dremel clone came back to me making strange noises in it´s bearings and smelling of burnt insulation and plastic. Apparaently, it did so before I lend it out.  I now own a Dremel which does not leave my shop and i repaired the clone with new brusches and bearings as a borrowing tool.

That happens a lot when you lend out tools 


This might be of interest to some of you Dremelers

http://www.dremelheroes.com/?gclid=CPzzsYOa1LwCFeKWtAodoScAOQ

[Toolslinger]

I have a Mastercraft Dremel Clone. Does what I need it to do and was dirt cheap to boot (hooray for weekly specials). Managed to pick up a large variety of attachments for it on sale as well. Makes it a versatile hobby tool.

[Aloha]

Added another Dremel to my tools today.  I got this one for $7 as it was missing all the accessories and the front cap.  It works fine and my other dremel has complementary parts so I should be good to go.  I'll check the brushes at another time but when tested it ran fine thru all speeds. 

[MadPlumbarian]

Nice score!
JR

[derekmac]

Sweet score for $7!!! 

[Aloha]

Thanks  , everything looked good on it so for the price I couldn't pass on it.  I like the variable speed on this model. 

[Corwyn]

Ow... I didn't realize I'm part of this club too. Just got some nice new accessories for it from China:

[NKlamerus]

I have 2. A 7700 cordless from wally world and a plug in version as well.

The cordless 7700 is totally shot. Actually an insult to dremel, the battery never hooked in correctly, lacked any amount of respectable torque, and never lasted for more than 5 minutes on high.

The corded version is the go-to.

Anyone find a specific good deal on accessories?

Especially the new quick disconnect cutting blades

[Corwyn]

http://www.[url=http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,55947.0.html]SPAMCORP.com/Wholesale-Power-Tool-Parts-c-3078.html[/url]

[danilo]

I didn't realize there was a post like this here until now!
I'm in with a clone that's better than the original (or at least costs more than the original  ) the proxxon ibs/e

http://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/28481.php

I've also a bunch of extra stuff for it, a stand

http://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/28600.php?list

a table for the stand:

http://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/27100.php?list

a shaft:

http://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/28620.php?list

and a vise

http://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/28608.php?list

and of course some bits.

I have used it for some small stuff, but I still have to justify the cost of it with some nice work...

The tool and the accessories are mostly made of metal (the tool has some plastic part, probably to reduce weight, but the accessories are all-metal). It's very nice!!

[Gerhard Gerber]

Hi

Thread revived I guess 

I've been using a borrowed Dremel for the past 2 weeks, it's a mint condition oldie, can't find a date but I doubt it's from this century.......very good.

I got my own Ryobi on Thursday, jury is still out but definitely some of the bits that shipped with it are not up to standard.

I also missed the speed control setting at first, that makes a huge difference.

[danilo]

yes, the general consensus about clones is that you may want to buy them to save some money, but you should go for the real deal when it comes to bits. They last longer (provided you learn how to use them... I know what I'm talking about ) and in the end save you money.

Danilo

[jzmtl]

I didn't realize there was a post like this here until now!
I'm in with a clone that's better than the original (or at least costs more than the original  ) the proxxon ibs/e

http://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/28481.php

I've always wanted that one to replace my clones. But as you said they are expensive! A dremel 4000 kit came up for half the price of the proxxon, so I ended up going with it instead, although I can't say it's actually any better made than the cheaper clones. 

[danilo]

I've always wanted that one to replace my clones. But as you said they are expensive! A dremel 4000 kit came up for half the price of the proxxon, so I ended up going with it instead, although I can't say it's actually any better made than the cheaper clones. 

well in Italy the difference in price between the dremel and the proxxon is not that much, with dremel you get some extra accessory for a similar price so it wasn't
that much more expensive. also there's a cheaper proxxon model as well.

the dremel has several accessories (so many!) that proxxon doesn't have and on which they won't fit, but I thought I'd prefer quality material over them

[jzmtl]

I've always wanted that one to replace my clones. But as you said they are expensive! A dremel 4000 kit came up for half the price of the proxxon, so I ended up going with it instead, although I can't say it's actually any better made than the cheaper clones. 

well in Italy the difference in price between the dremel and the proxxon is not that much, with dremel you get some extra accessory for a similar price so it wasn't
that much more expensive. also there's a cheaper proxxon model as well.

the dremel has several accessories (so many!) that proxxon doesn't have and on which they won't fit, but I thought I'd prefer quality material over them

If they were similar in price I would go with proxxon assuming it actually has less shaft runout, the dremel attachments are mostly gimmick, I don't think I've ever used them and probably won't in the future.

[Mercury]

Added another Dremel to my tools today.  I got this one for $7 as it was missing all the accessories and the front cap.  It works fine and my other dremel has complementary parts so I should be good to go.  I'll check the brushes at another time but when tested it ran fine thru all speeds.

I believe this is the model I have, and it's an awesome tool.  I couldn't do without it.  Nice score!

[mr626]

I currently own a 'clone' and it gets a lot of use. Planning to upgrade to the real thing this year sometime.

[jzmtl]

I currently own a 'clone' and it gets a lot of use. Planning to upgrade to the real thing this year sometime.

Honestly unless your clone is a really cheap one, I wouldn't. My $40 clone works about as well as my dremel 4000 "upgrade". The latter has constant speed controller, which is nice, but that's about it. The most important part, shaft runout is about the same on both.

[mr626]

I currently own a 'clone' and it gets a lot of use. Planning to upgrade to the real thing this year sometime.

Honestly unless your clone is a really cheap one, I wouldn't. My $40 clone works about as well as my dremel 4000 "upgrade". The latter has constant speed controller, which is nice, but that's about it. The most important part, shaft runout is about the same on both.

Thanks for the advice, but mine is a 'really cheap' one. It really will be an upgrade.

[eldorf.dragonsbane]

I might as well jump in head first for my first post.

Been part of this club for a while know. My first rotary tool was a Black and Decker Wizard VP940 (Cordless, used the versapak batteries), which I used for 2 or 3 years before it croaked.

My second rotary tool was/is a cheapo Harbor Freight single speed that I bought about 10 or so years ago, it still works and I still use it on occasion (most recently the other day to do some engraving in some stones since I  have more diamond tipped engraving bits that are 3/32" shafts and my newer rotary tool doesn't have a collet that will hold them yet).

The newer one I just got back in October, also from Harbor Freight. This one is a variable speed rotary tool and can accept attachments such as a flex shaft, the Dremel Plunge Router attachment, the Dremel Blade sharpener attachments,, etc... I have the flex shaft, and the mini saw attachment along with router bits on the top of my to buy list so I can build the table saw/router/shaper over on instructables. I have the improvised safety guard from instuctables along with a bunch of the bottle cap cutting blades (to cut plastic rods and plastic model sprues for use in miniature wargaming kitbashes). I have also made a number of abrasive buffing wheels from some green scouring pads.

I plan on getting the Harbor Freight Cordless Variable Speed Rotary Tool in addition to the two tools I already have. Thisb one will be mainly used when I am not at home or near a power outlet.

Will try to get pics posted as soon as I can.

[captain spaulding]

I nearly destroyed my Dremel a while back trying to get a tool out of the chuck. I wrenched on it for 15 minutes and even got the pliers out to hold the bottom down. Turns out I was tightening not loosening.  I have no idea why I did this as I have never been so idiotic about something like that. It still works, but is acting strange. I don't trust it to hold a bit properly. I'm such a idiot. 

[eldorf.dragonsbane]

I nearly destroyed my Dremel a while back trying to get a tool out of the chuck. I wrenched on it for 15 minutes and even got the pliers out to hold the bottom down. Turns out I was tightening not loosening.

Ouch, was it the keyless chuck or the stock collet and collet nut? Only experience I have right now is with the collet and collet nut, though I do have the keyless chuck (along with the flex shaft, mini saw, extra bits for engraving, carving and grinding etc...) on my rotary tool items get with tax returns list, the cordless rotary tool might be thrown on that list  (bonus is the one from Harbor Freight I am looking at comes with a flex shaft, so if I order one I will have two, one for each tool).

Just need to find someone I know who has the tools for wood working since I have the Shopnotes Plans for the Rotary Tool Cabinet (Issue 124) and the Rotary Tool Storage Case (issue 67). I just don't know yet what one I would want to build, probably the cabinet, though I would be probably putting a handle on it like the storage case so I could take it on the go. If I leave out the dust box on the bottom, the space where it slides in looks like it is a bit larger then the Table Saw/Router/Shaper table (will hence forth call it the 3-in-1 table for ease of typing) that I grabbed the plans for off of Instructable (which if reading the plans correctly you can using only a rotary tool, a screwdriver and a hobby/x-acto knife, if you have the place where you purchase the wood cut it to size), if this is the case and I do built the cabinet, the dustbox space will be for the 3-in-1 table (the side extension will probably be stored elsewhere if I do use the dust box slot as for 3-in-1 table.

[eldorf.dragonsbane]

as promised the pics of my rotary tools, had to retake them as the originals where 5+MB each.

The first pic is of the old single speed rotary tool from Harbor Freight, this was about about 12 years ago (2003 or so), and still runs, though after dropping it on a hard floor it is a little louder now. Currently this is the tool I use for engraving since all my engraving bits are 3/32" shafts, and the collets for this won't fit into the newer rotary tool as they have a larger outer diameter then the newer tools collets.

The second pic is of the newer rotary tool, also from Harbor Freight, this one as previously mentioned was purchased Oct. 2015. This is one while it does have two engraving bits that came with it, is used for cutting sanding, buffing and polishing. Have used this to cut a padlock that had the key break off in it off of a trailer, cutting parts of of pewter gaming miniatures for kitbashing into new poses, sharpening my hunting/survival knife's blade, sharpening a hand ax and a machete, polishing some old silver, and trimming the nails of my parents dogs. Whats nice about this tool is it can accept the Dremel attachments like the router base, flex shaft, blade sharpening guides, etc...

The third pic is of some homemade items for the new rotary tool, the instructions were found over on Instructables. They are bottle cap cutting wheels (using these for cutting balsa wood, plastic rods and plastic model sprues for use in wargame scenery building/kitbashing) and a cutting shield  for use with the actual store bought cut-off wheels. I also have a bunch of abrasive buffing wheels made out of the green Scotch Bright scouring pads.

[eldorf.dragonsbane]

Since my Brothers Dremel 3000 has a stripped Shaft Lock pin (along with the lock holes on the shaft having grooved going from each hole from the shaft lock pin gouging them), I currently have all his accessories, and his Multi-purpose Cutting attachment.

Tried the Multi-Purpose Cutting attachment  on my Chicago Electric Variable Speed Rotary Tool, to confirm that I can use Dremel attachments on the Rotary Tool without any problems, it fits perfectly. This is good news since I ordered the Dremel Lawnmower, Garden Tool and Chainsaw Sharpening Kit (Dremel item/model #A679-02) along with a Flex Shaft (non-Dremel flex shaft).

I also took the two collets I have for the Single Speed rotary tool I have and using the variable Speed rotary tool with the sanding drum and a sanding band, I have ground the outside diameter of the shaft of the two collets down enough for them to fit into the variable speed rotary tool (they still work in the single speed , which will now be used as an emergency backup rotary tool). So i know have the 1/8th in collet and the 1/16th in collet that came with the variable speed tool, along with the 3/32" collet and the 1/32" collet from the single speed tool that I can use in the variable speed tool (which means I can now use all the diamond tipped engraving cutters that have a 3/32" shaft that I have in the variable speed tool).

Also including pics, one of the Multi-Purpose Cutter attachment on the variable speed tool and one of my handiwork on the two collets from the single speed tool.

[temo]

I start to have so much dremel spare parts for my clone that easy to move to dremel some day. Diamond disc is cheap one though.

[eldorf.dragonsbane]

I start to have so much dremel spare parts for my clone that easy to move to dremel some day. Diamond disc is cheap one though.

(Image removed from quote.)

While nice, Dremels to me are over priced, especially when the clones do the same job and perform just the same (in some cases they can perform better). Same goes for the accessories, when buying the Dremel brand ones you are paying for the name, it doesnt matter if the sanding bands are Dremel or a no name 3rd party, they perform the same (even if you use a couple 3rd party bands for every 1 Dremel band I still view it as a better option financially as you can get 100 3rd party bands for roughly $10 where the Dremel bands are about $8 for 6 bands). Same goes for other consumables such as cutting discs, sanding discs, felt polishing wheels, etc... Right now I have coming from China an order of 60 sanding bands with drum mandrels (they are 80 grit. 20 are 1/2", 20 are 3/8" and 20 are 1/4" along with 1 drum mandrel for each band size) that I payed $2.55 on the way (along with a flex shaft) and when my tax return comes in I will be ordering additional rotary tool accessories, such as polishing wheels, a couple accessory sets (such as a 216pcs set that includes 4 spare collets and a spare combination wrench tool, and a 90pcs felt polishing wheel kit that has a selection of 1' wheels. 1/2" wheels, points, mandrels, and polishing compound).

On another not I did discover that while Harbor Freight doesnt offer replacement carbon motor brushes I can use the Dremel 90930-04 Carbon Motor Brushes (the ones used in the Dremel 3000) in my Rotary Tool. Discovered this when I had my brothers Dremel 3000 apart to see what parts he would need to replace, and decided to compare the motor brushes, as they looked to be the same size (other then the height due to wear from usage) put both of his tools brushes into my tool to see if they would work.