What Do You Use Your Dremel For?

[cerbera147]

After a bit of chat elsewhere I thought I post this up for inspiration

I recently got one of these; a Dremel copy. So far so good.

But what do you use yours for? This thing has to earn its keep 

[Chako]

Oh man...a Dremel is the true multi-tool of the hand tool world.

You won't find it hard to think of things you can do with it. Unfortunately, it also has about 1000+ extras you can get for it to expand the tools horizons.

I have used mine in leather working, steel cutting, grinding, cleaning, buffing, wood working, detailing, and the list goes on and on…

I have several, and one is always docked in the drill press accessory with a set of tiny drill bits and sanding disks near by.

[nuphoria]

Dental work on small children mostly 




Nah... I just tinker with stuff like grinding and polishing etc

[Neil]

Mine mainly get used when working on SAKs.  The cut-off discs are great for doing clean chops of brass rod before peening.

[BlueDot]

Nice kit Cerbera.  I used mine last weekend to cut a muffler clamp off my truck.  The cutoff disk (?) with burlap sides does great for that type thing.  Just keep up a high speed/slow feed.
Turns out there was more wrong with the tailpipe than I thought...  Oh well.

[jekostas]

I waved a Delica 3 with one.  It... didn't go so well.

Also, drilled out a spot on a friend's Juice S2 so he could fit a thumbdisk in for OHO.  That worked better.

[parnass]

I've used a Dremel rotary tool with a cutoff disk to:

• Cut stainless steel antenna rods
• Shorten screws, snaps
• Cut a slot in the shaft of a screw in which the head broke off so I could remove the screw using a screwdriver
• Cut a slot in the head of a security screw
• Cut through padlocks
• Cut a nail nick into the blade of a Schrade lockback knife
• add gimping (ridges) to the blade of a Buck pocket knife
• etc.

[Zed]

modding bits for my wave
altering watch cases,
modding bicycle parts,
custom diecast cars,
and lots of other things around the house, great little tools 

[Styerman]

Never been a Dremel fan , just use a die grinder , and a 41/2 " angle grinder . I would be all over one if they still made a truly heavy duty version .

Chris

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have a store brand one (Mastercraft) and I have put more than a few miles on it.  I have used it for cutting drywall, modding SAKs and multis, and pretty well everything else.  I even recently made a cocobolo wood case for a flash drive when the plastic case it was in broke.

Def

[Zed]

I find then useful for little jobs, like i just turned a 22mm ss watch bracelet into a 21mm  

[Neil]

I have a store brand one (Mastercraft) and I have put more than a few miles on it.  I have used it for cutting drywall, modding SAKs and multis, and pretty well everything else.  I even recently made a cocobolo wood case for a flash drive when the plastic case it was in broke.

Def

Do we get to see pics of the case please?

[Sparky415]

Guys don't forget to use safety specks 

I have had loads of the cut off blades explode in my face 
(maybe its trying to tell me something) 

[Neil]

I sometimes manage to use up the Dremel originals all the way but the third party ones shatter all the time.  In fact I don't bother buying those any more, false economy  

I'm a great believer in full face shields rather than specs.  Specs protect your all important eyes but extracting metal shards from your cheeks and foreheads is no fun really

I wear one of these..

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have a store brand one (Mastercraft) and I have put more than a few miles on it.  I have used it for cutting drywall, modding SAKs and multis, and pretty well everything else.  I even recently made a cocobolo wood case for a flash drive when the plastic case it was in broke.

Def

Do we get to see pics of the case please?

I'll get some pics up shortly.  I should actually give credit where it's due here too.

Some time ago Zack listed a Spyderco Q for sale- I believe it was part of the Philippines Flood Relief Auction.  I have been wanting a Q for a while, and I bid on it, the Micah (Whoey) outbid me for it, but had it sent to me anyway as a gift.  When the package arrived, Zack had also included a 4g flash drive as a bonus.  It had a neat sliding case that protected the plug, but while using it at work, the slider got somewhat broken.  Since my boss seems to eat flash drives, I considered myself lucky that it came back, and I also can't afford to get rid of any flash drives that are still functional since they disappear a lot.  So, I decided to crank out a new case.  Out came some of my cocobolo that was listed on EDCSource, and I started carving.

I'm not a great wood carver, but it's functional and protects the drive's all important guts!

Def

[SlackOne]

I've done a lot of plastic shaping with mine (used to do models), cut metal, recently reshaped a SAK backspring, a few other things.

Mine isn't a Dremel, though.  It's a Craftsman Minitool, which is really a rebranded German hobby tool (also goes by Microlux).  It came in a set with an adorable assortment of scale modelling stuff...a small high-torque drill, mini disk sander, normal sander, router, and eensie jigsaw that can be clamped upside down and used as a Smurf-scale table saw.  They all share a variable power converter, and several of them will plug into it at once, sharing a speed adjustment dial.  Though the normal sized tools we have around are used more, these things have been quite convenient for a number of small projects.

[jekostas]

I have a store brand one (Mastercraft) and I have put more than a few miles on it.  I have used it for cutting drywall, modding SAKs and multis, and pretty well everything else.  I even recently made a cocobolo wood case for a flash drive when the plastic case it was in broke.

Def

While I have some reservations about Canadian Tire, the one thing they consistently do right is they do not skimp on the quality of the Mastercraft stuff.

[evil510]

The question for me is, what don't I use my Dremel for. I use mine for countless tasks just about every day. I have burnt out more dremels over the years than I can count. While they have the speed, most all of them lack torque and can be stopped rather easily when put under a decent load. There has only been one model that has been able to keep up with my demands and that is the Dremel Advantage. Granted, it is about three times the size of a standard Dremel, but, running at about 4.5+ amps, this is the mack daddy of the Dremel line-up. Plenty of speed and more importantly... torque. Case and point, I have used air die grinders for years to port engine heads and to cut metal panels for bodywork. This model is essentially an electric die grinder and have since used this 99% of the time instead of my air die grinder. There are other electric die grinders out there on the market, however, most do not have any provision for a flex shaft. This model, combined with a flex shaft, has proven invaluable to me. If you find your average Dremel or rotary tool bogs down and cannot cope with your demands, I recommend you give this one a try.....  

~ evil ~

[parnass]

... There has only been one model that has been able to keep up with my demands and that is the Dremel Advantage. Granted, it is about three times the size of a standard Dremel, but, running at about 4.5+ amps, this is the mack daddy of the Dremel line-up. ....

Dremel has discontinued their Advantage tool.   Sounds like it was a great performer.

[evil510]

Dremel has discontinued their Advantage tool.   Sounds like it was a great performer.

Mine has been working like a champ for years, other than replacing motor brushes. I do not baby my tools and probably would have gone through five regular dremels already. I was unaware that they had discontinued this model. A shame really, if you ask me. I am literally purchasing another off of eBay while writing this post before they become extinct

[Chako]

There are dremel like tools made specifically for wood carvers that feature a larger motor and a flex shaft. I have one of these and love it for its power.

[MultiMat]

My Dremel is starting to make odd 'I might just die' noises when using the flexi-shaft  .

Very handy tool & I have taken a bit of stick from mates for saying how much I love my Dremel.

[parnass]

There are dremel like tools made specifically for wood carvers that feature a larger motor and a flex shaft. I have one of these and love it for its power.

Foredom is one brand which comes to mind and they are used by jewelers, too.  The Foredom line is in a higher price bracket, though.   

[eodtech]

I have a corded 395 and a 10.8 cordless and a RotoZip which is a Dremel on steroids. Dremel attachments I have a Moto Flex cable and the vice/stand.

They get a workout from polishing metal. cutting rusted nuts off, drilling small holes -I don't know what I would do with out one. ALL 3 were new in 2006 and still keep on working, probably a Dremel gets used at least once a week.

[82brutus]

Oooo, I have the Rotozip.  That thing is awesome.  It came with the extra attachment for the grinder and sanding disc.

[Silentsniper441]

Everything its made to do!

I love my dremel, i got it for christmas a couple years ago and now i dont know what i would do without it.