I bought a dremel. Tell me everything!
July 23, 2023 2:05 PM Subscribe
I bought a dremel a couple days ago after years of thinking about it; got here today, tested it out, and I'm already very satisfied with it being a good solution for the soft carving I was primarily getting it for (soapstone, anthracite coal, wood). But now I've got this good tool and no experience with it, so: what else might I want to get for it for carving/shaping art and craft purposes, and, hell, what else in particular have folks found themselves surprised/pleased to be able to accomplish in general with a rotary tool?
I picked up a Dremel 4300 because I wanted something with plenty of beef and versatility to it; i also got a kit that included the flex shaft because I suspect I will use that for most of my finer detail work in particular (the 4300 weighs like 1.5 pounds, it's a bit chonky for extended use), but I haven't fired that bit up yet.
My immediate carving work impressions from a first go: replaceable drum belt sanding works great for detailed rough shaping and for smoothing with 60 and 240 grit drums respectively; polishing wheel did a great job putting a final polish on a surface after I did some hand sanding with 600 and 1500 grit wet-dry. I don't have a solution for high-grit sanding on the dremel yet; I am seeing 600 grit drums online so I'll get some of those, but do higher-yet grit drums exist and do they work well? Are there other sanding/polishing approaches people like?
Also interested more broadly in any good tool solution and maintenance/process tips for good use and care of the tool. I read the manual; looking more for practical takes.
As far as general use: I don't need to use this thing for everything, but, y'know, I am game to know where it could turn out to be That Thing that makes something I already do around the house sometimes, or never get around to doing because it's annoying, more doable.
n.b. for soapstone carving particulate etc., I'm aware of and taking appropriate action on safety practices. No mesothelioma or black lung in this house, don't worry.
I picked up a Dremel 4300 because I wanted something with plenty of beef and versatility to it; i also got a kit that included the flex shaft because I suspect I will use that for most of my finer detail work in particular (the 4300 weighs like 1.5 pounds, it's a bit chonky for extended use), but I haven't fired that bit up yet.
My immediate carving work impressions from a first go: replaceable drum belt sanding works great for detailed rough shaping and for smoothing with 60 and 240 grit drums respectively; polishing wheel did a great job putting a final polish on a surface after I did some hand sanding with 600 and 1500 grit wet-dry. I don't have a solution for high-grit sanding on the dremel yet; I am seeing 600 grit drums online so I'll get some of those, but do higher-yet grit drums exist and do they work well? Are there other sanding/polishing approaches people like?
Also interested more broadly in any good tool solution and maintenance/process tips for good use and care of the tool. I read the manual; looking more for practical takes.
As far as general use: I don't need to use this thing for everything, but, y'know, I am game to know where it could turn out to be That Thing that makes something I already do around the house sometimes, or never get around to doing because it's annoying, more doable.
n.b. for soapstone carving particulate etc., I'm aware of and taking appropriate action on safety practices. No mesothelioma or black lung in this house, don't worry.
I have a Dremel hand tool, but rarely use it. I use a flex shaft with proper attachment on the end. It accepts drill bits, grinding tools and polishing wheels. Its more comfortable to hold than my Dremel, which is quite hefty. The flex shaft is about an inch in diameter.
posted by Czjewel at 2:17 PM on July 23, 2023
posted by Czjewel at 2:17 PM on July 23, 2023
My primary dremel use is with those tiny heavy duty cutoff wheels- if I'm dealing with a stuck nut (car repair etc) I slice through the nut on a diagonal. Takes a bit of finesse to not cut into whatever the nut is attached to, but I've got it down.
Another good use case is cutting a slot or two in the threads of a machine screw, which lets it work a bit like a half assed tap. Great for rescuing slightly damaged blind threaded holes.
posted by Larry David Syndrome at 2:20 PM on July 23, 2023
Another good use case is cutting a slot or two in the threads of a machine screw, which lets it work a bit like a half assed tap. Great for rescuing slightly damaged blind threaded holes.
posted by Larry David Syndrome at 2:20 PM on July 23, 2023
I have owned a Dremel for about 15 years and have never once used the Flex Shaft, but I don't really use it for carving much. The Dremel is one of those things I don't use all the time but when I need it, it is the perfect thing and the only thing for the task at hand.
Buy multi packs of whatever bits you use most. You'll go through them. You can find cheap off-brand bits on Amazon. Some of these will work fine, others you'll want to stick with the name brand bits.
The little metal cleaning wheels are awesome for general cleaning tasks, like cleaning crap off a mechanical tool or getting rust off things. Wear goggles.
Play around with the speed setting, it seems that for every bit / task there is a sweet spot, speed-wise. Let the speed of the tool do the work, resist using a lot of pressure.
posted by bondcliff at 2:21 PM on July 23, 2023 [2 favorites]
Buy multi packs of whatever bits you use most. You'll go through them. You can find cheap off-brand bits on Amazon. Some of these will work fine, others you'll want to stick with the name brand bits.
The little metal cleaning wheels are awesome for general cleaning tasks, like cleaning crap off a mechanical tool or getting rust off things. Wear goggles.
Play around with the speed setting, it seems that for every bit / task there is a sweet spot, speed-wise. Let the speed of the tool do the work, resist using a lot of pressure.
posted by bondcliff at 2:21 PM on July 23, 2023 [2 favorites]
The tool section of American science and surplus is your friend. Diamond slitting blades and burrs.
posted by hortense at 2:24 PM on July 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by hortense at 2:24 PM on July 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
You probably didn't need to know this, but you can use your Dremel as the cutting head on a very small CNC machine.
posted by adamrice at 2:48 PM on July 23, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by adamrice at 2:48 PM on July 23, 2023 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Safety goggles and mask, always, I promise. Fortunately I have other slightly dangerous art/craft hobbies too so that's all good.
posted by cortex at 3:00 PM on July 23, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by cortex at 3:00 PM on July 23, 2023 [3 favorites]
(I trust you were wearing goggles, I specifically mentioned it in my paragraph about the cleaning wheels because the little metal bits tend to fly off occasionally.)
Also, If possible whenever i'm using any kind of disk bit I try to keep my face out of the plane of the spinning disk.
Once you've used a Dremel for a bit (npi) the next logical step is an angle grinder, which is basically a large Dremel that CAN KILL YOU. Oh man I love them so much.
posted by bondcliff at 3:06 PM on July 23, 2023 [2 favorites]
Also, If possible whenever i'm using any kind of disk bit I try to keep my face out of the plane of the spinning disk.
Once you've used a Dremel for a bit (npi) the next logical step is an angle grinder, which is basically a large Dremel that CAN KILL YOU. Oh man I love them so much.
posted by bondcliff at 3:06 PM on July 23, 2023 [2 favorites]
I've burned up a number of dremels in my life. I now have a Ryobi HT20VS, which has been good.
If you need something heavier duty, a die grinder might do it for you.
posted by H21 at 3:27 PM on July 23, 2023
If you need something heavier duty, a die grinder might do it for you.
posted by H21 at 3:27 PM on July 23, 2023
The non-reinforced cut-off discs are hilariously fragile. They work really well if you apply no force and let the speed do the work, but shatter if you even look at them funny.
Fine sanding drums tend to leave scores on the work rather than polishing. Maybe some of the felt or ScotchBrite-like ones might be better. Then again, really worn out sanding drums might be useful for polishing too
(Next logical step beyond angle grinder is a carving disc: a small round chainsaw that fits into an angle grinder, if you take almost all of the guards off. I have seen the aftermath of a carving disc accident, and never wish to again.)
posted by scruss at 3:27 PM on July 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
Fine sanding drums tend to leave scores on the work rather than polishing. Maybe some of the felt or ScotchBrite-like ones might be better. Then again, really worn out sanding drums might be useful for polishing too
(Next logical step beyond angle grinder is a carving disc: a small round chainsaw that fits into an angle grinder, if you take almost all of the guards off. I have seen the aftermath of a carving disc accident, and never wish to again.)
posted by scruss at 3:27 PM on July 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
Some bits I like to use:
Link 1
Link 2
Link 3
Link 4
posted by just.good.enough at 4:07 PM on July 23, 2023
Link 1
Link 2
Link 3
Link 4
posted by just.good.enough at 4:07 PM on July 23, 2023
I use the cutoff discs mostly, for little jobs like shortening bolts or cutting metal trim or making holes in metal cases. So I buy the larger packs of those, as they don't last that long. I've built a jig using the flex shaft for cutting arrows to length for archery, so there's a niche usage. I use the little grinding stones to smooth metal edges or sharpen things where I don't need much precision.
Always wear glasses. 20-odd years ago I was cutting into a flight case with a Dremel and a couple of sparks hit me in my left eye. I can still see a couple of black dots if I stare at the sky or a sheet of paper. I was lucky.
One tip. Be careful with the little button that locks the shaft when you change tools. It's a point of fragility on those Dremels. The pin inside can and will cam out of the hole in the shaft, damaging it, and quite quickly you won't be able to lock the shaft any more. I ruined three Dremels that way before learning that you have to (1) not apply too much pressure with the spanner when tightening or loosening the collet - it shouldn't be a lot more than finger-tight, and (2) Make sure the button is pushed in securely and registers with the hole when tightening or loosening - if it slips, it does damage.
posted by pipeski at 4:13 PM on July 23, 2023 [3 favorites]
Always wear glasses. 20-odd years ago I was cutting into a flight case with a Dremel and a couple of sparks hit me in my left eye. I can still see a couple of black dots if I stare at the sky or a sheet of paper. I was lucky.
One tip. Be careful with the little button that locks the shaft when you change tools. It's a point of fragility on those Dremels. The pin inside can and will cam out of the hole in the shaft, damaging it, and quite quickly you won't be able to lock the shaft any more. I ruined three Dremels that way before learning that you have to (1) not apply too much pressure with the spanner when tightening or loosening the collet - it shouldn't be a lot more than finger-tight, and (2) Make sure the button is pushed in securely and registers with the hole when tightening or loosening - if it slips, it does damage.
posted by pipeski at 4:13 PM on July 23, 2023 [3 favorites]
I've had an off-brand 'Dremel' for about 10 years and it lives semi-permanently hanging from a shelf above my workbench. I don't even remember the last time I used it without the flex shaft, as it's just so much easier to use and to control, given that you're almost always doing something small that needs finer control than I can get by holding the whole tool.
I've used it for various cutting and grinding of small objects and done lots of polishing of small metal parts and it does a great job of them all. It's one of those tools where it's worth getting a wide variety of cutting/grinding/sanding/polishing bits because it's the thing you're going to use when absolutely nothing else will work and you don't want to be running to the hardware for a 50 cent cutting wheel. Definitely, when it comes to the cutting disks, they are crazy fragile unless you cut steady and straight and resist the urge to use any pressure. So, wear glasses and be patient - use the speed of the disk rather than pressure. Also, experiment with speed because (as someone else mentioned) there's a sweet spot for every task that will make life much easier and you'll spend less time replacing discs/drums/etc after they fly off at high speed. Start slow and work up.
You'll be amazed how capable and versatile this tool is and wonder how you ever survived without one. My most recent task was cutting off a hardened steel shift lever on an automatic transmission that was sandwiched between about five different things and I could barely get a couple of fingers onto the lever. I was able to get the end of the flex shaft in with a cut-off wheel and, using more patience than I thought I possessed, got the job done. More patience than usual, because I was using the only crazy fragile cutting disc I had and it was night-time and I had to get the job done that night.
posted by dg at 5:08 PM on July 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
I've used it for various cutting and grinding of small objects and done lots of polishing of small metal parts and it does a great job of them all. It's one of those tools where it's worth getting a wide variety of cutting/grinding/sanding/polishing bits because it's the thing you're going to use when absolutely nothing else will work and you don't want to be running to the hardware for a 50 cent cutting wheel. Definitely, when it comes to the cutting disks, they are crazy fragile unless you cut steady and straight and resist the urge to use any pressure. So, wear glasses and be patient - use the speed of the disk rather than pressure. Also, experiment with speed because (as someone else mentioned) there's a sweet spot for every task that will make life much easier and you'll spend less time replacing discs/drums/etc after they fly off at high speed. Start slow and work up.
You'll be amazed how capable and versatile this tool is and wonder how you ever survived without one. My most recent task was cutting off a hardened steel shift lever on an automatic transmission that was sandwiched between about five different things and I could barely get a couple of fingers onto the lever. I was able to get the end of the flex shaft in with a cut-off wheel and, using more patience than I thought I possessed, got the job done. More patience than usual, because I was using the only crazy fragile cutting disc I had and it was night-time and I had to get the job done that night.
posted by dg at 5:08 PM on July 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'd like to use mine for carvings. Instead I use it to remove grout/mortar when there are defects in tiling that I've done, and to drill little holes or pockets to put hanging hooks into brick walls.
posted by Summers at 10:31 PM on July 23, 2023
posted by Summers at 10:31 PM on July 23, 2023
pipeski: quite quickly you won't be able to lock the shaft any more. I ruined three Dremels that way
Well, you could have used the second Dremel to grind flat sides into the lower part of the threaded shaft of the first one so that you can hold it with a spanner instead. I had an off-brand 'dremel' once that didn't even have a lock pin but came with a sheeit-metal spanner for that purpose. Annoying, but it worked (until I burned out the motor).
My current one is a Proxxon that runs off 12V, some predecessor to the FBS12, and as there's a beefy variable power supply next to the workspace where I use it most, I can use it at the appropriate speed for the job and the tool.
There's no need to use anything but your fingers to tighten a collet; if you think you do you're using the wrong sized insert. Mini drill chucks? Chuck 'em, they never hold your tool exactly centered.
posted by Stoneshop at 12:21 AM on July 24, 2023
Well, you could have used the second Dremel to grind flat sides into the lower part of the threaded shaft of the first one so that you can hold it with a spanner instead. I had an off-brand 'dremel' once that didn't even have a lock pin but came with a sheeit-metal spanner for that purpose. Annoying, but it worked (until I burned out the motor).
My current one is a Proxxon that runs off 12V, some predecessor to the FBS12, and as there's a beefy variable power supply next to the workspace where I use it most, I can use it at the appropriate speed for the job and the tool.
There's no need to use anything but your fingers to tighten a collet; if you think you do you're using the wrong sized insert. Mini drill chucks? Chuck 'em, they never hold your tool exactly centered.
posted by Stoneshop at 12:21 AM on July 24, 2023
As a Harbor Freight afficianado: they have some OK 'dremel style' rotary tools and some really, really bad ones. If it plugs directly into the wall -- no power adapter, no battery charger -- it's pretty good and those kits usually run around $25 - $50.
The bits and stuff aren't any cheaper at Harbor Freight than on Amazon, and you buy in bigger bulk on Amazon, so get cheap bits and consumables on Amazon.
posted by AzraelBrown at 1:35 PM on July 24, 2023
The bits and stuff aren't any cheaper at Harbor Freight than on Amazon, and you buy in bigger bulk on Amazon, so get cheap bits and consumables on Amazon.
posted by AzraelBrown at 1:35 PM on July 24, 2023
I have a set of Harbor Freight diamond bits I’ve used for nearly twenty years with my flex drive dremel hanging over the sink to engrave on glass and drill holes in the bottom of pots so my wife can use them for plants. I never think of putting a hole in a perfectly good vase when I manage to make one, but you can only have so many flowers around the house.
I let a little water drizzle on the piece and the flex drive keeps the water away from the electrocute-y bits. So long as you go slow you can drill either stoneware or glass. Good for grinding off those embarrassing glaze drips too.
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 3:22 PM on July 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
I let a little water drizzle on the piece and the flex drive keeps the water away from the electrocute-y bits. So long as you go slow you can drill either stoneware or glass. Good for grinding off those embarrassing glaze drips too.
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 3:22 PM on July 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
Stoneshop:you could have used the second Dremel to grind flat sides into the lower part of the threaded shaft of the first one
I've tried a couple of things. There's not really much of the exposed shaft - you have to take off the plastic collar to get to it properly. It's possible I could grind down an 8mm spanner to get into that space. I also took the button out and drilled the indentations in the shaft deeper so I can use a little bar to lock the shaft. I keep them as backups in case the one I'm being sensible with goes kaput.
I've looked at the Proxxons, and they seem very capable in an industrial sort of way. If they're good, I'll think about that next time I need a new one.
posted by pipeski at 4:15 PM on July 24, 2023
I've tried a couple of things. There's not really much of the exposed shaft - you have to take off the plastic collar to get to it properly. It's possible I could grind down an 8mm spanner to get into that space. I also took the button out and drilled the indentations in the shaft deeper so I can use a little bar to lock the shaft. I keep them as backups in case the one I'm being sensible with goes kaput.
I've looked at the Proxxons, and they seem very capable in an industrial sort of way. If they're good, I'll think about that next time I need a new one.
posted by pipeski at 4:15 PM on July 24, 2023
I haven't used our Dremel a lot, but the accessory that looks good to me is the drill press stand for it.
posted by TimHare at 6:12 PM on July 24, 2023
posted by TimHare at 6:12 PM on July 24, 2023
pipeski: I've looked at the Proxxons, and they seem very capable in an industrial sort of way. If they're good, I'll think about that next time I need a new one.
One thing is that Proxxon doesn't just make Dremel-like tools, they have an entire range of hobbyist wood- and metalcrafting tools (such as tabletop bandsaws, lathes, circular saws and sanders), as well as a fair range of general workshop tools which I expect translates into "we know how to make such things, and you can find that knowledge in every tool we make". It's not top-tier, but they're well-regarded.
I don't use mine a lot, maybe on average once a month, drilling and grinding a case for some electronic project, but it's at least 25 years old now and shows no sign of wear.
We've also bought a second-hand tabletop bandsaw (two models back from the current one) which did need some TLC before it worked smoothly again, but from the crud buildup inside it had evidently seen a good deal of use.
posted by Stoneshop at 11:39 PM on July 24, 2023
One thing is that Proxxon doesn't just make Dremel-like tools, they have an entire range of hobbyist wood- and metalcrafting tools (such as tabletop bandsaws, lathes, circular saws and sanders), as well as a fair range of general workshop tools which I expect translates into "we know how to make such things, and you can find that knowledge in every tool we make". It's not top-tier, but they're well-regarded.
I don't use mine a lot, maybe on average once a month, drilling and grinding a case for some electronic project, but it's at least 25 years old now and shows no sign of wear.
We've also bought a second-hand tabletop bandsaw (two models back from the current one) which did need some TLC before it worked smoothly again, but from the crud buildup inside it had evidently seen a good deal of use.
posted by Stoneshop at 11:39 PM on July 24, 2023
« Older parents - doublecheck me on standard sick kid... | Examples of successful grassroots action to remove... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by sdrawkcab at 2:09 PM on July 23, 2023 [1 favorite]