Dremels

[orion.osiris]

Hi, Is a dremel plus all the accessory bits a useful addition to a diy toolkit or is it too pussy for this kind of thing?

[Bob Eager]

IME, it's a thing you don't use *all* that often. But occasionally it really comes into its own.

They aren't particularly weak, either (but I've only used mains ones).

[polygonum]

Agreed. But there have been times I'd have liked something halfway between an angle grinder and a Dremel.

[The Medway Handyman]

is it too pussy for this kind of thing?

I had one & gave it away. As much use as a back pocket in a sock IMO.

[Bob Eager]

Aren't they for condoms?

[meow2222]

is it too pussy for this kind of thing?

They're very useful, but only occasionally. Steer clear of junk low power ones that run off a wallwart. They're called die grinders, and come in lots of makes

[Bill Wright]

is it too pussy for this kind of thing? I have mains powered one with a decent set of accessories. I find it invaluable. I used it today because I had to put some self-tappers through some ply and they were fractionally too long. For safety I put a flat on the barely visible protruding sharp end of each screw, using a little grinder wheel. There's a sort of cutting tool thingy that looks like a long thin gear wheel. It's brilliant for the fine shaping of wood or plastic. The little thin abrasive wheels are very fragile, but are excellent for cutting off small nails etc. A set of tiny drills is very useful. I was able to drill through a 1.5mm dia copper wire the other day, to attach a fine wire. With Dremels a lot depends on your eyesight and how steady your hands are. The polishing wheels are very good for small objects such as coins and medals.

Bill

[F Murtz]

If you have access to compressed air, a die grinder is the ants pants.

[Nightjar]

is it too pussy for this kind of thing?

I've used mine once, but I'm not sure how I would have done that job without it. I needed to put a number of slits part way along a cylinder of 26swg stainless steel and my shears did not have long enough blades. I have a hand nibbler, but that would have made too wide a slot. However, it was a slow process with the Dremel and I wished for the slitting disk machine I used to have in my factory. It used 155mm x

0.5mm abrasive disks and would have done each slit in a single pass.

Colin Bignell

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Think the clue is in the description - hobby tool. They are great for model making and electronics etc, but I've never used my ones for actual DIY - I've always got something better.

[newshound]

Yes, but a Dremel lets you do much more delicate things

[newshound]

Depends on your definition of DIY I suppose. I've found them useful on a number of car jobs, drilling holes in awkward places to run additional wiring for example. I have both a mains and a rechargeable (not genuine Dremels).

A bit like the multi-tool: don't use it often, but when you do they are invaluable.

[tinnews]

I use mine a *lot* and it's definitely for DIY:-

Use the wire brushes for cleaning rust before painting, a big wire brush is fine in some places but the Dremel version is excellent for round windows on a boat for example.

Cutting plstic boxes, use the little circular saw. This is for boxes such as drylining back-boxes, small electronics boxes, etc. Save rough edges from popping out the knock outs. Also the grind wheels are useful for cleaning up rough edges.

The little grind wheels are useful in "mini angle grinder" applications. For example recently on my son's car removing a small bolt from a failed weldnut, there was absolutely no way one could get a full-sized angle grinder into the space.

I wouldn't be without mine and have now got two, one is kept permanently on the boat.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I've done lots and lots of car wiring and never found the need for one there. Besides, most car wiring will need a grommet to protect the cable so it's generally a Q-Max or hole saw if you can't use a Q-Max, and a Dremmel ain't any use for a hole saw or drilling the pilot hole for a Q-Max - or a small grommet.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

A wire brush does little more than polish the rust. You really need a diamond burr to get rid of it properly. I have a tool similar in principle to a Dremel but much larger which gets used for this.

I use grommets in knockouts, so not bothered about any 'rough edges' If I wanted extra holes in a dry lining box I'd do it on the pillar drill with a holesaw.

Cutting holes in project boxes is what I'd call hobby use.

All I'm saying is there are better alternatives.

[meow2222]

I've used mine many times for derusting, and it does remove all trace of rust. If you've got one that doesn't, either the wire brush is to small or the tool too feeble.

NT

[F Murtz]

You can get miniature die grinders almost as small as a dental drill.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

You only need to do it once if it removes all traces. ;-)

Strange I've not learned that after some 50 years of doing this sort of thing.

[tinnews]

Depends on the rust and on what you are going to paint onto it. Some treatments work better on surfaces with some rust left on them. For the particular case in question round windows on boats nothing bigger than a Dremel will get anywhere near it.

Er, I meant the knockouts in plastic boxes (pattresses etc.) you can't get grommets into those really.

Well I have yet to find one, in particular for the cutting plastic boxes job.e

[Richard Russell]

Richard.