HF Multifunction tool

[LD]

So Jack, I guess the question that has to be asked, are the Dremel blades as good or at comparible in quality to the Fein in practical use?

Also, I am remembering some discussion on another group of the problems with blades loosening up on the Dremels when being used. A call to Dremel ( IF I am remembering correctly) got the individual some kind of star washer or other arrangment to help remedy that problem.

Anyway, have you had a chance to use the Dremel blades, and more importantly, do you like them? I wouldn't expect Fein quality at half the price, but wonder if the blades are just more Chinese crap.

Robert

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They loosen up on the Fein (model I bought lo these many years ago), they don't cut flesh (showed my wife this just two days ago), and they Bend. Had to pound one flat for work this week. When I bought mine it was over priced and I suspect it still is. I'd buy the HF Chinese Crap, just make sure you clean off the Cosmoline/CatPee before use. If you have cats or dogs (well, any mammal with a nose), get the box into the recycling right quick. They use Cat Pee in the cardboard glue. Same stuff they use in the plywood. I'm thinking they got a Lot of cats in China ...

[HeyBub]

There's not much "quality" in any of the blades. The blade is a flat piece of metal whose business end is serrated. In every way, the teeth look like they were fashioned by pinking shears!

Don't think of the blade as a typical saw.

The "teeth" are not sharpened, set, or even very pointy. Now the teeth COULD be harder, but that would make the blade more brittle. Probably what they've got is a rough trade-off between durability and total failure.

On the plus side, when the teeth DO wear down, you've got a new scraper.

[Nova]

So far I've only used it to under cut four door jambs while installing a laminate floor. As far as I can tell the blade works as well as the Fein. I did not have a problem with the Dremel blade loosening on the Fein any more than a Fein blade. You do have to tighten the set screw securely on both blades. I did like not having to completely remove the screw to install or remove the blade. It's only a minor convenience but one that was noted.

[J. Clarke]

Note that the current Fein models address both of these issues--there is now a star shaped arbor that prevents the blade from shifting and there is now a quick release instead of a set screw. There is an adapter that adds the new arbor to the older models--it has carbide teeth on the back that cut into the flat arbor to ensure that it stays put, or if you want to be really sure it can be spot welded.

[mac davis]

Good thing it's corded..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[Doug Houseman]

I have and use the dremel - I picked it after testing the Fein and others. It was the right power for my 11 year old twins and worked well. I have a wide array of attachments. they kids really like it for doing modeling work.

[HeyBub]

Right. Fein's patent on the original tool expired - which generates a ton of competition - so they make some needed improvements and get another seventeen years of exclusivity with a new patent.

For those who decry monopolies, remember monopolies are encouraged by the Constitution (Article I, Section 8). "The Congress shall have the Power To....securing for limited times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries."

[krw]

Without which there would be no improvement.

Well, invention is Constitutionally encouraged. The limited patent monopoly is a means to reward invention; a fair tradeoff, IMO.

[evodawg]

issues--there

shifting and

There is an

has carbide

that it

welded.

generates a ton

get another

encouraged by the

have the Power

the exclusive

patent

IMO. Yes but in China they encourage the opposite.

[todd]

I believe the physics behind this is called "differential cutting", where inelastic objects are cut and elastic objects are left alone. I recall reading of this principle several years back when scientists were looking at using it to cut plaque out of arteries with what resembled a rotary tool. The idea is that the hard(er) plaque would get cut and ther arterial walls would not.

todd

[-MIKE-]

"monopolies are encouraged" is an interesting way to look at protection of intellectual property. :-)

[Douglas Johnson]

That is exactly the deal with a patent or copyright. The inventor (or author) gets a monopoly for a limited period of time in return for putting the work in the public domain at the end of that time. Copyright times have gotten way too long in my opinion, but that is a side detail.

If an inventor wants to protect something indefinitely, they can keep it as a trade secret (like the formula for Coca-Cola). But that doesn't protect them from independent invention.

-- Doug

[-MIKE-]

I don't think it's fair or accurate to equate design patents with monopolies.

Your cola analogy was good in distinguishing between monopoly and design patents. A monopoly would mean there is one company making and selling all the Cola in the country. A patent just means Joe's Cola is the only one who can make and sell his patented, steroid enriched "Rage-a-Cola"

[notbob]

Unfortunately, it's been abused beyond belief. What was once copyrighted for 15 yrs has now been extended to 75 yrs BEYOND the originator's death. Europe has just recently passed similar legislation. This all because the distribution industry has greased pol palms. I'm not sure about latest patent laws.

Fortunately, China laughs at such nonsense and will disregard it to provide an equal, even if sometimes lesser quality, product. Hence, Harbor Freight.

Another thing, is the quality one expects always there. One of the most common items procured from the stores of a govt lab I worked at was the right angle gear-head of the German made Bosch 4-1/2" high speed grinder. Apparently, a very popular tool with a high failure rate. I have one and have never had to replace it, but I also do not use it often, so it has little wear.

Another example of China made stuff I've been happy with is a hand-held power bandsaw. Milwaukee wants almost $400. I got mine for $140. Dual speed and works great. The blades were junk, but Milwaukee blades fit perfectly. I've also had a 2-1/2 ton floor jack and jack stands made in China that were superior to similar US made items costing three times as much.

I learned a long time ago that tools should be judged on an individual basis. You cannot assume anything based on a brand name or country of origin.

nb

[Douglas Johnson]

The line you are trying to draw is based on the breadth of the patent. If Coke had gotten a patent on Cola, there would only be one company making and selling all the Cola in the country for the life of the patent. OK, they could license it to other companies if they wanted.

For some time in the 40's and 50's, there was only one company making and selling color film -- Kodak. A decade later, there was only one company making and selling plain paper copiers -- Xerox.

-- Doug

[-MIKE-]

I don't have a problem with that. It's a new invention.... their idea. In Kodaks case, there was still B&W film. People could still take photographs and make money at it. In Xerox's case, there were still mimeographs and other ways to reproduce things.

They should be protected for a while to profit from their idea/invention. I think we agree more than we disagree. I think patents are good to protect someone's invention.

But calling it a monopoly is like saying the guy who invents the combo drill-saw-nailer, is now the only one allowed to sell all tools.

[HeyBub]

Well, that's the way it was put to us in ConLaw class. Don't forget, monopolies are, in the main, good.

And about the only monopolies that are bad for the consumer are those that are government-controlled or owned (i.e., utilities, postal service, etc.).

Even the arch-demon of monopolies, Standard Oil, managed to lower the price of Kerosene from $3.00/gallon to 5¢/gallon ! And they did it in three years. Of course the suppliers of whale oil were put out of business - and complained lustily - but Standard Oil pushed back the night.

No longer did we have to have sex in the dark.

[David Nebenzahl]

On 5/10/2009 2:37 PM HeyBub spake thus:

Totally disagree with that (about monopolies being good); more on this below.

But regarding that law class, it reminds me of my days in business school. One of the best classes I ever took was business law. Now, you know my political beliefs: well to the left of center. The class was taught by an older conservative Mormon rancher type. Yet it turned out to be one of the best classes I took the entire time I was in school there (NAU in Flagstaff). The guy was very fair-minded, and covered all the basics (contract law, basic legal concepts, etc.) very clearly.

This, of course, elides many cases of malicious malfeasance attributable to the likes of Standard Oil and other monopolies. In general, monopolies are things to be avoided wherever possible; only a few cases, among them ones you listed above, are good candidates for manageable monopolies.

[evodawg]

attributable

Would you consider the US Government a monopoly? I also love the fact the US Government taxes the Oil Companies to the extreme of making more off a gallon of gas then the outfit that produces it, just for the opportunity to do business in this country. Does anyone know what the US averages in dollars collected per year in TAXES? Just curious.

[HeyBub]

I agree. Standard Oil's methods of putting competitors out of business was despicable.

But it was the COMPETITION that suffered from Standard Oil's practices - not the average consumer. The consumer benefited enormously.

To be more current, consider Microsoft's battle in Europe over imbedding multi-media code within the operating system. Did the consumer complain? Absolutely not! The whole thing was brought to the courts by RealPlayer (they tried the same thing in the U.S.). So, as a result of the EU court decisions, Microsoft offered a version of XP without MediaPlayer.

I think Microsoft sold about eight copies.

My point is that railing against monopolies is almost never based on consumer needs - it's the competitors that are stirring up the folk.