'Detail' grinder, like a Dremel but maybe bigger - such a thing?

I would use a conical grinder in one of these:

I'd say a Dremel is rather lacking in power for this sort of job. A larger motor with a flexible drive should get round this without making the business end too large. Have a look at the 'Rotozip' type things that B&Q sell which would seem ideal.

Hmm, I suppose that might be OK but again it's hardly ideal as there's nothing to really keep hold of to manipulate the grind wheel. It's a possibility though if I can't find anything better.

Not sure I follow - you get hold of the grey bit at the end near the remote chuck to manipulate, or did you mean it wasn't a meaty enough hand-hold to extert much pressure (as you could with an angle grinder?).

Reminded me I could do with one of these!

I used to have one for years, but finally trashed it by jamming a bit in something. The drill didn't stall, it just wound the flexible drive up in a tangle and wrecked it.

So for grinding you would have to be careful not to put too much load on or you could trash the flexible drive. Possibly a drill with a screwdriver setting to reduce the maximum torque would provide some protection.

One alternative might be a conical grind wheel with a long shaft in a standard drill? This could get into narrow angles, but still wouldn't get into really hard to reach places.

Finally, you could try and find an old dentists drill :-) Flexible shaft, designed to go into all sorts of hard to get to places.

Cheers Dave R

I have a Dremel with accessories, and wouldn't care to recommend it as a mainstay tool. It's more of a modelmakers toy for when you might want to shave the end off a matchstick or piece of balsa.

PoP

Yes, I meant not meaty enough like an angle grinder. An angle grinder with a pointy grindwheel would do fine, though something a little smaller and lighter might be even better.

Yes, I was wondering about a Rotozip or similar. Can they be used without their baseplate? Can you get grinding bits for them?

OK, thanks, that would seem to rule out the Dremel then. So what I'm looking for is a 'big' Dremel. As I said elsewhere in the thread would a Rotozip (or lookalike) do what I want?

What you want is a high-speed flexible shaft grinder. It must be able to go at 20,000 R.P.M. and use a collet rather than a chuck. There used to be a firm called "Morrisflex", years ago, that supplied good sets (also used in engine tuning, etc).

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Die grinder. Cheap, compact and useful, if you get a pneumatic one. OTOH, you'll need a compressor.

I'm not sure as I bought an end of line B&Q copy - and it can to both.

Rotozip aren't made anymore, but someone's selling new ones on eBay with a 'buy it now' price of 10 quid, which seems somewhat of a bargain.

I'd try a Dremel myself but I've got one so guess I'm biased. ;-)

Probably wouldn't stand upto all day use but without straining it and not doing too much at once I'd have thought it would be ok.

I've cut car tyres with mine (the steel cables in them as well). Not used the grinding wheels as such but tried one on something I shouldn't and it wore it away rather sharpish so maybe need to find if they sell harder ones. ;-)

Mark S.

eBay with a

bargain.

Not such a bargain, but you can still buy them here (for now)

W.

That's near enough what I got - the previous model when it was on special offer. Can be used as a router as well. It's certainly more suited to grinding metal than a Dremel.

Yes, I've seen such things driven by compressed air but can't really justify a compressor just for this and I'm not sure I really have much use for a compressor otherwise.

I've bought a B&Q Power Pro Dremel lookalike to see if it's useful, it may be a little on the small size but on the other hand may be just enough for what I want. I'll see how I go.

As I said I've just bought a B&Q Dremel lookalike to see how I get on with it. It has a 140 watt motor and comes with *lots* of disposable little grinding wheels.

Hello snipped-for-privacy@isbd.co.uk

Maybe a flexible drill shaft with diddy grinder wheel on a normal drill?

Hi Chris,

you may need to copy and paste this link, i think this might suit your purpose better ..... I'd also not recommend those little detail Alox bits as I think that they are poorly bonded and wear out and fall apart quickly ..... I would look in to getting some TC burrs, rubynits or diamond grinders (second and third links)