dremels

[Fred]

Hi,

I remember reading a post here suggesting a dremel was the best thing to remove rusty screws that were holding down a toilet. Now I have some rusty screws but not on a toilet, and I do have access, so I could try to drill them out, I could even get an angle grinder on them ;)

But it got me thinking about these dremels. Are they a bit like these oscillating multitools: not used very often but when they are, they do jobs that nothing else will do?

I see dremel "clones" and accessories quite often in the cpc fliers. Are the clones (both tool and accessories) as good as the real thing, or does it pay to get the branded ones?

TIA

[meow2222]

[The Medway Handyman]

I found my Dremel as much use as a back pocket on a sock. I gave it to Adam.

[Bill Wright]

Sort of, but the dremel gets far more use than the multitool. I often use the dremel.

No idea. Mine's a dremel.

Bill

[Ericp]

Essentially yes. But they are in Marmite country, you love them or hate them.

I have found my Aldi clone to be the best tool I have ever possessed for awkward jobs.

The clone dremels are great for non commercial use, the tools however are dire, except for the cutting discs. All the grinders are good shafts and bits joined with low melt glue and promptly fall apart when you use them. They are purely eye candy to fill out the box.

So buy a clone tool but buy a quality bit to go in it.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If you can drill them out, that will be the easiest way.

I've got several - not Dremel - and they have their uses, mainly for 'hobby' type use. They're pretty useless for most DIY. Too weedy.

[Bill Wright]

Yes, they do need a bit of skill to use.

Bill

[meow2222]

I've not had that melting problem, and have bought several brands, mostly cheap ones.

/Some/ of the nondremels are junk, mainly the little wallwart powered ones. Perhaps they have their use for glass engraving, but not for diy.

NT

[F Murtz]

This may help if it is only the screw head damaged

[Frank Erskine]

Perhaps they have their use for glass engraving, but not for diy.

I have a fairly aged pukka Dremel (285) which has two speeds, 15000 and 33000 rpm, which makes it a little too fast for most drilling.

Which reminds me - I have a dental appointment tomorrow. Just the six-monthly checkup and maybe a bit of wire brushing (it _feels_ like a wire brush). Arghh!

Actually the Dremel, with a large burr, is pretty good for a troublesome big toenail.

[Frank Erskine]

It seems an awfully long way from Oz to UK to send a few stud extractors... ;-)

[meow2222]

About 10x the drill speeds you'll find in any table for 1/8" in wood, but despite this I find mine drills pilot holes like a knife through butter, with no ill effect on wood or bit. Which does make me wonder just how the drilling speed tables came about.

NT

[F Murtz]

Dont tell me the uk would not have the same thing. Just giving ideas was not sugesting you buy through AU although we often buy from UK

[Dave Plowman (News)]

A very high speed is fine for things like PCB drilling with a tungsten bit.

I'm wondering what the point is of using a dremel for pilot holes in wood? Then presumably changing to a proper drill for the main hole?

[The Medway Handyman]

Most toys do.

[Bill Wright]

Ha! Very good! But seriously, dremels are for little tiny fiddly jobs. They're useless for the sort of thing that needs a normal drill or angle grinder. I think people often get fed up with the dremel because they ask it to do too much. But for those minute little fiddly jobs they're indispensable. I used mine yesterday to cut a 1mm x 1mm x 15mm groove in hardwood. It worked really well. The other recent job was to cut through some very narrow tracks on a PCB. A few weeks ago I used it to cut the heads off some panel pins. Do-able with a junior hacksaw but easier with the dremel. Also used it with the little wire brush thing to clean the threads on some 8BA screws.

Bill

[meow2222]

No bit changes, drills 20x fast

NT

[newshound]

Yes indeed. Personally I find the burrs and grinding stones very difficult to use, but I use the thin cutting disks quite a lot. There are two distinct types: one is very brittle but will cut a narrow slot as long as you can keep it square to the cut, the other has a woven fibre base impregnated with abrasive, which tolerates much more abuse.

Have been using them recently to slit open the braiding of hydraulic hoses, in order to do forensic examination of the inner hose.

Also good for drilling small holes in plastic or PCB, and as Bill says, the wire brushes are useful.

[The Medway Handyman]

Bought mine for things like cutting the ally channel/tube of blinds. Hopeless.

[meow2222]

They should manage that ok.

NT